Rage Against the Machine

Epic Records

November 3rd, 1992.

Rage Against the Machine's debut album proved to be a significant moment in time for the Alternative Metal sphere. Exuding a sentiment of anti-establishment ethos and riding in on a wave of hip viscerality, RATM shook the foundations of a world spinning off of it's axis.

Fueled by the fountain of youth, RATM's highly politicized output balanced the perfect combination of thought and thunder - De La Rocha's take on societal issues/governmental dealings still reverberate to this day. Place perspective on said issues over funk-fueled rhythms and rebellious primal feel, and what you're left with is a flagship for Alternative Metal. Tom Morello's experimentation’s on guitar proved that there was still another angle to approach rock music from - the addition of whaling, industrial sounds and tones alongside the familiar chord progressions furthered a sense of chaos. Albeit, a cleverly controlled chaos.

Often regarded as one of the finest sounding records ever released, and often used to calibrate sound systems, the blend and balance of the mix, in a production sense, is as notorious as they come - everything sits in a sea of space while maintaining a necessary sense of cohesion. Records can lose their power due to aesthetic choice - either suffocating the songs or blowing them out beyond reach. RATM's debut finds the most fruitful of sweetspots. Pristine clarity on the production front allows the material to sound astounding on whichever form of media is chosen. No one is out of this records reach.

Sometimes the system in which you rebel against, ironically, has to be worked with in order to plant the seeds. Play the part with the intent of pulling it in your favour.

Gut the beast from within.