Rage Against the Machine (1992) [24 bit FLAC] vinyl

  Genre: Pop/Rock
  Styles: Alternative Metal, Rap-Metal
  Source: Epic Records vinyl
  Codec: FLAC
  Bitrate: ~ 2,900 kbps
  Bit Depth: 24
  Sampling Rate: 96,000 Hz

  A1 Bombtrack
  A2 Killing in the Name
  A3 Take the Power Back
  A4 Settle for Nothing
  A5 Bullet in the Head

  B1 Know Your Enemy
  B2 Wake Up
  B3 Fistful of Steel
  B4 Township Rebellion
  B5 Freedom

  Rip Info: (Not my rip)

  Hannl Record Cleaning Machine with Rotating Brush
  Music Hall MMF 5.1 Turntable with ProJect Speedbox
  Goldring 1042GX reference Cartridge
  Belari VP-129 Tube Phono PreAmp with Sylvania 12AX7WA
  E-Mu 0404 external USB 2.0 Audiointerface
  Interconnections by Goldkabel
  Wavelab 5 recording software

  Vacuum Cleaning > TT > Belari > Laptop > Wavelab 5.01 >
  Manual click removal > analyze (no clipping, no DC Bias offset) >
  Split into individual Tracks > FLAC encoded (Vers. 1.21)

  Probably the first album to successfully merge the seemingly disparate sounds of rap and heavy metal, Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut was groundbreaking enough when released in 1992, but many would argue that it has yet to be surpassed in terms of influence and sheer brilliance -- though countless bands have certainly tried. This is probably because the uniquely combustible creative relationship between guitar wizard Tom Morello and literate rebel vocalist Zack de la Rocha could only burn this bright, this once. While the former's roots in '80s heavy metal shredding gave rise to an inimitable array of six-string acrobatics and rhythmic special effects (few of which anyone else has managed to replicate), the latter delivered meaningful rhymes with an emotionally charged conviction that suburban white boys of the ensuing nu-metal generation could never hope to touch. 

  As a result, syncopated slabs of hard rock insurrection like "Bombtrack," "Take the Power Back," and "Know Your Enemy" were as instantly unforgettable as they were astonishing. Yet even they paled in comparison to veritable clinics in the art of slowly mounting tension such as "Settle for Nothing," "Bullet in the Head," and the particularly venomous "Wake Up" (where Morello revises Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" riff for his own needs) -- all of which finally exploded with awesome power and fury. And even listeners who were unable (or unwilling) to fully process the band's unique clash of muscle and intellect were catered to, as RATM were able to convey their messages through stubborn repetition via the fundamental challenge of "Freedom" and their signature track, "Killing in the Name," which would become a rallying cry of disenfranchisement, thanks to its relentlessly rebellious mantra of "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" Ultimately, if there's any disappointment to be had with this near-perfect album, it's that it still towers above subsequent efforts as the unequivocal climax of Rage Against the Machine's vision. As such, it remains absolutely essential.