System Of A Down
System Of A Down
1998
Album Summary
System of a Down is the debut studio album by Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on June 30, 1998, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on February 2, 2000. After the success of System of a Down's following album, Toxicity (2001), the album was certified platinum.
WikipediaSomehow, I'd managed to forget how much of an adrenaline-fueled, psychotic, circus side-show this album is. If you don't know (or remember, in my case) what you're getting into, hitting play feels like being physically assaulted for asking a coworker how their weekend went. But, if you can hang in, by the time "Sugar" rolls around, you've caught the fever and are happily riding the insane-train like the good little distopic droog you always knew you could be. It's just such a mad, manic ride from start to end. Impossible to get off, you just have to hold on and smile at the approaching and inevitable carnage of a head-to-head train wreck. All that to say, I quite enjoyed it.
No way! What a welcome throwback. Of all the headbanging, nu-metal bands that Alex was into back in the day, SOAD was my favorite. I always loved how Serj Tankian's voice is so clear over these instrumentals. It's a quality that most other bands of this kind lack, as the vocals can get messy and unintelligible very quickly. I absolutely love how he sings on "Darts." Their instrumental performances are always impressive too, a surprising degree of clarity amid the madness. I love when they slow things down for an intro or section here and there. Of course, they are known for heavy, political lyrics. I rarely pick up on lyrics like that, but when I do catch them, it's a nice reminder that these guys (and Serj specifically) have good heads on their shoulders. I hadn't heard this album before, but it's really great. A fantastic debut. Favorite tracks: Darts, Suite-Pee, Suggestions, Sugar, Soil, Mind. Album art: Very strong. Apparently taken from an anti-fascist propaganda poster that said "A hand has 5 fingers! With these 5 grab the enemy!" Hell yeah. 4.5/5
Did not care for SOD in the 90s, but re-listening now with the wisened (and slightly more hairy) ears of a 37 year old, these guys were really next level. I lumped SOD in with Korn and Slipknot and even Limp Bizkit. SOD is playing in a whole different league. This is Rage Against the Machine territory. They're messing hard with hard rock. Persian scales klezmer polka metal. This is Queens Of the Stone Age territory hard rock. Multiple personality singer brings at least 4 characters into each song. The standard, pro-level metal scream. The playful high pitch jumpy elf. That OOOOUUUGH low yell that metal singers started doing in the 90s. The possessed opera singer. I think the lyrics are actually meaningful at times too. If I liked metal at all I would love this album. A-
Blows your head off and then shits down your neck. No punches pulled is an understatement
ANGRYYY SO ANGRYYYYYY Sounds like a good album, definitely need to be in the right mood for it and a first and introspective listen isn't the right mood in the slightest "Mind" is possibly my favourite. I might come back to this album when I'm feeling a bit more anarchic. ANGRYYYYY
Debut from the absolute best by-metal band. The album is new and different in the best possible way and rocks insanely hard. Listening to this was cool because it made me realize that while this band is weird, they’re good because they’re weird in ways we all are, but have put it on record for everyone to see. Kick ass instrumentation and a lot of powerful lyrical themes, this one hits all the right notes.
SOAD proving from the get go that they are one of the most creative, unique, and fun acts in the metal scene. The politically charged lyrics still hit home today, fortunately or unfortunately, and the sequencing and pacing of the album, is top notch to make seamless transitions between silliness and seriousness. Not my favorite from the group, but an incredible accomplishment in its own right.
Frantic, melodic, heavy, political, fun, weird. I listen to this when I work out because it's got it all. I always liked the heavy factor when I was younger but I can appreciate the complexity these guys put in. Toxicity they really came into their own but this album is still great, therefore 4 stars
It’s funny. I’ve always known SoaD as a metal band but all the songs I’ve heard from them always seemed to almost transcend the genre. All genres in general. But from this intro track, I definitely feel the metal description. Also very cool opening riff. Ok I know it can’t be but the lyrics to “sugar” sound like “THE KOMBUCHA”. This is some solid metal. I can’t imagine me listening to it a lot since I’m not in that headset but this stuff is pretty good. “Soil” is a rad song. Cool lyrics and guitar. “Peephole” is another dope song. I kinda feel like this would be a 5 star album if not for being a genre I don’t love. The glitchy/tremolo distortion backing vocal is a cool ass effect. I might steal that for something. Ok now I’m just to the bonus live tracks. Great album. If I could do decimals this would probably be a 4.5ish but I might fall back to 4 just because I’ve definitely heard better albums so I need to reserve those 5s. But damn... still a great freaking album. Glad I listened to it.
