System of a Down defy classification. They're definitely thrash metal but are much more progressive and experimental than that might suggest. Their Armenian-American background noticeable frequently in singer Serj Tankian singing style and through the bands percussion. But as influenced as they are by Middle-Eastern music there's equally as much thrash, hardcore punk and out-there experimentalism. Another reviewer described them as a mixture of Fugazi, Rush and Frank Zappa. Despite all their influences one thing for sure, there is no-one else like SOAD.
Metal/Hard Rock is easy to deride largely due to lumpen headed redneck idiots like Metallica's James Hetfield or preening irony-free ego-monsters like Axl Rose. SOAD could not be further away from these morons. Lyrically and politically they are closest to Rage Against The Machine. They have been outspoken opponents of genocide, the war in Iraq, and singer Takian in particular has promoted the causes of Amnesty International and PETA as well as founding his own organisation, Axis of Justice, with Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello.
They took there name from a poem called 'Victims of a Down' written by guitarist Daron Malakian but allegedly changed the first word to System so that their records would sit closer to Slayer in stores. Which tells you much of what you need to know about the music itself. TOXICITY is very heavy album, but despite the very fast guitars, very hard drums, and very loud shouted vocals it is a very accessible and dare I say it quite 'pop', album. While things do get politically heavy and serious on tracks like 'Prison Song', 'Deer Dance' and 'X' there are just great fun moshing tracks like 'Bounce' which is about a boy and his pogo stick!
Standout song the has to be the epic single 'Chop Suey!' which manages to be at times ferocious thrash and gothic opera. It was high on the Billboard charts at the time of the September 2001 attacks in New York. It's lyrics regarding "self-righteous suicide" led to it being placed on a list of "inappropriate songs" and banned from the air by the organisation Clear Channel. A link to its brilliant video is below.
Also worth checking out is the hidden track 'Arto' that appears after the final album song 'Arials'. Featuring Turkish avant-garde jazz musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan it reveals most explicitly SOADs Middle Eastern influences.
TOXICITY is an exciting, inventive metal record and sounds like little else out there.
'CHOP SUEY'
'ARTO'
'TOXICITY'
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