Steal This Album [Explicit Lyrics]

System of a Down | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00007E8V4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (433 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,982 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Chic 'N' Stew

2. Innervision

3. Bubbles

4. Boom!

5. N - guns

6. A.D.D.

7. Mr. Jack

8. I-E-A-I-A-I-O

9. 36

10. Pictures

11. Highway Song

12. F**k The System

13. Ego Brain

14. Thetawaves

15. Roulette

16. Streamline

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With Rage Against the Machine disbanded, System of a Down ascend to the political aggro-rock throne, and with Steal This Album, the Los Angeles-based quartet prove themselves worthy to wear the crown. A play on the late activist Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book, the album consists of 16 System songs from the mid-1990s through 2001. The band stresses the songs are not "B-sides or outtakes"; in fact, they clearly show System at their apex. These smart, varied songs feature Serj's frenetic, staccato, Jello Biafra-like phrasing atop the band's edgy, commanding, metal-meets-punk base. From the funny, frantic "Chic 'N' Stu," to "F**k the System," "A.D.D. (American Dream Disorder)," and "Boom!" System keep listeners guessing with discomfiting time changes that match up with Serj's incendiary lyrics. In keeping with their creative, fan-oriented approach, System are releasing four limited runs of the CD, each version featuring artwork from a different band member. This is not escapist rock. It's an intense and eye-opening aural history lesson you can mosh to. --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not their best, but still very enjoyable, October 12, 2005

By 

A. Stutheit "Teyad" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steal This Album (Audio CD)

Considering it took four years to make "Toxicity," it's not (or shouldn't be) surprising that System of a Down had some leftover songs that they wanted heard. What is surprising, however, is that these b-sides were so good. Some songs here, like "Innervision" and "Chic `N' Stew," are as good as anything on System's last two discs. In fact, the band left some of these songs off of their last album not because they weren't good songs, but because they wanted "Toxicity" to have a different, more serious theme. A song like "Bubbles" wouldn't exactly fit if it were next to, say, "Aerials."

These 13 songs don't have as many powerful lyrics as "Toxicity," so "Steal This Album" doesn't have the sharp impact or depth that its predecessor had. But this C.D. is still very fun to listen to! Daron's riffs are still crunchy and heavy, sometimes (as in track three) almost flattening, and Serj's vocals are (as always) top-notch. ("Roulette" is probably the best example of his proper, nasal, almost soulful singing.) Plus, even though they're not AS good, the lyrics are still pretty intelligent. "Boom" is a bold, unabashed anti-war tirade, and has lyrics like "four thousand children die per hour from starvation/while billions spent on bombs/creating death showers."

Elsewhere, "Pictures" is a fairly odd song with catchy drumming, making it kind of sound like it's a b-side from System's first, self-entitled album. Next, "Highway Song" has a good soft-loud-soft dynamic, as well has a good give and take between the guitars and drums. "Ego Brain" seems in the same mold as "Toxicity"'s album closer, "Aerials," and "Roulette" features acoustic guitar plucking and even some violins. Other highlights include "Mr. Jack," "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," and the silly "F**k The System."

When it was first released, "Steal This Album" served as a nice snack to whet fans appetites for what was to come. Now, since "Mezmerize" was released earlier this year (2005), "Steal This Album" isn't any less good, it's just the band's best album, and not essential for casual System of a Down fans. But if you liked SoaD's first two albums, you're sure to like this, as well.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars System does it again, December 19, 2002

By 

MysticGohanXL "Rab" (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steal This Album (Audio CD)

When I first became a SOAD fan, I bought Toxicity first. It was a great album so then I tried their 1998 debut release, and I was exposed to their deep inner self. Then I got this new album and I must say that System has again enthralled me. Each song may start out similar but, once things get going, they are all genuine in themselves.

