SuppliedIt’s been a while since music fans have heard from Zack de la Rocha — the iconic ex-vocalist of ‘90s alt-metal band Rage Against the Machine. In fact, the last time he consistently released music was 16 years ago.
Earlier this week though, Zack returned with a bang. He debuted a new single, titled “Digging For Windows,” and confirmed that his long-anticipated solo album was finished and would be released in early 2017. Unfortunately, the journey to the yet-to-be-titled album has, so far, been one of high hopes and little results.
After his split with Rage Against the Machine, he began on what would’ve been his debut solo album, working with big names like Questlove, DJ Shadow, and El-P (who produced the newest single). But nothing came of it. Then, he started working on a collaboration album with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Nothing came of it either. Finally, eight years after leaving Rage Against the Machine, fans got a solid release: a five song EP with Jon Theodore, the then drummer of The Mars Volta and current drummer in Queens of the Stone Age. This release was a promising lead up to a full LP from the group, but in typical Zack de la Rocha fashion, nothing materialized. Sure, he’s released a couple of inspired vocal features here and there, but there’s been nothing major for fans to enjoy from Zack in a long time, adding to the hype around the new single.
In the meantime, his former Rage Against the Machine band mates have formed a pseudo-reunion band, named Prophets of Rage. The act features the same instrumentalists as the original group, but replaced Zack with members of Cypress Hill and Public Enemy, to mildly disappointing results. Whereas songs by Rage Against the Machine are the perfect soundtrack to a riot, you’d be lucky to get people to loiter after listening to a Prophets of Rage song. The tracks may have the same instrumental sounds (courtesy of Tom Morello and Co.), but the rapping of DJ Lord, Chuck D and B-Real have nowhere near the level of angst that Zack’s scream-rapping has.
“Digging for Windows” is thankfully a totally different case. El-P’s production on the track, with gritty synth and distorted guitar riffs, perfectly complements Zack’s aggressive and politically poignant lyrics. His anguish with the establishment is as apparent now as it was two decades earlier: “I stare at a future so toxic/No trust in the dust of a promise/Won’t mark the name on a ballot/So they can be free to devour our options.” Listening to this song today will give you a sense of rage you probably haven’t felt in 16 years.
Download “Digging For Windows” for free via BitTorrent (if you feel like properly raging against the machine once again).
