System Of A Down

I refuse to elaborate.

Somehow, 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.

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-

Best album on this shithole called earth

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

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

Man does this entire album fuck. So god damned good

Blows your head off and then shits down your neck. No punches pulled is an understatement

I respect this album but didn't enjoy it.

Everyone needs a mother fucker!

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.

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.

I am not, decidedly not, a nu-metal fan. I like some metal, especially 70s-style doom metal and stoner rock. Slow sludgy, heavy shit. With an actual vocal melody, for preference. More recent metal, which tends to veer between screaming and cookie monster growling just gives me the irrits. And I like a groove, so stuff that gets overly proggy with too much clever clogs changing all the time and widdly-widdly bits is also annoying. And the tendency of nu-metal to get overly wrapped up in its own white-boy super-angst misogynistic bullshit is just awful (I'm looking at you Jonathan Davis and Fred Durst). So, that brings us to System Of A Down. Given all of the above, they are far and away the most tolerable nu-metal band I have heard. But being compared to your Limp Bizkits and Korn and Deftones and whoever else is a pretty low bar. I like that the singer can actually sing and choses to from time to time, and they are politically right-on, which makes their lyrics 100 times better than most nu-metal bands. I was talking to my 18 year old son, Hal, and he pointed otu that they strike a really great balance between dumb (which is an important element of all metal) and clever clogs. He also pointed out that they change time signatures and feel suddenly throughout the song, but they don't do it to be clever (like a prog band would); they do it to fuck with you (which is funny). As we were listening, some bonus live tracks came up, and they were awesome. The band was heavy and tight, and you could hear the crowd singing along. It sounded like a really compelling and fun gig. The album itself I found well recorded and energetically performed, but a little boring and repetitive, with some minor sparks of interest (like the oompah band and willfully obtuse guitar solo on 'Peephole'), but I could totally see myself having a great time at a System Of A Down gig. Yesterday I reviewed the MC5s first record, which was recorded live, and these bonus tracks made me wonder what would have happened if SOAD has taken a similar punt with a live debut record. Note to Dimery: why on earth is this record on the list, not Toxicity, which was their big hit, and clearly the more influential album? Final verdict is that this is not really my thing, but the best in class. 2.5 stars, rounding down for the missed opportunity of recording the whole album live.

ok, listen. system of a down is not for everybody. their later music is much more palatable, and their early music is rather abrasive metal, though there are some people who don't like any of their music. but honestly and musically, this album SLAPS. is it unusual? yes, but i love it. the screaming, the harsh guitar, everything. i have always admired their lyrics and topics. soad has never shied away from any topic. it's because of system that i learned about the armenian genocide when i was a teenager. more than that, they question the meaning of war, describe existential breakdowns while on drugs, deliver scathing criticisms of the catholic church, and plenty more. song after song, system delivers such a strong message. i found myself drawn to this sarcastic lyric of "mind" today: "free thinkers are dangerous." there's so many more i could pick out, but they manage to have such purpose in their lyrics while providing us with such amazing metal music. it's hard to find another artist like system. while i don't think this album is their best, this album was markedly different for its time. i'd give this a 4.5 on the lower side, but since this is the only system album on the list, my loyalty from my youth has me rounding up to 5. it's still a banger of an album after two and a half decades.

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.

Stupid teenage me only ever listened to Toxicity as a kid

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

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

I never want to hear this again. Give me some yacht rock instead of angry music.

There's a handful of things "Toxicity" is better at than this one: Serj's better vocals, a more accessible pop-ish structure, clean guitars spitting out thrash-like riffs and surprisingly good solos, and overall better influence and popularity. However, no album inside and outside their discography ever beat the rawness, craziness, and darkness of "System of a Down". My favorite SOAD and an often overlooked masterpiece.

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.

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

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.

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.

ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!