Chic 'N' Stu - Weird song with a catchy chorus. What a splendid pie!! Pizza pizza pie!! I don't know what Serj is blathering about but I like it heh

Innervision - My sister was the first to tell me about this and I downloaded it. It seemed amazing when it was the only song I'd heard but, when I bought the whole CD, it was left in the dust as the melodic tunes of every other track began to catch my interest more

Bubbles - Short and sweet. This one didn't seem to get much hype but it was awesome though. It's not deep or dark. It's just fun and energetic

Boom! - Serj really managed to prevail in this song with his monotonous tone of voice in the beginning as the wild music is playing in the background. The chorus is nothing too special though

Nuguns - This is probably the song I've given the least amount of listens to even though it is quite good

A.D.D. - The three letters stand for American Dream Denial. I love the chorus to this one. It's one of my favorites

Mr. Jack - I just caught on to this song today. It's the longest track and yet it's only over four minutes

I-E-A-I-A-I-O - System seems to do good at choruses. And this one is enchanting. And we light up the skyyy...

36 - The song is called 36 but it's 46 seconds long. Cool music but the message seems to oppress television

Pictures - The music in this one rocks. And I love it when Daron jumps in at the end and repeats Serj's every phrase in a scream. Away (away!) gold dust (gold dust!)

Highway Song - I didn't pay much attention to this at first. But it's really melodic so I caught on fast

**** the System - It's alright. Nothing to put too much attention to

Ego Brain - System unleashes their soft side. The opening music sounds like the song Toxicity but everything quickly changes. The music, the flow, the message, it's all done perfectly in this track

Thetawaves - It starts out mediocre but as soon as you hear the chorus (Time feels like a midnight ride, finality waits outside, weeping in perplexity's arms, caressing our smiles inside) then you will be hooked

Roulette - Very calm, very soothing. This is not like normal System and that's what I like about it. They're trying to bring out different kinds of music

Streamline - This one was released as an extra by itself and debuted on the movie Scorpion King. I remember downloading it last summer and it's still good

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHAT? THESE ARE B-SIDES?, January 14, 2003

By 

JiggyT (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steal This Album (Audio CD)

No...I can't bring myself to believe that these are rejects. Well, I guess System's "trash" is another band's "aspiration". Other nu-metal bands could only hope to be half as good as SOAD's B-sides. I almost didn't waste the 11.99 on this cd but I'm so glad I did.

1. Chic N Stu- This might be my favorite song on the whole damn album. Its worth stealing for this song alone! Worthy of anything on Toxicity (except for Needles and Deer Dance and Chop Suey and ATWA and Toxicity....) 10/10

2. Innervision- At first I was like, hmmm....its an okay song....but the more i listened to it the more I fell in love with it. Beautiful. 9/10
3. Bubbles- Wow. That's all I can say. 10/10
4. Boom!- I love the chorus to this song and the very end of it too. SOAD really knows how to end a song with a bang. 10/10
5. Nuguns- Not as good as the previous four songs...7/10
6. ADD- Again, this song didnt impress me the first 10 times I heard it. Then suddenly one day I was listening to it and I realized that it was one of the best songs. This CD keeps amazing me. 10/10
7. Mr Jack- A slower song but it picks up speed at the end and I LOVE the way it ends, when he screams and then it just cuts off. Very powerful. 9/10
8. A-E-I-E-I-O- If there were a single to this CD, this song would be it. All around catchy, very singable. 9/10
9. 36- Why so short? I want more! This is the strangest song by far, just because of the voice inflections and weird guitar thingy. "Life is so...unnecessary!" 8/10
10. Pictures- Another very catchy song. I like the little drum cadence. 9/10
11. Highway Song- Haunting, beautiful melody. 9/10
12. *uck the System- A tribute to what the band is all about. Amen. 9/10
13. Egobrain- A third song that I fell in love with after a few dozen listens. And getting better every time. 9/10
14. Thetaways- It's ok...kind of blends into the rest of the songs, doesn't stand out all that much to me. 7/10
15. Roulette- The guys slow down for a second here to catch their breath, I guess. And I'm glad they did- the result is...well...breath-taking. 9/10
16. Streamline- This one also kind of blends in and doesn't really stand out on its own. Don't get me wrong, still good though. 7/10

Hope that was helpful!