Acarian's Full Review: Toxicity [PA] [Limited] by System Of A Down
System of a Down formed in 1996 in Los Angeles. It is the complex, explosive
and subtle mix of four Armenian guys: Serj Tankian (vocals), Daron Malakian
(guitars), Shavo Odadjian (bass) and John Dolmayan (drums). In 1998, SOAD
published their first remarkable LP. The tracks were astonishing, the musicians
offering us a rather strange mix of modern metal with folklore armenian singing.
Now, it’s time to re-invent. And SOAD doesn’t seem to be frightened about that.
The band proposes us 14 new and formidable cuts that I’m going to present
briefly so that it’s not too boring. And, by the way, I’d like you to be surprised
when you listen to it the first time.
Yelling at the top of his lungs for us to "Pogo pogo pogo!," System Of A Down
frontman Serj Tankian and company grab you by the throat and shake the
be-Jesus out of you on Toxicity. This 45-minute melee of brilliantly controlled
cacophony is the sophomore effort of these LA metalpunks, and they have
progressed nicely since their 1998 self-titled debut. Joining forces again with
producer Rick Rubin, the Armenian-American group has been working on their
musical chops, and it shows in spades here. From the classically flavored (and
monster radio hit) "Chop Suey," the only sing-song thrash-metal epic to feature
mellow strings, to the Middle-Eastern-tinged "Science," SOAD prove they can
weave political and social commentary around hilarious
primal-scream-metal-sludge-therapy. Well-educated but not lofty; cutting, but
never terribly mean-spirited; the funniest track here is "Psycho," a scorching
dissertation on drug-addled groupie-types. Oh, and not that I care, but you should
be advised that this one comes with one of those explicit-lyrics stickers. Not
recommended for the faint-of-heart. SOAD has done it again with the release of
their album Toxicity.
My only regret? I did not discover their music sooner.
System of a Down has just about done it all, leading front man Serj Tankian has
impeccable style in his voice expressed beautifully in the newest 14 new song off
the album. Most of them are good, then there are a few week points. They
criticize and bash the American Government, simply saying they are
“corrupt”referring to them as “they,” and the school system and how it lasts a mere
two minutes long. Let me give you the breakdown before dyeing from insomniac
boredom.
~Tha Tracks~
~Prison~ Track number 1
… The song depicts what America has ultimately done. They are trying to build a
prison blowing the fact that nearly 2 million Americans are incarcerated in the
prison system. They are bashing the fact of minor drug offenders, and doubling
their jail sentences also. The song roles in with rhythmic and might I add LOUD
synthetic guitar rifts. When the song proceeds to go longer they just increase in a
more sporadic manner. An effort on SOAD’S part to bash the U.S prisons.
Midway through Serj Tankian stresses this line most delivered strongly: “I buy my
crack, I smack my b*tch, Right here in Hollywood.” Any questions?
~Needles~ Track number 2
Referring to the title this song obviously has to do with drugs. Nothing special, this
song shows the low shallowness of SOAD. Madness is clearly expressed with
more a variety of guitar rifts than the Prison song. Variety necessarily is not always
the essential ingredient for success in a band. An example of weak lyrics is as
followed: I'm just sitting in my room, With a needle in my hand, Just waiting for the
tomb, Of some old dying man. Overall I did not uncover too much importance of
this song.
~Deer Dance~ Track number 3
Push them around,
A deer dance, invitation to peace,
War staring you in the face, dressed in black.
With a helmet, fierce,
Trained and appropriate for the malcontents,
For the disproportion malcontents,
The little boy smiled, it'll all be well,
The little boy smiled it'll all be well.
Another effort and criticism of the US government, Deer Dance tells of how the
government controls and brainwashes the youth of America in particular to believe
everything is okay. At one point I started to be reminded of the Men in Black
movie after SOAD mentioned the men dressed in black push the weak around.
The guitar rifts in this song are absolutely excellent. The start as loud pulsating
booms, then later becoming faster and way lighter than the previous.
