SYSTEM OF A DOWN — Mezmerize (review)

SYSTEM OF A DOWN — Mezmerize album cover Album · 2005 · Alternative Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Pekka
On the day this album came out I took a bus to the store, came back home, laid down on my bed and listened through headphones. And laughed in awe for more or less the entire duration of the album. And put it on again straight away. And again...and again....and again...and again...and again...and again...and again...and again... until at the end of that same day I counted I had listened to it 19 or 20 times. Is that 100 words yet, I don't think I need to say more?

Oh well. Up to this point System of a Down had been loved by their fans and ignored by everyone else, but because of this album there started to be some division among the faithful. The main issue was of course the dramatically increased vocal input from Daron Malakian at the expense of the iconic voice of Serj Tankian. But the way I look at it, now we've got two great vocalists for the price of one, and a crapload of stunning vocal harmonies. People complain that Daron's voice is too whiny and they've got a point there, but imagine Serj crying "Tony Danza cuts in line!" with his mighty voice, and it just doesn't work. When Daron does it, it's absolutely hilarious, and the song Old School Hollywood one of the highlights of the album.

From an album chock full of excellent material I'd like to lift a couple of tracks that epitomize the perfection that System of a Down are capable of: the thrashy verses and disco party chorus of B.Y.O.B., the choking chics and sodomy set to a cheerful children's song melody in Violent Pornography, the complicated verse rhythms of Question! (which judging by one live video bassist Shavo Odadjian was completely unable to pull off live, Daron had played most of the album's bass parts in studio) and the emotional ballad of the perils of Hollywood, Lost in Hollywood.

After that first day of listening I kept a habit of about ten listens a day for some time and nowadays when I think of my favourite albums of all time, this is always either #1 or 2. Too bad I can only give five stars.
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m@x wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Totally !
Negoba wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I remember reacting the same way...just blew me away from the first listen. Phenomenal album.

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