Faces to Watch in ’96 :...

Look for a commercial and cultural explosion in March when the second Rage Against the Machine album arrives. If the yet-to-be-named collection lives up to the promise and power of the Southern California group’s 1992 debut and its show-stealing appearances on the 1993 Lollapalooza tour, the package should catapult Rage to a position alongside Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails and Hole as the American leaders in ‘90s rock.

Led by the passionate, charismatic Zack de la Rocha, 24 (above, foreground), Rage serves up in its best moments songs rooted in ‘60s radicalism--tunes that mix stinging social commentary and mesmerizing funk-metal textures.

Performing in the bright Lollapalooza afternoon sun, a mood-killer that over the years has neutralized such bands as the Jesus and Mary Chain and Dinosaur Jr., Rage--which also includes Jimmy C. on bass, Brad Wilk on drums and Tom Morello on guitar--broke through with a spellbinding set.

The group then had the sense to continue proceeding at its own pace rather than rushing out with new product or showing up at every awards show. As a result, the group has not only gained a reputation for integrity that helped the debut album quietly sell an estimated 1.3 million copies, but has also built an immense anticipation for the new album.