~ Jet Pilot~ Track number 4
This is the one song off the album that represented the symbolism of the hellish
event that occurred on September 11’th in America. I myself believe that the real
meaning of Jet Pilot in no way symbolizes this event other than the mere mention of
“An airplane flying over a bay.” It is not the lyrics that will pull you to love this
particular song. The lead singer’s strong and meaningful voice that will make you
love this addictive song with a passion. The lyrics below are the ones that are
stressed most strongly in the song “Jet Pilot.”
My, source, is the source of all creation,
Her, discourse, is that we all don't survey
The skies, right before,
Right before they go gray,
My source, and my remorse,
Flying over a great bay.
The song might also be dealing with a bad past relationship with a girl perhaps.
The mention of “her” in this song could lead to the easy conclusion.
~X~ Track number 5
Not a very insightful title, but do not let that mislead you from not listening to this
song. It starts off with very fast drum hits, then a few seconds later the guitar
chimes in with the perfect formula of a great song. Serj cries out: “Ask your
people, ask your people what is right, ask your people, ask your people what is
right, We don't need to multiply.” He ultimately depicts this as a bad thing. But the
point is definitely delivered wholesomely with his opaque and meaningful voice.
One of the shorter songs (2:22), this is the only disadvantage.
~CHOP SUEY!~ Track number 6
Oh you know this is one of those songs you either love or hate. I just happen to
love this song for more than one reason. This year it was considered to be the
“MOSHPIT” anthem. SOAD prefers to show us a little bit of variation in emotion
in the Chop Suey song. It starts off with middle frequent somewhat light guitar in
the background. Then it proceeds to add sporadic 3-second drum beats. After
that louder guitar comes in on the backdrop of the song. Serj starts basically
talking in this song then depressingly proceeding into the lyrics: “I don't think you
trust, In, my, self righteous suicide I, cry, when angels deserve to die.” It is just a
song what the heck, but it meant more to me. After saying this he proceeds to get
more raged delivering the line: Father, Father, Father, Father, Father/ Into your
hands/I/commend my spirit/Father, into your hands.” I believe this song mostly
questions faith, and for that in itself deserves a bit of respect. Like I said, you are
bound to either love it or truly hate it.
~Bounce~ Track number 7
SOAD enlightens up the harsh/dark/gloomy atmosphere with a bit more humorous
track.
Jump Pogo?..
Bounce Pogo,
Down Pogo, Up Pogo
LOL like I said I am not sure about what Serj was trying to say here. I pretty
much nod my head and sing along to this one. The track only lasts a mere (1:44),
again not exactly a long one.
~Forest~ Track number 8
YES YES YES, finally a song dedicated to the fundamentals of nature! Just
kidding, actually I think there is more to the forest song than that. It sounds like
some awkward bizarre video game where the legend is found in the “forest.” That
would be hilarious if it was the theme song for Zelda. There is a unique drum
depicted in this song, around the very beginning.
Walk with me my little child,
To the forest of denial,
Speak with me my only mind,
Walk with me until the time,
And make the forest turn to wine,
You take the legend for a fall,
You saw the product.
The forest of denial could be a form of emotion Serj turns into random symbolism.
Although in some forms it sounds like preaching, I like this song a lot. Towards the
end of song, Serj’s voice goes down to hush-hush, and the bass gets lower, then
uprising in sudden range. It is a sure track you will love, with perfect expression of
various and wonderful, mind-blown straight off powerful emotion.
~ATWA~ Track number 9
Simply a bittersweet side of SOAD, this song is much so melancholy and rather
depressing, but beautifully sung. This does not last very long though, after a few
seconds the voice of Serj boasts out in rage for sporadic seconds. It progresses
into a constant pattern, towards the end random screaming in the background
upraises. There is not much noticeable background base in this song, although
there are some overall great guitar rifts. For the occasional repetitiveness in this
song, the guitar gives the strong points along with the most meaningful lyrics.
