10 Perfect Rock Albums From The LA Alternative Scene

Rap/rock was knocking about since the mid ‘80s. Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Faith No More, had all found success through genre blending. But the sub-genre's true impact, was never fully realised until Rage Against the Machine came along.

Their debut combined the politically charged sentiment of Public Enemy, with the grinding impact of Black Flag. Zack de la Rocha’s lyrics were simple enough that they could be chanted after one listen; while being sophisticated enough to rival any protest song of the '60s. The sound was heavy, but it was the kind of heavy you could bust a move to, in fact, that was almost prerequisite. The group had a relentless groove and rhythm section that didn’t miss a beat, giving a platform to the irresistible allure of Tom Morello’s riff work. His hit rate for writing memorable hooks was unrivalled. He had the precision of a metal guitarist but the aggressive ferocity of a punk – it was a near perfect combination.

Testimony to Rage’s unique ability to combine rock and rap so effectively, they spawned a litany of imitators. Sadly, few acts ever came close to capturing this kind of magic again...