Сожалею, что не слышал этого ранее (это прекрасно). Одноименный альбом группы System Of A Down - лучшее что я слушал из метала, наравне с Deftones. В свое время SOAD показались мне слишком замудренными, заигрывающими с народными мотивами и со странным вокалом. Но после первого полноценного прослушивания альбома я понял всю суть первого, второго и третьего и хотел бы рассказать про это по порядку. Во-первых, SOAD цепляет своим ритмом. Очень удачно получилось, что после сломанного ритма второго альбома Led Zeppelin мне попадается дебютник SOAD. Здесь он играет очень важную роль, дает свежий воздух во время прослушивания и завораживает своими американскими горками, чем то по своей сути схож с подростковой аритмией. Во-вторых, народные мотивы не так уж сильно берут на себя внимания, ведь где-то 80% внимания забирает на себя чистейший и крутейший метал. Но когда они все таки проявляются, то завлекают еще больше. Отличный пример - вставка после 3 минуты трека Soil, один из самых смешных и запоминающихся моментов на альбоме. Ну и, конечно же, в-третьих, самый противоречивый вокал в метале - Серж Танкян. Лично мне в один момент показалось то, чего я теперь к счастью расслышать не могу - его вокал напоминает мне гитару. И ведь правда: в своих партиях он может подключать "дисторшн", "играть бендами" и завывать настоящее соло. В сопровождении лид гитары это слушается максимально органично, и после такого осознания песни принимают совсем иной характер. Естественно, альбом богат реально хорошими песнями. Среди них великая Spiders, которая лично мне по композиции и (от части) вайбу напоминает Искала Земфиры - в каждой из этих песен ждешь как сумасшедший взрывного припева во время спокойных куплетов. Высокие ноты, которые Танкян берет на DDevil надолго останутся у меня в памяти и плейлисте. И напоследок хотелось бы чтобы следующий капс стал одновременно и итогом поста и его началом: ПРОЧИТАЙТЕ ЭТО И ВЫ ПОЛЮБИТЕ SYSTEM OF A DOWN НАВСЕГДА! Заряжающие своей энергией 5/5.

Cool

This isn't my music at all, but I can really respect the control the singer has on his voice and also the band has with the instruments. One of those rare moments where a whole band is completely in sync with the idea and it has to be the best of its genre.

nu-metal gem

Classic of heavy genres!

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.

A pleasant surprise. An excellent album

Reminds me of my childhood

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.

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.

Basically started a new genre. 🤘🤘

No idea why they didn't choose Toxicity for this list.

Enjoyed this a lot - loud, tuneful, great vocals. Played a bunch of times today, perhaps more in the future. A bit sweary but never juvenile

SPIDERS, this song is so amazing. I first heard it on the Scream 3 soundtrack, I really love this album. I sit, in my desolate room, no lights, no music, just anger.

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"

Jello Biafra's son, grounded upstairs for not doing his chores because he's just discovered existentialism, sings in ten different inventive ways that he will not tidy up his bedroom to his only friend, his dog, which is why half the vocals sounds like "woof woof woof". This is fun, though not my flavour of angry.

Did you know? ALF was the first television show to be presented in Dolby Surround Sound.

System of a Down Along with Tool, System of a Down, are one of those metal bands that are always cited as being smarter and more interesting than their peers, but listening to this I don’t really get it. You can hear some slightly more pop-punk/nu-metal elements, some Queen-esque theatricality and moments that reflect their Armenian heritage but on the whole it's just more of the same, double kick drums, heavy guitars, shouting, screaming and burping and GCSE level lyrics about war and bad things. Thank god genocide exists otherwise these people would have no lyrics to describe how angry they are. It probably doesn’t help that this has come two days after Megadeth, if this had come first I probably would probably have had more tolerance for it. Again I can completely appreciate that this is good if you are into it, but the more metal we get, especially this close together, the harder I find it to find moments of interest. This wasn’t Sepultura levels of irritation so I’ll stick with the standard 2 stars. 🔽🔽 Playlist submission: Soil, as I like that little guitar riff at 2.36 onwards

Just out of control. Needs to reorganize.

I know these guys are like the "good" Nu-Metal band or whatever but at the end of the day, they are just Nu-Metal. Even if they are for hipsters and not people who punch drywall in their basements while getting a caffeine high on Rockstars. 1/10

A refreshing change from the delicate subtlety of Chopin.

