Re-issues/remastering of classic albums are usually a sticky wicket. To the average music fan, a “remastered” album sounds no different than its “original” mastering. In fact most music fans see remastered or anniversary editions as the record label’s way of making a quick buck on the gullible public. So the question for bands has become, “How do we get the public into purchasing these reissues?” The answer is B-sides.
A prime example of a band that has done an awesome job reissuing their album with great bonus content is Rage Against the Machine. Recently Rage re-released their classic self-title debut album in a massive new packaging called XX. It contains the original album, a bonus disc of B-sides and demos, and a DVD of live performances and music videos. We won’t review the actual album, because it is a classic album, and you should have heard it by now.
The gem of this re-release is the second disc. Containing original demos for Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head, and Killing in the Name Of, along with B-sides such as Darkness of Greed, Autologic, and Clear the Lane. This disc showcases the musical versatility of Rage Against the Machine. Even though these new tracks are over twenty years old, they should just as new and fresh and relative as they would of twenty years ago. They show a band eager to make its impact on the musical landscape, while at the same time unwillingly to compromise on their morals or beliefs. This second disc was what I most enjoyed about this re-release.
Finally the DVD, it showcases some great live performances from Rage Against the Machine from earlier on in their career, and some classic music videos. Watching the live performances gave me a small taste of what a Rage concert is like, and it makes me want to see them live even more. This is one of the few times a reissue hits on all cylinders.
Link for Darkness of Greed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxTVzi9Nrj4
Link for Autologic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3yky0zi34M
Link for Clear the Lane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1voyTEOOfI