Hey you, see me, pictures crazy,
All the world I've seen before me passing by,
I've got, nothing, to gain, to lose,
All the world I've seen before me passing by.
Wonderfully sung lines, I found to be most meaningful in the whole song. It could
be a love that passed, or time in general passing by.
~Science~ Track number 10
One of the longer songs on the Toxicity album, almost being about 5 minutes long.
Science has to be one of my favorites on the album, along with forest, and chop
suey. I get ravaged in the middle of this particular song. There are extremely
different guitar chords in this song that I love. It also sounds like there is a flute in
the background, which adds to the overall emotion of this song. Science basically
lives up to what the lyrics choose to express.
Science fails to recognize the single most
Potent element of human existence
letting the reigns go to the unfolding
is faith, faith, faith, faith.
~Shimmy~ Track number 11
Another short song off the album, but don’t underestimate this one. This song
criticizes school and how it dominates most of out life, taking away our general
time to live.
Education, fornication, in you are, Go,
Education, subjugation, now you're out, Go,
Education, fornication, in you are, Go,
Don't be late for school again girl
The only reason to go to school in the first place is to make a reasonable salary
and one day own a home right? Well basically this is the truth, so therefore you
will “shimmy” through the school day. This is only my explanation; heck what do I
know. I can definitely relate to this one. For crying out loud if you’re in school,
you know how boring it gets. Just stare at the clock, time seems to pass more
quickly that way.
~Toxicity~ Track number 12
The song’s title is referring to California giving it the name “Toxic city.” Two
words combined to form a definite hit for SOAD. Did we ever say the air was
going to be free of pollutants? Awesome guitar rifts are found in the toxicity song.
It is a defiant keeper and will not get you bored on future listening sessions. I
downloaded the music video on Kazaa now that Morpheus has died on us.
More wood for their fires, loud neighbors,
Flashlight reveries caught in the headlights of a truck,
Eating seeds as a past time activity,
The toxicity of our city, of our city,
Just more explanation of the pollution in Cali. It is pretty cool to know that the
music video itself is pretty simple. Meaning they didn’t break their pocketbook on
the video but invested the majority of their time in the music.
~Psycho~ Track number 13
This is quite crazy song compared to the other previous ones. The beginning
sounds like some sort of cool machinery sounds. Another druggie song as we
know it. Serj basically sounds like is trying to advertise some sort of hopeless drug
sale add. After hearing the lyrics you will get a more relative idea of what I am
trying to say. He proceeds to tell of what drugs can do to your body. There are
some great guitar breaks and solos in this song however; I listen to these more
than the lyrics themselves. The guitar gets better and better and the song also does
towards the end.
So you want the world to stop,
Stop in and watch your body fully drop,
From the time you were a
Psycho, groupie, cocaine, crazy.
Sounds like a psycho’s song to me.
~Aerials~ Track number 14
This song I love, and I am not sure why. The beginning starts off with beautiful
occasional violin along with low base, and louder guitar. It touches upon the
subject that I tend to enjoy more, life itself, another song on SOAD’s effort that
depicts the more downbeat side of the band itself. Taking two listens to grasp the
real meaning of this song, the time was well spent.
Life is a waterfall,
We're one in the river,
And one again after the fall.
Can you relate to these lyrics in the Aerials song? My interpretation of it leads me
to believe life will take you where you want to go if your willing to make the effort,
otherwise you will “fall.”
The closing proceeds with:
Aerials, in the sky,
When you lose small mind,
You free your life.
Aerials, so up high,
When you free your eyes,
Eternal prize.
Aerials, in the sky,
When you lose small mind,
You free your life.
Aerials, so up high,
When you free your eyes,
Eternal prize.
It sounds like the game of life to me and an ideal exit track in its own.
~Closing~
The Toxicity album is definitely one you want to add if you are sick of the same
old mainstream crap. It is 44 minutes of heart pounding drum, guitar, and
somewhat-meaningful lyrics that will have you listening again and again. If you
want to learn more about this band you can always go to their homepage listed
below:
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