3/10. Spiders made the playlist. There were some moments where I thought “wait a minute, does everybody need a mother fucker?” and then rethought that as loud monster-like noises rang from my speakers

maybe if I wasn't driving to target in my 😚✨😜 mood while listening to this is would've been better

Ekki kaffibollinn minn

If I could give this less than 1 I would! Not my cup of tea at all!

Very loud.

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.

имба.

Strap in, folks. This one's going to be looooong. Not the album, no. This album's a respectable 40 minutes. No, my review of System of a Down's 1998 self-titled debut is very likely going to be my longest yet. Yes, even longer than the 986-word-long Remain in Light review from earlier this past week. I've got a whole essay to write here for one simple reason. I've said it in a few reviews before, but System of a Down is and has been for some time my absolute favorite band. That's why this review is so long. This review is effectively just going to be me gushing about how much I love System of a Down, both the band and album. Now sure, System of a Down may have been one of the first bands I ever truly fell in love with, so them being my favorite could potentially be the result of bias and memories or something like that. I don't care though. I still think that they are one of the most creative and awesome bands in all of metal and possibly beyond that. All 5 of their albums are great, and self-titled is among their best, though I might as well address the 6x platinum elephant in the room right now. Yeah, Toxicity is better and should've absolutely been included over this album. Between its higher sales figures, more iconic singles, and generally better quality, Toxicity is clearly the better pick for a list like this, but I'll get to gushing about that album once I get to the user list. It is my favorite album of all time after all. For now, we get to go back to where it all started. I'll begin the praise with some more general things, as I tend to do. These are things that make me love the band at large. For one, I think all 4 members of SOAD are incredibly talented. Like, none of them are in the running for top 5 of what they do, even in the metal genre (with one exception), but I still think they all could be considered virtuosos in some capacity. As shitty as his politics are, I think John Dolmayan is severely underappreciated as a drummer. His playing is so tight and groovy that it really helps lay the perfect base for these songs. If you're looking for the band's perfect bass instead of their perfect base, look no further than Shavo Odadjian! In addition to having one of the greatest beards in all of metal, Shavo's basslines manage to be subdued and relatively simple, but they do wonders in this album especially to lay down the low-end of the music. I've always really loved Daron Malakian's guitar parts. He never plays too much, nor too little. It all comes down to the song in question. Whether he's shredding hard or playing a silly little note every so often, his unmistakable guitar tone allows the band to feel as heavy and thought-provoking yet also entertaining as it is. He also does good with backing vocals here. I've seen some people complain that his vocals are bad and too present in later albums, Mezmerize and Hypnotize in particular. I disagree, but I also kind of get it. Fortunately for those people, his backing vocals here are minimal, but always welcome. But if you want to talk vocals, we have to discuss the band's most iconic member and the one member that I think is genuinely in the running for "greatest metal _____ of all time," Serj Tankian. I love this man's vocals so much. I can hardly put into words just how impressive his vocal range is, especially during the time that System was actually making albums. Everything from the low guttural screams to the high-pitched screeches to the melodic singing just feels right here. He may genuinely be my favorite vocalist for any band ever. You put all 4 of these guys into the same band and you get an overall talent level that is immensely respectable. The instrumentation and vocals work so effortlessly together to produce some phenomenal songs. Oh yeah, and the actual songs are composed well. System of a Down has a very unique style to their music. I know it sounds kind of crazy to say this, but I genuinely don't think there is another band out there that sounds like them. The blending of the alternative metal core with influences from things like thrash metal, art rock, and Armenian folk music creates this eclectic sound that I absolutely adore. Of course, the sound doesn't work if the production sucks. Fortunately, Rick Rubin's production on this album is one of his better works. It is loud, sure, but it's also raw in a way that isn't really replicated on later albums. While I think I prefer the higher polish of albums like Toxicity, there's something undeniably cool about this album's production style. Like, I still think Toxicity's better myself, but if someone told me that self-titled was their personal favorite SOAD album, I'd get it. Good production. Before I talk about the individual songs, I want to discuss the writing for a bit. That's one of the things that makes SOAD such a special band for me. Some people complain about music and art being "too political" but I