SOUNDS OF THE CITY IN `BATTLE'; MACHINE'S ANTICIPATED ALBUM RAGES INTO STORES TODAY.

Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer

Rage Against the Machine is one of those bands that could only come from the City of Angels.

The quartet, whose music fuses heavy metal, rap and political themes to such a degree that gigs often resemble rallies, reflects the city's racial makeup. The exhilarating sound the group makes, too, refers to the many cultures co-existing here.

And then there's Rage's highly anticipated third album, ``The Battle of Los Angeles'' (in stores today), which, in case there was any question, makes its inspiration obvious.

``There's a tremendous amount of tension and economic disparity here,'' offers Rage guitarist Tom Morello. ``Hollywood is just a tiny slice of the pie. Clearly we're just one cop-beating verdict away from the whole place going up in flames. In our stage show, you can hear the violence and aggression of the city - the heat, the funk, the hard rock, the punk, the hip-hop, the desperation and hope that make up what this place is about.''

Rage's snarling anthems punched a hole in rock's spreading apathy in 1992, spearheaded by Morello's power chords, tough hip-hop rhythms and singer-rapper Zack de la Rocha's pulverizing delivery.

Songs about the imprisonment of American Indian Movement leader Leonard Peltier didn't seem like a recipe for Top-40 success. But Rage developed a fervent following for sweaty, high-energy shows while its self-titled debut spawned tracks that scored plenty of radio airplay: ``Killing in the Name,'' an expletive-filled rant against the ills of society; ``Bombtrack''; and ``Freedom,'' which MTV surprisingly latched onto.

At the time, Rage was marketed as a rap group, since the now-commonplace hybrid of rock and hip-hop that fuels chart-topping acts such as Limp Bizkit, Korn and Kid Rock was years away.

``It was an entirely different musical landscape,'' Morello, 35, recalls. ``Everything was lined up against us. We were a multiethnic band and if you had a black guy in your band, you weren't gonna get rock-radio play. And if you had a white guy in the group, hip-hop radio wasn't interested. And if there was a Chicano guy who didn't sing in Spanish, nobody knew what to think. And we were combining the most hard-core forms of music - militant rap and punk and hard rock with semi-Marxist lyrics on top.''

Four years later, Rage's 1996 album, ``Evil Empire,'' and its single, ``Bulls on Parade,'' landed on far friendlier ground, selling more copies its first week of release than any other record in the nation.

Now comes ``The Battle of Los Angeles'' (Epic), containing songs such as ``Voice of the Voiceless,'' about African-American radio journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, sentenced to die by lethal injection for killing a Philadelphia policeman. Other tracks deal with racism, capitalism, media coverage of the Gulf War and the plight of the Zapatista rebels.

Irvine-born de la Rocha, 29, says his lyrics are inspired by political hip-hop outfits such as Public Enemy and socially conscious writers such as James Baldwin. The ``Evil Empire'' disc, in fact, included a suggested reading list of books by Che Guevara, Malcolm X, Henry Miller, Noam Chomsky, Jean-Paul Sartre and others.

``I try to write songs that engage people in a critical dialogue about fighting for and among dispossessed peoples around the world,'' de la Rocha recently told Time magazine.

Morello insists such subject matter isn't incompatible with recording for Epic, which is owned by entertainment monolith Sony Corp.

``We have 100 percent creative control over every aspect of our career and Sony has worldwide reach,'' the Harvard-educated guitarist said. ``If you were an author, wouldn't you want your book in every book store in the world? Or would you rather sell it out the back of your car?''

Fans such as Lance Buchi, 17, who runs an impressive Web site called ``The Complete Rage'' (www.musicfanclubs.org/rage), believe such alliances are unavoidable in today's world.

``Rage spreads the truth to as many people as possible by utilizing mainstream pop culture,'' the Salt Lake City high schooler said. ``Those who struggle for change appreciate the band's contribution. Those who don't are the ones questioning Rage's legitimacy.''

Whether you subscribe to the message or not, there's no denying the blistering power of Rage's musical attack. As a note on the new album proclaims, ``all sounds made by guitar, bass, drums and vocals,'' and the overall effect on such standouts as the first single, ``Guerrilla Radio,'' is often nothing less than startling.

There will be plenty of chances to experience Rage in the coming days. The band appears tonight on CBS-TV's ``Late Show With David Letterman'' and in a sold-out show Friday at the Park Plaza Hotel near downtown. Portions of the latter gig will be broadcast live on KROQ-FM (106.7).

Band members will also be on hand at Virgin Megastore Sunset at 3 p.m. Saturday to sign copies of ``The Battle of Los Angeles.'' And Nov. 11 you can catch Rage on NBC-TV's ``Late Night With Conan O'Brien.''

Ticket information is expected soon for a Dec. 19 show at Staples Center, a 17,000-seat gig that's sure to draw an audience that reflects not only the look of Rage but the look of Los Angeles itself.

``There's a definite tradition of Los Angeles bands like the Doors, X, Jane's Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, where you really see and hear the city in their music,'' said Morello, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs. ``I mean, those guys weren't gonna come from any other place. I find it an inspiring place to live. There are tremendous possibilities for both good and bad here.''

Although Morello and bandmates Tim Commerford (bass), Brad Wilk (drums) and de la Rocha have only cut three albums in their seven years together, the pressure was on during the making of ``The Battle of Los Angeles,'' which is widely expected to hit the top of the Billboard 200 upon release.

``I really don't mind the pressure to create a memorable record,'' Morello explains. ``I know what we're capable of. I like the fact people are expecting the album of our career. It's better than them not caring if we make a record at all. I mean, I want to be the guy with the ball who has seconds to go before the buzzer rings. I want to be the guy at bat when the bases are loaded.

``That's the sort of pressure I look forward to.''

THE FACTS

Who: Rage Against the Machine.

Where: Park Plaza Hotel, 607 Park View St., Los Angeles.

When: 9 p.m. Friday.

Tickets: Sold out.

Information: [phone].

Who: Rage Against the Machine and Gang Starr.

Where: Staples Center, 865 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.

When: 8 p.m. Dec. 19.

Tickets: To be announced.

Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) all the RAGE 

With a new album and concert dates, metal-rappers Rage Against the Machine send their political message from L.A.

(2) ``The Battle of Los Angeles,'' the new album by Rage Against the Machine, fuses heavy metal and rap with political themes embraced by the quartet.

(3) Rage Against the Machine - Brad Wilk, left, Y.tim.K, Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha - appears at the Park Plaza Hotel on Friday and the Staples Center on Dec. 19.