Downset
Do We Speak a Dead Language? (Mercury)
by Tim Creter
“I would rather seek the peace of self/ than play the games that force the scars of lifelong insecurity / frightening desires for dominant position when all we should be doing is loving! /Taken away!/ Sex kills!”
As you can see from this excerpt from “Ashes in Hand,” there is a clear message in every song. Lyrical opinions on issues like violence, substance abuse, ignorance, arrogance, and rape (among others) are tackled. The issues are addressed in powerful verbal flows backed by equally aggressive music. What is this musical machine raging against the system? Only one band stands on this soapbox with the power to give a musical smack to your head. No, not them; it’s the band who’s so upset, they’re downset. Unfortunately, I always hear people comparing them to RATM. This is usually because both bands use a rapper as a frontman to address various social and political issues. But to say one is like the other is really moronic, considering Rage has always been somewhat of a hypocrisy, with a big label deal, videos on MTV, and radio singles blabbering something about “BuIls on Parade.” Can anybody explain to me what Rage is raging about? Their lyrics tend to be a little too abstract. This is where downset. offers a little bit more to believe in. Vocalist Rey Oropeza makes the messages clear. It gives the band credibility, unlike some other pretentious preachers.