Rally ’round the family, Rage Against the Machine’s Evil Empire is now 30 years old.
The rap-metal outfit’s sophomore album was released on April 16, 1996. Arriving four years after the band’s self-titled debut dropped in 1992, which introduced the world to their heavy, politically conscious fury with songs like “Killing in the Name,” Evil Empire brought Rage to an even larger audience, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200.
Lead single “Bulls on Parade” encapsulated many of Rage’s most recognizable elements: Zack de la Rocha’s lyrics about the hypocrisy of those who “rally ’round the family, with a pocket full of shells”; Tom Morello’s catchy opening riff and scratchy, turntable-esque guitar solo; and Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk’s crushing rhythm section.
Along with the Grammy-nominated “Bulls on Parade,” Evil Empire includes the Grammy-winning “Tire Me” and the single “People of the Sun.” The album is certified triple-Platinum by the RIAA.
Leading up to the Evil Empire anniversary, Morello has been sharing some memories from the era, including when Rage performed on Saturday Night Live for the first, and only, time.
“There was a fight onstage between our crew and SNL stage hands moments before our performance, wrestling over some upside down American flags which adorned our amps,” Morello recalls. “Timmy C then attacked host/[billionaire]/presidential candidate Steve Forbes’ family in the dressing room with a wadded up flag. Secret Service flooded the hallways. SNL cut (censored?) our second song and kicked us out onto the sidewalk.”
Rage followed Evil Empire with one more original album, 1999’s The Battle of Los Angeles, before breaking up in 2000. They reunited from 2007 to 2011, and then again from 2019 to 2024.