actually love when art gets political. SOAD is no exception. While not every song is political, many of the band's songs tackle hard-hitting topics like religion, drugs, and the mind, while also having more overtly political songs about things like the government, mass media, war, and genocide, the latter of which is obviously important due to the band's Armenian heritage. The lyricism is often ambiguous, but frequently meaningful and always interesting. I love it. Alright, it's finally time for the part where I say something that I like about every song on this album! The first song of the album and, by extension, System of a Down's entire discography, is "Suite-Pee." This song is such a great opener. The moment you hear that opening riff, you know you're in for something unlike anything you've ever heard before. I have this opening as my ringtone and it's awesome. The song really does a great job of capturing what makes SOAD so unique for a first-time listener. I love the drumming on "Know." The groove here is unreal. It's great. The album's most popular song is up next with "Sugar." I love this song so much. The writing doesn't make any sense, but it's still hype as hell. The ending especially just pumps me up like nothing else. This song is also what I mean by Daron's backing vocals always being welcome. Hearing him drop the song title is always great. "Suggestions" might have Serj's best vocal performance on the entire album. The highs he hits during the screams and that one funny part like 2 minutes into the song are so impressive. The song is cool as well. "Spiders" is such a mesmerizing song (oops, wrong album) and it absolutely deserves the popularity it has. Shavo's bass is the standout here. It's cool to know that SOAD can do slower more melodic songs like this, though I do think I actually prefer songs from later albums of this variety like Toxicity's "Aerials" and Mezmerize's "Lost in Hollywood." "Spiders" is still great though. Although I'd probably call it the album's weakest song, I still love "DDevil." SOAD albums tend to have a few silly short songs that are usually among the album's weaker tracks, but are still very welcome and enjoyable. This is one of them and I like it. The rhythms here are pretty fun and cool. "Soil" is probably the song with the clearest message and theme, but it's just as great as the more oblique songs. It's a captivating song about suicide and it captures those emotions so well. That scream near the end? Oh my god. Visceral is the best word I could use to describe it. Amazing. As great as the singles are, I think "War?" might actually be my favorite song on the album. The riffs, the themes, the vocals, the pacing. Fantastic. I especially love the buildup to the final chorus with those rising tones and vocal things in the background. It's spectacular. Admittedly, I wasn't the biggest fan of "Mind" early on in my time as a SOAD fan, but this song has really grown on me over time. The bass is so good here, and the atmosphere is pretty spooky. When it gets heavy though? That's when the song goes from good to great. The vocals are crazy here too. Sometimes I'll just be doing something and my mind will just think of the way Serj says "Free thinkers are dangerous" and I smile a bit. It's the longest song on the album and the length is warranted. "Peephole," or "System of a Clown" as I lovingly call it, is really fun. The song appears to be about drugs, and this song kind of feels like it. Also, you know me. I love hearing time signatures that aren't 4/4, so a 6/8 song is very welcome here. "CUBErt" is another one of the short silly songs but it's still pretty good. Serj does funny things with his voice and I love it. It's faster songs like this that make you really appreciate how tight Daron, Shavo, and John are with their playing. "Darts" is a quirky song with an even funnier vocal performance than the last song! I love the way he says "lovers." I just do. This song is pretty complex and I respect it for that. Again, the fact that this is one of the weaker songs is a sign of greatness for this band. Finally, we have "P.L.U.C.K." This song is about the Armenian Genocide and it's very good. The song, not the genocide. The drums here are just amazing. It's not my favorite song of theirs about the Armenian Genocide. I actually really love "Holy Mountains" from Hypnotize and think that it's the best song off of that album. "P.L.U.C.K." is still an outstanding closer for this wonderful album. Well, that's System of a Down self-titled! As stated earlier, this isn't even their best album! I actually like Toxicity and even Mezmerize more than this. However, this is still one of my favorite debut albums of all time. From the get-go, System of a Down had something special. They had writing that made you laugh and think seriously about the world at the same time. They had a producer willing to take a risk and make this band become a big deal despite being so "out-there." Most of all, they had really good music. I genuinely don't believe SOAD ever made a truly bad song, and their worst album is still like an 8/10 or something. I love System of a Down so much. I could say something about wanting them to make another album, but I think the discography they have now is pretty much perfect as is, and this was a great starting point. To nobody's surprise, I'm giving this album a 5/5.

