10 Artists Who Released Their Best Album First

Rage Against the Machine's stern political views and overtly confrontational approach to social change has always been an essential component of the band's limited discography. While they are known largely for such beliefs, their influence on music is not to be overlooked, however, especially with their first, self titled record.

Zack De La Rocha's piercing, evocative vocals fused wonderfully with the fuzzy, experimental and always catchy guitar riffs, which made even the most ardent of political or social messages that much more listenable. The self-titled Rage Against the Machine debut is the most enjoyable state of the union in American history, even if the message being delivered is near-apocalyptically glum.

Like all great debut albums should, the 1992 offering introduced us to a band that would go on to influence the nu-metal craze of the mid-late 1990's while also providing a frightfully high bar for the band themselves to hop over with each new release.

Tunes present on the album still hold up today, with Denzel Curry's earth-shattering take on festive* single being mighty close to the immense intensity of the original; and yet, it's the four-piece from Los Angeles that still reigns supreme, all these years later.

*X Factor's Joe McElderry won't thank them for that one.