Evil Empire  by Rage Against The Machine

The second album from Californian band Rage Against The Machine comes four years after their debut. Its title - inspired by how U.S. President Ronald Reagan once referred to the Soviet Union - is Evil Empire. Of course, the members of the band immediately clarified that they themselves believe the title suits their own country due to the suffering it had caused other nations in recent years.

Musically, Evil Empire picks up exactly where the first album left off. Relentless rapping from Zack de la Rocha, piercing guitar riffs from Tom Morello, all riding on a solid rhythm created by Tim Commerford on bass and Brad Wilk on drums.

In its first week of release, it sold 250,000 copies in the U.S. alone. It obviously shot straight to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. This proved that Rage Against The Machine had been missed by their audience, who were eagerly awaiting their new work.