The self-titled album “Rage Against the Machine (RATM) paints a world of corruption. The band is often critiqued for their uninformed controversial stances and promotion of rioting and anarchism within their song lyrics.

RATM is praised, however, for their composition, often constructed around one or two strong, catchy metal riffs on guitar or bass. RATM pride themselves on completing the album without the use of any samples, keyboards or synthesizers, using only Tom Morello’s guitar to achieve a library of unconventional sounds. 

RATM lack any sort of filter. Given the new-found popularity of the band few released in, the band was invited to play their single “Bullet In The Head” on “Saturday Night Live”. They attempted to hang inverted US flags to the amplifiers.

The band’s perhaps most notorious song “Killing in the name” features on this album. The lyrics are repetitive but make for one of the rawest and powerful performances by singer and rapper “Zack de la Rocha”. The song directly accuses certain cops of the Los Angeles Police Department of having ties with the KKK with the lyrics: “Some of those who work forces, are the same that burn crosses”.

When asked about the band’s name Guitarist Tom Morello answered: “the Machine could be the government or the cops of Los Angeles, but in reality, whoever is listening should to make up make up their own minds and fight their own monster”. So this “Machine” is up to interpretation.

I believe the purpose of the text which is (“fighting one’s monsters’’) isn’t achieved, as many of the songs define a specific situation which is not backed with evidence and fringes on conspiracy. Some of their lyrics simply make them lose credibility and blur the meaning of potential issues they might mention in other songs. 
In conclusion, the album is entertaining, but the statements are not to be taken as fact. The political aspect is provocative for the sake of gaining popularity and not truly an attempt to rouse the masses or start a movement.