This slaps hard. Chaotic and much more fun than I remember. 5/5

Geeat

I wish I could listen to this album for the first time again. SOAD is just stacked with talent. Amazing performances, lyrics and a welcome break from the usual English rock crap this list is saturated with. 5/5

One of the most important and legendary bands of all time. Outside of music too, just on general impact among people. Who could have possibly seen this coming, and eventually taking over the metal scene for a few years? Their mix of folk melodies in the metal sound is genius and works so well. SOAD is incredibly tight even on their debut which has a messier feel to it than their later albums (which all should have made the list btw). The whole band just gels together perfectly, creating music that is so good you can't help but be entranced by it. This is not a type of band I'd think to have radio hits with how heavy it is. And fuck can Serj really scream. I've heard "Sugar" a million times thank to my many years of playing Madden 10, and yet I have never gotten sick of it, not even once

An album that (along with a few other bands) defined a new genre of music. The Armenian side of their sound really adds a special layer too. One of the greats.

I'm sitting here with my fellow kombucha mushroom people and we're listening to this album for the i guess 1000th time. Love every second of it

Just incredible. How did music exist before this. I hope this was considered as a milestone, or like logical conclusion to everything that was happening at the time, because it truly is. Not even their best work but it’s undeniable how talented and perfect this band can be. Another case of how is it this album and not the second album, but I’ll allow it. Toxicity is required listening though. No one is touching Serj vocally in the scene and no one is even in the same room as him lyrically. All instrumentalists are firing on all cylinders, every song is as important as the last (except sugar is the most important).

Five fingers for 5 stars. Ridiculous debut album by them. This is a band which anyone who listens to distorted guitars should know, and probably knows at least an album's worth of their songs already. I love whatever modes they're using on this bad boy. I love bands with wide ranging dynamics and SOAD is one of the best to ever do it.

Great album! I have been getting into System of a Down recently, and this is excellent.

SOAD is, in my opinion, a very underrated band. I think they got sucked into the nu metal/alt metal trend at the time, but they have intelligent, lyrics, technical riffs, and influences of music from around the world. I am more a fan of Toxicity, but what a debut! Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

i was six when this came out, but what must it've been like to hear system of a down for the very first time in 1998... buck wild. it starts out with some crazy guitar scales and then immediately hits you with the nu-metal wall of sound and scathing criticism of the catholic church. this is really the distilled formula of what makes SOAD great. though i gotta be honest here, this is my least favorite of their albums and one i never really got into... but it's still like a 4.5 for me. rounding up to do my part to convince robert dimery to add toxicity to a future version of the 1001 album list. favorites: suite-pee, know, sugar, spiders, soil, peephole

Het debuutfetisjisme van de snobs slaat weer toe. Want waarom dit obscure debuut wel uitkiezen, maar niet hun grote doorbraak Toxicity? Waar ze meer dan 12 miljoen stuks van verkochten. Met Chop Suey, waar ze bijna een grammy voor wisten te winnen (voor zover dat iets waard is overigens, maar dat is iets voor een andere rant). Hetzelfde gebeurde al bij Queens of the Stone Age. En nu weer. Je gaat toch ook niet het debuut van Michael Jackson wel opnemen in deze lijst en Thriller overslaan? Wat is dat voor waanzin? En ondertussen wel doodleuk 26x Nick Cave en 378x Neil Young in de lijst zetten? WOEST word je er van. En dan is het fijn dat System of a Down gewoon lekker aggressieve muziek maakt om een beetje te kalmeren. Het debuutalbum zou van mij normaliter 4 sterretjes krijgen, maar aangezien ik Toxicity niet apart 5 sterren kan geven, doe ik het hier maar. Als een soort waardering voor het hele nu-metal genre, dat vrij ondergewaardeerd wordt over het algemeen.