This shit got my blood pumping. First time I listened to an album in one sitting in awhile. Made me wanna get in a fist fight with a customer. Gave me a stiffy. TWU
Not a Rage fan, but there are some cool songs (like Soil) that have excellent guitar work. And, all of the songs definitely have an energy about them (coping, expressing, celebrating) that while this record doesn't do it for me, I do understand it on some level. Steve and his daughter Emily are huge fans, and it wasn't until Emily's wedding reception that I was like "ohhhhhh, it's so much more for them". Emily had the DJ play like 30 straight minutes of Rage towards the end of the night, and about 15 folks (including Steve AND his pregnant wife Kristin) were jumping and singing and smiling. It was cool to be a witness to the joy that transcended the pain & sorrow that so many Rage fans find healing from.
What I love about SOAD is that the vitriol is coming from a genuine place. They're not just overgrown teenagers ranting against their parents.
Ah, teen angst. But this drives hard and meaningful. It's harder than their more popular stuff so a bit difficult to get into. I'm a fan of Tankian's vocals but they make everything work. I suppose this could be considered the "heavy metal" that I actually like. I don't think it counts. Favourite track: "Know"
Never listened to these guys before, and to my surprise I'm impressed. I had a brief flirtation with heavy rock back in the 80s, but I like this more. Will continue to explore this unexpectedly rich vein of entertainment.
Christopher Cross with some Patti LaBelle should've done an album together. A duet of sorts. I imagine that if Patti and Christopher's album had materialized, it would sound a lot like this SoaD album. The deep soft vocals of are soothing and relaxing especially when they hit those low thud-y notes. And the chorus' rwwrawwhhh, rwawrahhhh is incredibly inspiring. This is something you'd put on for an enjoyable Sunday morning with the family or right before you marched into Taliban territory outside of Kabul.
Nope. Didn't make it through the first song. Definitely not my sound, groove, or anything else. I know a lot of people just love this, but I would commit 0 stars if possible.
I never want to hear this again. Give me some yacht rock instead of angry music.
I don't think I've listened to this since high school, and I was afraid it wouldn't hold up, but it absolutely did. I put the entire album on my 1001 Albums playlist. Best song: Sugar
This album gets me so pumped! Didn’t know prior to listening to this how much of an influence SOAD must’ve had on my fav metal artists today. The heavy drop and breakdowns sound so good.
I love SOAD passionately. They came along just as I started thinking I'd never fall in love with a band again the way I had in the early 90s. I debated giving this album its 5 score, because some of the SOAD tracks I like the least are on this album. But then amongst the gold you find Spiders, which is worth more than a 5 all on its own, it's just so beautiful. These guys have such an original unique sound and I adore it all.
You'll never hear me complain about this first album. I remember the first time I heard this when Ben Skinner let me listen to his CD in health class. It has rocked since then.
A suburb debut album. This album hits the same as it did 20+ years ago when I first heard it.
You can hear the middle eastern influence weaved in the rock sounds, I'd never heard this full album but with out a doubt it deserves to be in this list. Not to mention the great amount of activism they do through their platform.
Quando uma música é capaz de deixar o álbum perfeito. Sugar garante isso.
Vecchia conoscenza! Mi ha avvicinato al metal e al genere di musica più alternativa/sperimentale. Capolavoro, come il resto SOAD.
Exactly what I would predict an early SOAD album to sound like. Unrefined only compared to later works.
This was an excellent listen as always from SOAD. They really bring something unique to metal that I don't think any other group does, including their intense sound, operatic performance, and potent message. Always going to be a 5.
I've loved this album for 20 years - it still rocks! Part of the permanent soundtrack of my life.
