1. v. To rebel, revolt; To actively or passively fight society or the government.
2. v. One of the best and biggest bands of the 90s; in this respect, comparable to
Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They are the other (see Korn) band that led to the nu-metal explosion of the late 90s. The band is known for its extremist militant left-wing liberal lyrics; in fact,
RATM was formed to promote the message of a badly-needed rebellion. They are commonly hated by conservatives and feared by soccer moms. They have been accused of using their popularity to promote a liberal agenda among fans; to those people I merely say: THAT'S THE POINT OF THE BAND, YOU FUCKWIT.
The band was composed of driving force, frontman and rapper
Zack de la Rocha, fantastic bass player
Timmy C, guitarist extraordinaire
Tom Morello and the incomparable drummer
Brad Wilk. Timmy, Tom and Brad have since joined with the former lead singer of Soundgarden and become
Audioslave.
Rage Against the Machine have a completely unique sound. Rapped lyrics accompany guitars with riffs and solos typical of metal, the bass has a heavy influence on the music, resembling funk, and the drums are reminiscent of hardcore punk, but best described as psycho. They also have a very raw sound when compared to most nu-metal. The first album, slef-titled, bears the disclaimer NO SAMPLES, KEYBOARDS OR SYNTHESIZERS USED IN THE MAKING OF THIS RECORDING.
Rage Against the Machine sold out, a severely disappointing fact. Since then, the band has divided, leading to Audioslave and the solo career of Zack de la Rocha. Zack, unlike Audioslave, keeps the intensity and spirit of rebellion in his music.