Rage Against The Machine Release 20th Anniversary Edition of Debut Album

Rage Against the Machine are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first album with Rage Against the Machine – XX, an expanded reissue of the landmark effort that launched the band into the spotlight with tracks like “Killing in the Name,” “Wake Up,” and “Bombtrack.” In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, guitarist Tom Morello revealed he had written the riff to “Bombtrack” previous to forming the band, but that the group – especially bassist Tim Commerford – brought it to life.

“I actually came up with it when I was a freshman at Harvard, long before I moved to California,” said Morello. “I had jammed that riff with a number of other musicians, and it just didn’t sound anything like it did playing it with Rage Against the Machine, and [singer Zack de la Rocha]’s ferocious flow over that song. It’s incendiary. From the very first time I jammed with Brad Wilk, we locked together in a way unlike anyone I ever played with. And lastly, and certainly not least, is what makes the hugeness of those riffs come to life is the Timmy C bass attitude, which is something that no one had ever recorded anything like that before. It took that monster-truck aggression distorted bass. In some ways, that’s the secret ingredient.”

Rage Against the Machine – XX is available in three configurations. The 20th Anniversary Edition Deluxe Box Set contains two CDs, two DVDs, a 12? 180gm vinyl LP, a 40-page booklet, and a two-sided poster. The 20th Anniversary Special Edition features two CDs and a DVD in an oversized softpack, while the 20th Anniversary Edition compact disc is available on its own. The album is also available in digital formats (iTunes and Amazon MP3).

As far as the content, the first disc has a remastered version of the album with three bonus tracks, while the second disc offers the original Rage Against the Machine demo tape. DVD 1 has the band’s historic 2010 concert in Finsbury Park as well as their music videos and other live clips. DVD 2 focuses on live footage from 1991-1994 including the full set of RATM’s first performance.

Rage Against The Machine – XX Track List:

Disc 1:

1. Bombtrack
2. Killing In The Name
3. Take The Power Back
4. Settle For Nothing
5. Bullet In The Head
6. Know Your Enemy
7. Wake Up
8. Fistful Of Steel
9. Township Rebellion
10. Freedom
11. Bombtrack (live, taken from Bombtrack single)
12. Bullet in the Head (live, taken from Bullet in the Head single)
13. Take The Power Back (live, taken from Freedom single)

Disc 2:

1. Bombtrack
2. Take The Power Back
3. Bullet in the Head
4. Darkness of Greed
5. Clear the Lane
6. Township Rebellion
7. Know Your Enemy
8. Mindset’s A Threat
9. Killing In The Name
10. Auto Logic
11. The Narrows
12. Freedom