Rage Against The Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles [180g]

Rage Against the Machine unleashed The Battle of Los Angeles on November 2, 1999, delivering a politically charged third album that would become their final studio release of original material before disbanding in 2000. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, with "Guerrilla Radio" winning Best Hard Rock Performance. Both Time and Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1999, cementing its status as a defining moment in late 90s alternative metal. The Los Angeles quartet of Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk recorded the 12-track album across multiple studios in Los Angeles and Atlanta, crafting their most refined statement on capitalism, corporatism, and political resistance. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified double platinum.

"Testify" opens with Morello's signature scratching guitar effects before launching into a full-throttle attack on media manipulation. "Guerrilla Radio" became the album's most recognizable anthem with its massive riff and call to action, while "Calm Like a Bomb" showcases the band's dynamic range between explosive verses and controlled tension. "Sleep Now in the Fire" features a Michael Moore-directed video and relentless funk-metal groove, and "Mic Check" delivers de la Rocha's rapid-fire delivery over Morello's inventive guitar work. "Born of a Broken Man," "Voice of the Voiceless," and "Ashes in the Fall" maintain the album's intensity, addressing political prisoners, economic inequality, and systemic oppression with uncompromising fury.

This 180-gram black vinyl reissue from 2018 delivers powerful sound reproduction that captures the album's sonic assault with clarity and punch. The heavier vinyl weight provides stability during playback, allowing Morello's experimental guitar techniques and Commerford's thunderous bass lines to resonate with full impact. The standard jacket preserves the album's striking cover art, making this pressing an accessible way to experience one of rap metal's most important albums on vinyl.

• Format: 180g Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "Guerrilla Radio," "Testify," "Sleep Now in the Fire," "Calm Like a Bomb"
• Pressing details: 2018 reissue, 180-gram vinyl, Standard jacket
• Genre/style: Rap Metal, Alternative Metal, Funk Metal, Hard Rock
• UPC: 190758511917

The Battle of Los Angeles stands as a landmark achievement in politically conscious rock music, combining technical prowess with unrelenting social commentary. This 180-gram vinyl edition brings substantial weight and presence to an album that remains urgently relevant.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Testify
2. Guerrilla Radio
3. Calm Like A Bomb
4. Mic Check
5. Sleep Now In The Fire
6. Born Of A Broken Man
   

Side B:

1. Born As Ghosts
2. Maria
3. Voice Of The Voiceless
4. New Millennium Homes
5. Ashes In The Fall
6. War Within A Breath