Still Raging Against that Damn Machine

XX- 20^th Anniversary Edition

Legacy Recordings

XX is a multi-format celebration of Rage Against the Machine’s debut album. Rushing the scene with incendiary lyrics and Hip Hop influenced rhythms, the band quickly found mega-fame as audiences everywhere embraced the volatile sounds of “Bombtrack”  and “Killing in the Name.” Grunge was just taking over the airwaves and RATM’s debut spilled over with anger and resentment, making it the perfect fit alongside artists like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice Chains, despite the fact that the band had little in common with them aside from said anger.

Disc one here contains the debut album in its entirety, fully remixed and remastered. Normally, I don’t go for this sort of thing as the production (or sometimes lack thereof) is often key to the album’s timelessness. RATM gets a solid treatment here though, everything sounds a little bigger and a little clearer without losing any of the punch the original had. It’s the trudging “Fistful of Steel” that benefits most here in my opinion. The DJ work and the little guitar effects that are spread throughout the song really come alive in a way that you didn’t hear so much on the original. “Settle For Nothing” comes alive as well, with the wailing guitars sounding crystal clear and the vocals becoming much more distinct on this version. This disc also contains live versions of “Bombtrack,” “Bullet in the Head,” and “Take the Power Back,” all of which were only available on singles.

Disc two contains the entire RATM demo. This is the release they sold for cheap at their early shows and helped cement their record deal. This is my first exposure to the demo and I have to say that it’s easy to hear why they would have gotten signed so quickly. The demo has lot of fire in the belly and a rawness that doesn’t always come across on the first proper album. The funky “The Narrows” is a highlight here in my opinion, showing how much the band (particularly Tom Morello) had in common musically with Living Colour (particularly Vernon Reid who had been doing this for a number of years by the time RATM rolled around). “Bombtrack” rolls a little slower here as well and I prefer it to the album version personally.

As I have a digital promo of this, I can’t comment on the rest of the set. Also included are two live show DVDs and  a vinyl version of the album as well as liner notes for Public Enemy’s Chuck D.

For the most part, if you are a diehard fan than you have everything here BUT the official release will have much better clarity and I can’t imagine you’d prefer a half-assed version over what Legacy offers here. If you aren’t a diehard fan than this probably isn’t for you. This is RATM’s weakest album in my opinion but its great teaser for what I hope we get when the anniversary of the band’s real classic, Evil Empire, rolls around soon.

Reviewed by Mark Fisher