Former Rage Against the Machine musician Tom Morello has released a trio of politically charged songs that will appear on his upcoming album The Atlas Underground Flood. “Human,” “Hard Times” and “Raising Hell” will all appear on the album, due out on December 3, 2021. There are many features on the new album, as well as on these songs. Nathaniel Rateliff, Jim Jones, and Chipotle Joe are featured on “Hard Times” Barns Courtney is featured on “Human.” Ben Harper is featured on the song “Raising Hell”. In each of these songs, Morello is speaking out against the system of government and impending climate change. In each song, he takes on oppression and the corrupt systems that he sees all around him. On “Hard Times” downbeat rap verses talk about police brutality and uses many ad-libs. In the music video for “Raising Hell” there are many allusions to the levees breaking, a common symbol for the overwhelming tide of either people fed up with the government, or the inevitable flood waters of rising sea levels. “Human” is perhaps the most benign of the songs politically, but beneath the surface it speaks to what makes a human a human and how that relates to what the government tells us.

Morello has long been known for his political activism, as earlier this year he penned a letter seeking assistance for guitar students that were stuck in Afghanistan. Morello also took a break earlier this year from the politically charged songs with his party anthem “Lets Get The Party Started“. On the upcoming album, Morello says he was heavily inspired by the Clash’s legendary album London Calling, a similarly politically charged album. 

The Atlas Underground Flood Track Listing: 
1. A Radical in the Family (feat. San Holo)
2. Human (feat. Barns Courtney)
3. Hard Times (feat. Nathaniel Rateliff, Jim Jones, and Chipotle Joe)
4. You’ll Get Yours (feat. X Ambassadors)
5. I Have Seen the Way (feat. Alex Lifeson, Kirk Hammett, and Dr. Fresch)
6. The Lost Cause (feat. Manchester Orchestra)
7. The Maze (feat. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness)
8. Ride At Dawn (feat. BreakCode)
9. Raising Hell (feat. Ben Harper)
10. The Bachelor (feat. IDLES)
11. Parallels (feat. Jim James)
12. Warrior Spirit (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)

Photo Credit: Marv Watson