Rage Against The Machine – Evil Empire
After reading both of the other 2 reviews on this album, I was disappointed, so being the RATM fan I am and this being my favorite RATM album, I though I would do a review on it.
Released in 1996, 4 years after the release of their self-titled debut, RATM came back with a little bit of a different sound but with the same aggression in power. Usually known as the least favorite original album by RATM, it is a very underrated album with a very cool, atmospheric feel to it. I will be doing this in a song-by-song review with an out of 5 rating.
1. People of the Sun: Not the best opening track to an album (Bulls on Parade would have been better IMO) but it sets up the main feel of the album and all in under 3 minutes. The main riff is one of Morello’s strangest, playing it with an Allen wrench instead of a guitar pick. One of the finest Commerford bass lines in this song, and really gives the song a good funk-feel to it. Great lyrics to top it all off and the way that de la Rocha presents them is in a love-it-or-hate-it sort of way. I love it, but no solo, so I’ll give it a 4/5
2. Bulls On Parade: The first time I heard this song, the explosiveness blew me away. It quickly became one of my favorites. One of the best on the album, and some of the heaviest stuff done by RATM. The instruments really compliment each other well on this song, giving it a very tight feel. Some of Zack’s best lyrics show up on this song, especially the sing-along chorus of, “They rally ‘round the family, with a pocket full of shells.” The solo on this album is one of the strangest sounding things that Tom has ever done, making his guitar sound like a turntable. By using his ‘Arm The Homeless’ guitar and his patented toggle-switch technique, he creates a wide variety of scratches and really adds to the hip-hop feel to the album. Great song but not perfect so I’ll give it a 4.5/5
3. Vietnow: After a couple of listens to the CD I feel in love with this song. From the opening riff to the final note, this song does not disappoint and keeps the album flowing. Using a DigiTech Whammy Pedal a full step down, Tom plays the same thing and at the same pitch as Tim, creating a very powerful backdrop along with Brad’s great drumming on this song for Zack’s powerful lyrics about radio shows that give out right wing propaganda to the listeners. A great song, and I’ll give it a 4/5
(This song is not to be confused with ‘Guerrilla Radio’ from ‘The Battle Of Los Angeles.’)
4. Revolver: A very interesting opening, in which Morello gets his guitar to sound like a keyboard, which is very cool. The riff following is not to bad but nothing special. I like how it slows down for the verses. This is the first of many times on the album where Tim plays the ‘rhythm’ while Tom plays the ‘lead,’ which is really unique, and something I really like. The chorus really turns me off though, which ruins it for me. The solo is really good on this song which makes the song better. The ending is also pretty good. Not my favorite, but a good track indeed, so I’ll give it a 4/5.
5. Snake Charmer: This another song that I’m not the biggest fan of, but its still a good song. Brad’s best song on here, IMO. A very drum driven song which RATM isn’t really known for. It reminds of a punk song, which is something that they’re all into. The thing I really like about this song is it doesn’t really have a song structure. A great ending and makes me increase the rating from a 3/5. Not the worst, but I’ve better from these guys. 4/5.
6. Tire Me: RATM is my favorite band, and I like to think I like all they’re songs, but I can’t get into this song. A very bass heavy song, which is good because I really like Tim’s bass playing. The solo is pretty cool but I would expect a little more from these guys. The song is a little generic though so I can’t give that great of a rating. Lowest point of the album for me, 3/5.
7. Down Rodeo: (That’s Down Ro-day-o) I really liked the song the first time I heard it, it’s got a heavy main riff, followed by a funky verse riff. This is another one of those songs where Tim plays ‘rhythm’ and Tom plays the ‘lead.’ The lyrics are really good about the two separate classes of society and how the upper couldn’t really care any less about the lower class. (I got that from Zack’s website. zdlr.net) It’s really good but they drag it on a little too much and because of that I have to rate it a little worse than what I would like to, so I give it a 3.75/5.
8. Without A Face: This is where the album really starts picking up again. It’s got a really good funky feel to it. This song could probably fit onto The Battle Of Los Angeles, so I guess it’s a little bit of a preview of the next album. The lyrics are very powerful. It’s about the U.S. putting a wall between theirs and Mexico’s border. An interesting solo. But what I really like is the part after the solo. This is a good ending to a good song. 4/5
9. Wind Below: Wow. This song is so powerful on so many levels. This song has the best RATM lyrics PERIOD. Zack really steps it up on this song. This song has one of the coolest bass riffs, and the guitar part is really good. Brad does a great job on this song. The part that really gets me is the part after the solo. If someone were to ask me who my favorite poet would be, without hesitation I would tell them “Zack de la Rocha.” This has everything you want in a song. This is the best song next to Year Of Tha Boomerang. It gets a 4.75/5.
10. Roll Right: I also love this song but not as much as the one before and after it. One of my favorite Tom Morello riffs on this one. I really like the verse riffs. Tom takes a break during the verse and Tim and Brad do a great job together filling in for him. The drumming is top notch on this track, and they also add some extra percussion during the second verse. What could top that you ask, while only one the best interludes that I have heard. No true solo on here but Tom does a great job in the interlude. The ending is also really good. Great song but not my favorite, 4/5.
11. Year Of Tha Boomerang: Yes, sadly its here, the last song. But they saved the best for last. Amazing riff to start it up and it kicks into a great verse with amazing lyrics. A cool ‘break’ of clean guitar and then back to the great verse. That first riff is also the chorus riff. The song goes off into a great breakdown before going back into the verse. The one thing that I don’t like is that the first and second verses are the same but hey it’s a great song. The chorus followed by the really cool 5/8 breakdown, which is played a whole bunch of times which leads to a strange part played on the guitar which ends this masterpiece. 5/5.
Recommended songs:
Bulls On Parade
Wind Below
Year Of Tha Boomerang.
This is my favorite RATM album and I would recommend it if you were a RATM fan. If not I wouldn’t go and buy it until I heard a couple of songs off it.
Final rating:
Well my biased rating would be a 4.75/5, no album is perfect but this is probably the best CD that I own.
My rating that wouldn’t be biased would be 3.75/5, because if you like the s/t and TBOLA, I wouldn’t go out and buy it right off the bat. Still a great listen.
Released in 1996
Produced by Brendan O’Brien
Co-Produced by Rage Against The Machine
Mixed by Andy Wallace
A&R Michael Goldstone
Rage Against The Machine is:
Tim Commerford: Bass
Tom Morello: Guitar
Zack de la Rocha: Vocals
Brad Wilk: Drums
Cheers.
