So Rage Against the Machine needed to follow up their explosive debut, and honestly, that’s gotta be one of the scariest positions a band can find themselves in. These LA dudes had already dropped one of the heaviest political statements in rock history, mixing Zack’s rap-influenced vocals with Tom Morello’s guitar wizardry and that tight rhythm section. But instead of playing it safe, they doubled down on the anger with Evil Empire in 1996.
The album hits different than their debut, it’s more streamlined, cutting out some of the longer build-ups and getting straight to the point. “Bulls on Parade” became the obvious standout, with that two-note riff that somehow sounds both simple and devastating, plus Morello’s trademark weird guitar solo that sounds like machinery having a breakdown. Then there’s “People of the Sun,” which opens the album like a call to revolution, addressing the Zapatista movement with some of Zack’s most fired-up vocals. The production puts more emphasis on the hip-hop elements this time around, which initially threw some fans off, but time’s proven it was the right move.
What makes this album work is how focused it feels compared to their debut, no track overstays its welcome, and even the deeper cuts like “Down Rodeo” and “Snakecharmer” pack serious punch. The whole thing clocks in at under 47 minutes, but every second feels essential. Critics initially saw it as a step down, but that’s looking pretty silly now, this thing debuted at number one and has only gotten more relevant with age.
You should check this out because it’s Rage at their most refined without losing any of the fury. If their first album was them figuring out how to channel their anger into music, Evil Empire is them perfecting the formula. Plus, it’s got some of the best political metal ever recorded, and unfortunately, most of it still applies today.