## System Of A Down – *System Of A Down* (1998): In-Depth Review **System Of A Down’s self-titled debut is a landmark in alternative metal, blending manic energy, political subversion, and a unique cultural voice. Below, we break down its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and provide a clear-eyed look at its strengths and weaknesses.** --- ### **Lyrics** The lyrics on *System Of A Down* are a whirlwind of surrealism, black comedy, and political dissent. Serj Tankian’s delivery oscillates between deranged rants and haunting melodies, often making the songs feel like the fever dreams of a madman, yet they’re oddly catchy and memorable[6][9]. While some tracks, like “War?” and “P.L.U.C.K.,” directly confront issues such as war profiteering and the Armenian genocide, much of the album’s writing leans into absurdist, fragmented narratives. “Sugar” is emblematic-its meaning is elusive, perhaps referencing drug-induced violence, but it’s the chaotic energy and memorable lines that stick with listeners[6]. The album’s refusal to spoon-feed a message is both a strength and a weakness. The lyrics often seem to oppose all institutions for the sake of it, creating a sense of rebellion that’s visceral but sometimes confusing. The overall effect is a sense of profound confusion that’s intentional and effective, but can alienate those seeking clarity or direct activism in their music[6]. --- ### **Music** Musically, the album is a frenetic blend of alternative metal, thrash, and experimental rock, with flashes of Middle Eastern folk and even polka[6][9]. The band’s signature is their unpredictability: songs lurch from blistering speed to eerie calm, from crushing riffs to circus-like waltzes (“Peephole”)[9]. Guitarist Daron Malakian’s riffs are fast, sharp, and inventive, steering clear of the nu-metal chugging that dominated the late ‘90s. Instead, the band opts for rapid tempo changes, odd time signatures, and jarring dynamic shifts. The rhythm section is tight, with John Dolmayan’s drumming providing both precision and chaos, while Shavo Odadjian’s bass work anchors the madness. The musical variety is impressive-“Spiders” offers a dark, slow-burning ballad; “DDevil” channels Detroit rock; “Peephole” veers into polka-waltz territory[6]. The album’s energy is relentless, but it’s punctuated by moments of melodic clarity and groove, making the chaos accessible and even danceable at times[9]. --- ### **Production** Produced by Rick Rubin, the album has a raw, unpolished sound that suits its anarchic spirit. The production is not as slick as on later releases like *Toxicity*, but this works in its favor, emphasizing the band’s live-wire energy and keeping the focus on performance over perfection[6]. The mix is fat and heavy, with each instrument clearly defined, but there’s a deliberate roughness that makes the record feel urgent and immediate[9]. This rawness may put off listeners accustomed to more polished productions, but it’s integral to the album’s character and impact. --- ### **Themes** Thematically, the album is a cocktail of anti-establishment rage, dark humor, and existential anxiety. While later SOAD albums would focus more directly on specific political and social issues, the debut is more abstract and confrontational. The overarching theme is opposition-to war, conformity, and any form of institutional control[6][9]. There are also undercurrents of Armenian identity and trauma, especially in “P.L.U.C.K.” (which stands for “Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers”), a scathing indictment of genocide denial. However, much of the album’s impact comes from its refusal to be pinned down: it’s as much about the feeling of rebellion as any particular cause[8]. --- ### **Influence** *System Of A Down* was a breath of fresh air in a metal scene dominated by nu-metal and post-grunge. Its fearless experimentation and cultural specificity (drawing on Armenian heritage and folk influences) set it apart from contemporaries[8]. The album’s success paved the way for the band’s later, more polished and overtly political work, but it also influenced a generation of bands to embrace both musical and lyrical unpredictability. The band’s willingness to address the Armenian genocide in their music brought global awareness to an issue previously ignored in mainstream Western rock, demonstrating the power of metal as a vehicle for activism[8]. --- ### **Pros and Cons** | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Unique, unpredictable songwriting that blends genres | Lyrics can be confusing or impenetrable on first listen | | Raw, energetic performances from all members | Lack of technical complexity may disappoint some metal purists | | Memorable hooks and choruses despite the chaos | Raw production may sound unpolished to some | | Fearless political and cultural themes | The manic style may be “too crazy” for listeners seeking seriousness or clarity | | Groundbreaking influence on alternative/experimental metal | Less accessible than later SOAD albums like *Toxicity* | --- ### **Conclusion** *System Of A Down* is a debut that still feels dangerous and fresh nearly three decades later. It’s a record that thrives on contradiction: simple yet complex, funny yet furious, chaotic yet catchy. The band’s willingness to embrace madness and confusion, both musically and lyrically, is its greatest strength-and, for some, its biggest hurdle. For those willing to dive in, it’s a wild ride that rewards repeated listens with new layers of meaning and musical ingenuity.