Un autre album produit par Rick Rubin. J'ai découvert System Of A Down avec Chop Suey! qui jouait à The Buzz. Je me rappelle très bien où j'étais à ce moment. J'ai été frappé par ce que je venais d'entendre. C'était nouveau, original et j'avais instantanément envie d'en entendre plus. J'ai adoré Toxicity et comme bien des gens, je suis arrivé par la suite à ce premier album du groupe. Et je n'ai pas été déçu. La force du groupe est définitivement dans son énergie et sa culture musicale intégrée dans ses pièces. Ce n'est pas redondant. La voix de Serj est bien particulière et elle sert très bien le groupe. J'aime aussi le fait que le guitariste Daron Malakian apporte également sa voix bien originale au groupe. La basse est un peu molle, mais ça amène quand même tout un son (je pense notamment à Spiders). Côté drum, le jeu de John Dolmayan n'est vraiment pas ennuyant. J'étais vraiment content de réécouter cet album. Pièces préférées: Spiders, War?, Sugar, Suite-Pee
Genre hopping experimentation, heavy as hell and insanely catchy, that's a trick very few bands can manage. SOAD are, and always were, so much more than the knuckle dragging nu-metal bullshit they got lumped in with. It's frankly an insult to compare songs about the Armenian genocide to doing "it all for the nookie". I'm not even sure this can accurately be described as metal as there is so much other goodness going on here. Even though SOAD sound almost nothing like them, the only comparison point I can think of is Faith No More. Well, Faith No More but not shit. Faith No More with the white boy funk dialled down and the Slayer dialled up. It still blows my mind that Toxicity was even more wild than this and yet it somehow pushed them into the mainstream.
well that's one thing i didn't think this list would do for me. I am apparently a System of a Down fan and i didn't even know it.
I'm 61, but courtesy of my sons I know, and love SOAD. This album is a nice introduction to this band. This introduction, however, isn't a handshake. It's a musical assault of glorious insanity. I mean, it's seriously warped. It's ANGRY! They are unique, they are wonderful. I'm a little afraid that I won't sleep well tonight. Or at all.
Doesn't quite reach Toxicity (which is their magnum opus) but this is still amazing and wildly creative. The raw production fits the ferocity well. No one sounds like SOAD.
Already loved this album. Haven't listened to it in a long time though. It really holds up.
Nu-Metal may be a mixed bag, but at the very least it brought SOAD to the mainstream. With a debut like this, that's honestly pretty shocking. With some exceptions, most of the songs are filled with bizarre choices in structure where any song could change its intensity at the flip of a switch. That, along with Serj's wide range of wacky ways to sing and scream, can understandably turn off many people, but if you're into the experimental side of music and metal, even if just a little bit, this is absolutely worth checking out. Overall, I love this album. While I consider later albums more accessible and better, I was still really glad to revisit this. Favorites: "Suite-Pee", "Sugar", "Suggestions", "War?"
Lekker hard album! Wel nog zaliger om deze band live te zien. Maar deze blijft in mijn favorieten lijst staan
This was an awesome album, especially considering it's their first album, would. Definitely listen to more
This is one of my top ten nu metal albums, I was so excited to relisten to this album after not listening to it in almost a decade. It also led me to listen to Toxicity immediately afterwards. I think that this has rekindled my love of SOAD.
Tämä levy sekä Toxicity, talvi 01-02 ja pitkä viikonloppu Tahkolla. Voi JUMA! Nuori mies oli aivan myyty miten vahva fiilis välittyy musiikista ja kuinka yksinkertainen voi olla lopulta niin monipuolisen kuulosta. Kyseisen orkesterin levyistä ei ole likimainkaan paras, mutta "paskinkin" on puhdas timantti.
I don't like metal very much, but System Of A Down has always been different. I really like System Of A Down, but I hadn't heard their first album before, so I was excited to listen to it. Luckily, it still has the same quality that I like about their later music. I absolutely love the singer's voice, and that still holds true in this album. My favourite song was Suggestions.
Damn this album rocks hard. Tremendous musicianship. Creative writing. Genre forming.