RAGE appreciation thread

[SickBoy]

Of course, I'm not talking about RATM...

Rage is one of my favorite bands and also one of the most fruitful to my knowing. I don't know what band could compare in quantity and quality of their output!

Including the first album released as Avenger (their old name), they've so far released 17 albums and some 5-6 EP's, all of them having some 3-4 songs not present on albums. Bear in mind that the number of tracks on their albums averages at 15 and you have to be astonished!

Some of their releases ain't so impressive to me (Reign of Fear, Reflections Of A Shadow), but the other range from great to awesome and I mean it!
Also, it's one of the rare bands that have changed their style thru the years, but always mantained something of their own and never selling out.
Pick any album you want, "Prayers Of Steel", "Trapped!", "Ghosts" or the latest "Soundchaser", it's always Rage, with great hooks in choruses, superb musicianship and the apparently bottomless well of ideas.
Their orchestral phase isn't a plain reworking (and mostly destroying, as with S&M) of their old songs, but the whole new numbers written with orchestra in mind.
My favorite albums would be...umm, almost all of them...

Well, those of you who haven't given them a good listen yet, what are you waiting for?!

RAGE ON!

 

[Jean-Pierre]

"Don't you fear the winter! I will keep you safe and warm. Don't you fear the winter! Nothin's gonna do ya harm!"

 

[Fangface]

Rage is one of the few old bands for which I prefer their 90s period over their first albums. I don't like the way Peavy sang on their early releases, but I love most of their releases since "Reflections of a Shadow" came out.
"Missing Link" and "Black in Mind" were killer albums in a time Traditional Metal was considered as dead, and the symphonic "XIII" is awesome.
"Soundchaser" is also a return to form for the german workaholics. Sometimes I miss the twin guitar attack though...

 

[SickBoy]

Rage is one of the few old bands for which I prefer their 90s period over their first albums. I don't like the way Peavy sang on their early releases, but I love most of their releases since "Reflections of a Shadow" came out.

Yeah, I feel that way too...
With the exception of Avenger's "Prayers Of Steel" and Rage's "Perfect Man", which are killer albums for me.

 

[delize]

"Soundchaser"

 

[Fangface]

Actually I also admit liking the "Ghost" record many fans seem to hate because of its watered-down direction.

Rage are always evolving but manage to stay fresh and interesting most of the time, without betraying their fanbase either, a rare quality I wish some other old bands had.

 

[SickBoy]

Actually I also admit liking the "Ghost" record many fans seem to hate because of its watered-down direction.

It sounds very rough to call it "watered-down".
The songs may be more melodical or slower, with less aggression, but who says that's the only way?
It's in fact one of the albums that really got me into Rage big time!
I was immedieately astonished by the great melodies and orchestral arrangements, sometimes it felt like a soundtrack for some good movie...

 

[Tool]

Rage Rock! UNITY is an awesome record.

 

[Fangface]

It sounds very rough to call it "watered-down".
The songs may be more melodical or slower, with less aggression, but who says that's the only way?

Well I said that I liked it, and I still enjoy listening to "Ghosts".
But if you compare it with "Trapped" or "Black in Mind", it sounds almost like a different band at times, with guitars very low in the mix. Not that it bothers me so much, I don't care as long as the music is good.