Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha makes a rare guest appearance on Irreversible Damage, the new single from American-English post-punks Algiers.
The single is the first taste of Shook, the forthcoming fourth album from the Atlanta, Georgia-based quartet, who feature former Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong in their ranks.
The album pivots around the concept of being 'shook' from a variety of perspectives, and features collaborations with a host of underground artists from Future Island's Samuel T. Herring to Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash, Big Rube from The Dungeon Family to Boy Harsher's Jae Matthews, Lee Bains III to LaToya Kent from Mourning [A] BLKstar.
Irreversible Damage finds de la Rocha spitting 'This a relapse / what it be god / No rehab for my jihad / A rapture in a grief storm / Time on my neck an’ it be gone' over throbbing electronic pulses, dark, clattering rhythms and sinewy guitar.
“The end of that song is the sound of joy,” says Algiers frontman Franklin James Fisher. “That's what hope sounds like in 2022 when everything's falling apart.”
Watch the video below:
Rage Against The Machine were recently forced to cancel their 2023 North American tour due to complications surrounding the leg injury de la Rocha sustained earlier this year.
The LA quartet previously axed their European/UK tour in August following "medical advice" given to the vocalist about his leg. De La Rocha damaged his limb on the second night of their North American tour on July 11 in Chicago, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
"It's been almost three months since Chicago, and I still look down at my leg in disbelief," de la Rocha wrote on October 4 in one of the band's Public Service Announcements, elaborating on the issue and the tour cancellation. "Two years of waiting through the pandemic, hoping we would have an opening to be a band again and continue the work we started 30 some odd years ago. Rehearsing, training, reconciling, working our way back to form.
"Then one and a half shows into it and my tendon tears. Felt like a sick joke the universe played on me. As I write this I remind myself it's just bad circumstance. Just a fucked up moment.
"Unfortunately it is a moment that requires a lot of work and healing. I have a severe tear in my left Achilles tendon and only 8% of my tendon was left intact. And even that portion was severely compromised.
"It's not simply a question of being able to perform again, but extends to basic functionality going forward. That's why I've made the painful and difficult decision to cancel the remaining shows on our 2023 North American leg.
"I hate canceling shows. I hate disappointing our fans. You have all waited so patiently to see us and that is never lost on me. I never take that for granted. For you I have the ultimate gratitude and respect.
"To my brothers Tim, Brad and Tom; to El P, Killer Mike, Trackstar and the whole RTJ crew; to everyone on our production team: techs, cooks, drivers, assistants, security squad, to anyone and everyone who made the shows thus far possible, al my love and respect. I hope to see you very soon."
