The Battle of Los Angeles is the third studio album from the iconic rap-metal band Rage Against the Machine, and their last piece of original songwriting together. 11 months and 16 days later, Zack de la Rocha announced his departure from the band and Rage Against the Machine disbanded.

The entirety of the record is this tragically beautiful push-and-pull between hip-hop and metal that served as the foreshadowing of the bands future: their breakup, and indefinite hiatus. And despite the identity crisis, The Battle of Los Angeles is still an overall amazing album and one of my favorites to this day.

This album has the most diverse catalog of songs that Rage Against the Machine has ever had. From call-to-action protest songs (Testify, Guerilla Radio, New Millennium Homes, and War Within a Breath) to poetic personal pieces (Born of a Broken Man) to story driven ballads (Maria)— and even a single for the 1998 Godzilla movie, No Shelter, if you managed to snag the Australian release.