9/10

I had only really heard Toxicity from SOAD before this and part of me was dreading this album. But so solid!! I really loved it. His vocals can be a little much sometimes but also keeps it interesting.

It's awesome. No explanation needed.

The heaviest of the System albums and also my introduction to them. I can still get goosebumps listening to Spiders. This and 80's power metal is what eventually led me to my love of melodic death metal (Amon Amarth, ect) which I still shamelessly listen to today.

I'm flabbergasted this is on the list. An album I frequented in my "edgy-middle-school-years" alongside Korn's "Follow the Leader" and other adjacent nu-metal. Of all those albums this may be the only one I've returned to. "Sugar" is just a fun song and "Spiders" still makes it on recent playlists. I remember when Toxicity came out thinking that SOTD sold out to be more approachable. I love this weird album, and I would say it's a guilty pleasure - but guilty pleasures are a cop out. Easy 5 star.

Still prefer toxicity, but self-titled is really great.

It's a little surprising that Toxicity isn't on the list instead, but their 1998 debut is a more than worthy entry. It's an amazingly accomplished and consistent debut, and certainly the most energetic, chaotic, surprising, and downright fun album in their discography. As the only SOAD album on this list, and as rare example of 90s nu-metal that's held up well, this gets rounded up from a 4.5 to a 5.

System of a Down are a one-of-a-kind band and a personal favorite. I love the bizarre theatricality of their style. I find myself laughing out loud a lot when I listen to them. But man, they've got power too. This album has brutal riffs, heavy metal guitar hero solos, and sweeping drama. I also appreciate the unflinching way they treat war, genocide, and the hypocrisy of religion in their lyrics. Serj Tankian often takes on the role of the villain in these songs -- the twisted preacher, the authoritarian government -- and paints a horrific, twisted character. The humor in his performances is fun and funny and engaging, but also gets at the absurdity of the violence. Mostly though, this album rocks. It pushed me extra hard during my workout this morning.

Amazing, great listen from start to finish

Luv it

Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: 🖐❗⬛ Production: 👊💥🔊 Music: 🏰👀🍮🤔🕷️👿🌿💣🤯🔍👀🏹🎯 Rating: ✊🖖🖕✌️🤘/5

This is totally a hot take, but I prefer SOAD's debut over Toxicity. Don't get me wrong, I think Toxicity is conceptually and lyrically superior... but this one is just so fun. Seriously, this is one of the most engaging album I've ever heard. Every song is amazing. It has a bunch of incredible riffs with the most perfect alt-metal guitar tone, and, despite being a metal fan, Serj Tankian is one of the very few extreme vocalists I actually like (not that I hate extreme vocals; they're just not for me—I tolerate them, but almost never prefer). I'll never grow tired of this album as it has almost no downtime. Every song is a constant onslaught of some of the most satisfying metal out there. 9/10

Have always meant to listen to SOD beyond chop suey, sad I waited. This is heavy and dense. Great lyrics, fun to listen to. Great snowboard tuning music. Went to toxicity after this which is a masterpiece

One of my all time favorites

Heard it a million times before, not even gonna pretend to be objective, SOAD might be the only band that I like every song of Weird choice of an album tho, this album is great, but Mezmerize is just greater 5/5. Both the rating and a heard before counter

Crazy how I consider this one of System’s ~weaker~ albums. Flawless discography, one of the greatest bands of all time, no true misses. This debut is no exception, combining potent political messaging with unique and ultra-technical musicianship, while always rocking harder than even the most brutal death metal groups. And yet, I’d still say this was the wrong choice over Toxicity and Mesmerize.

