It’s been 12 long years since we’ve heard any new material from American alt-rock icons Rage Against The Machine, and it now seems like we’ll have to wait quite a lot longer.
Following on from the release of covers-album Renegade in 2000, the band called it quits after the sudden departure of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, but subsequently reunited seven years to play Coachella Festival fulfilling fans’ dreams. They have since played a series of live shows, including their successful appearance and Australian Tour of the back of the 2008 Big Day Out, leading many to hope for a new record.
However, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello has squashed these rumours in an interview with NME, stating that the band is “not ready” to begin writing again, and that they are “on a once-every-12-years pace to release something.”“When bands make albums it’s because everybody wants to, and that’s not the case with Rage Against The Machine at the moment…” – Tom Morello
Instead, the band are focusing on the forthcoming 20th anniversary of their seminal debut record, with the self-titled 1992 album celebrating its 20th Anniversary this month and will be reissued with a deluxe box-set dubbed XX, to be released in December.
Morello confirmed that the box set, featuring an array of unreleased and unheard demos from the fiery agit-rap rock group’s earliest days, would be the “first official Rage Against The Machine release in 12 years” and that there are “no plans for anything” further at the moment.
Explaining the extended break between new material, Morello went on to state that: “When bands make albums it’s because everybody wants to, and that’s not the case with Rage Against The Machine at the moment. Everyone in the band gets along very well, we consider each other friends and comrades in arms, but people sometimes don’t feel ready to do it.”
Tom Morello, who has been performing under the solo moniker of The Nightwatchman, already has his hands full with an array of other projects, including his solo act and side-project Street Sweeper Social Club, a collaboration with vocalist and MC Boots Riley, not to mention Morello’s political activism.
Love Rage Against The Machine?
Get the latest Rage Against The Machine news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Although they haven’t released any new material for over a decade, there’s no faulting the band’s cultural importance and Rage Against The Machine have still managed to find some success in the charts, reaching #1 spot in the UK following a campaign to defeat The X Factor over Christmas in 2009.
