Rage Against The Machine [ tickets ] has always been a live act laden with musical explosives, and Monday's gig at London, England's Astoria was no exception. By the time RATM finished their 15-song set, they'd essentially bombed the place and left the crowds rioting (metaphorically, of course).

Hastily-arranged, the sold-out show was a teaser for the band's upcoming third album, with more than half the numbers being new material.

Granted, RATM have been a slow-to-fire studio band, having released only two albums since '92. But their upcoming LP, untitled as of yet, is destined to blow the roof off the charts when it's released. Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Timmy C and Brad Wilk have taken a plunge into heavy territory with their new album, but the furious core of their music is still intact.

"Guerilla Radio" (the first single from the album), "Born Of A Broken Man" and "Testify" demonstrate that RATM are just as politically-conscious and strongly in support of the working classes as ever. However, they've now put screeching guitars behind the sentiment versus a funky bass. Gone are any faintly melodic notions that lurked on "Evil Empire" or their self-titled debut album.

Monday's live take on "Sleep Now In The Fire" was all about distorted guitars, pounding synths and De La Rocha's roaring vocals that urged the masses to undermine the powers that be. Meanwhile, the booming and repetitive "Wake-Up," featured on The Matrix soundtrack, blatantly showed why RATM are the forerunners to currently en vogue "sports metal" bands such as Limp Bizkit and Korn.

RATM were also generous with old favorites, which had their young, dread-headed, T-shirt wearing followers frantically fighting burly security guards to get on stage. Through a sea of muscley males, a pig-tailed teenage girl thrust her way to the front of the pit and was then hauled on stage to partake in an awesome version of "Killing In The Name."

De La Rocha also dedicated "Bulls On Parade" to British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a condemnation of the UK's part in the bombing of innocent people in Serbia and Kosovo. "Bullet In The Head" filled out an awesome encore during which band and audience were still hopping and head-banging despite the many pints of sweat they had lost.

But "Take The Power Back" was the track that truly summed up RATM's show. They have returned, after a three-year break in the ongoing battle, with a massive artillery of new sounds, songs and a whole load of style. All that's left to do now is load, aim and fire. It won't be long before they regain their esteemed rankings as alternative metal generals.