I didn't think I liked SOAD this much. Every song is different but it never loses its drive

So original, interesting, and heavy.

The late '90s metal scene was flooded with a lot of subpar releases, especially in the nu-metal wave. However, this album stands as a clear exception—40 minutes of pure, in-your-face aggressive rock. Absolutely love it.

YEAHHHHHHH LET'S GOOOOOOO KING SHIT RIGHT HERE YEAH YEAH YEAH

Geez, why does this site feel that whenever i get it 1 star album, it has to give me a 5 star one to make up for it. System Of A Down is a very amazing album which has everything i love about nu-metal. It is fast, it is chaotic, it is incredibly weird and yet the guitar riffs are amazing, the vocals work absolutely perfectly with the songs with them being incredibly weird yet adding to the album's immense charm and it also went at the perfect length by having plenty of time for the songs to sink in but still not being overly long. This album is easily a top tier one if i do say so myself. Best Song: Soil Worst Song: Peephole

A record that I'm listening to less than I used to but it was a formative one for me and for a very good reason. Energetic, loud, wacky... what else can I say, it's fucking SOAD.

Love these guys. Very strong album.

Fav song: Spiders Personally I prefer SOAD's more serious side. That being said basically every song on this album made me wanna throw my nan out of the window

Damn this is late. Good debut from SOAD! Lots of conflicting styles and Armenian influences, and a lot of humorous parts as well. Most of the songs use the clashing of styles well and try not to overindulge in it, with one noted exception (*ahem* Mind *ahem*). Overall, amazing album. Favorite songs: Suite-Pee, Know, Sugar, Spiders, Soil, War?, Peephiole, P.L.U.C.K Least favorite songs: Mind, CUBErt.

It's 1998, Napster hasn't happened yet, I have Kerrang! magazines are every issue is raving about this Armenian-American band called System of a Down, describing the sound as something I'd be in love with. I have no way of listening to this record because the 3 records stores in the country do not stock it and the hype is real. I get invited to a friend up to camp in Abruzzo in Italy, and I'm in the mountains besides a village abandoned 50 years prior to an earthquake with a bunch of strangers clamberring waterfalls and swimming in rivers - and that evening - a bunch of spotty 15 year olds get to talk about life and things under the clearest starry sky I had yet, and since, seen. Conversation turns to music and I discover that one other kid likes the same music I do and he has a copy of this album on CD and a discman - and I explain my predicament - and finally I get to hear it, once, twice, three times through - and it's as perfect as I thought, and yet, I still do not know how I can get ahold of this album. It takes another 3 months, when my sister, back from holiday in Austria buys it for me - and it holds up to the same hype, 27 years later. I love Toxicity and later albums for different reasons - but this was such an important record for me, and so difficult to obtain, and so original at the time that this is definitely my favourite record of the band. It still holds up today, and while the novelty wore off, the quality stays. 5/5.

Fire

Insane. Oh dear I love "Peephole", the polka elements and metal/core/whatever elements melt so well. And from that song, everything just gets better. 4.5/5.

10/10

Well holy moly, this brought some nostalgia with it. I remember first hearing SOAD in high school and thinking that they were nothing at all like anything I’d ever heard before. I remember hearing Spiders and Sugar from this album, and lots from other albums too. If you haven’t heard SOAD before, they are some kind of frantic metal music. Not to say they are high tempo speed metal (which they’re definitely not), but the styling often comes across as somewhat manic. And the guitar tones are somehow obviously their own too. This album is just banging from front to back.

Wow I'm surprised it actually holds up quite well

Great dound

I have a clear memories of trying to sell a buddy on this record back in the 90s by calling it carnival metal. It didn't matter to him, but I was ensorcelled. This record was a turning point in metal for me.