The Deal: Rage Against the Machine frontman Zach De La Rocha finally releases some solo stuff.
The Good: De La Rocha hasn’t lost one bit of his political spitfire lyrics. The album kicks off with “Wild International” which could easily be a Rage song if not for the simplistic rhythms and beats. He’s got some solid backing on the album by former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore. De La Rocha tries to find a singing voice on “Ocean View” as he mixes in a more harmonious chorus with his trademark spitting style of rapping.
The Bad: De La Rocha tries his best to replace the guitar work of Tom Morello via keyboard, but it’s just not the same. No matter how much you may like it, you can’t escape the fact that it’s not new Rage music. The only thing missing from his lyrics was a guttural howl.
The Verdict: The five-song, 20-minute-long EP is like an appetizer – it’s satisfying in the moment, but you’re still left waiting for the main course, in this case, new RATM. At least the band’s reunion tour is still going, so all hope is not yet lost. Fans of Rage will enjoy it.
This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2008.
