Customer Reviews

Steal This Album

5 star:		(296)
4 star:		(88)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

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.

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

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!

I first approached buying this CD with caution. Sure, the other 2 SOAD albums were brilliant, but what do you immediately think when you walk into the Metal section of the music store and see a CD which has no cover art and looks like a ripped album? Are you going to pay $??.95 for that?
Or is this just a damn clever gimmick? Yes it is. STEAL THIS ALBUM is an album that is well worth your money, and finds the band issuing previously unreleased material that spans their career to date. As you would expect, Serj Tankian is in full flight with his anti-consumer song CHIC'N'STU (only Serj could make screaming out the ingredients for casserole and pizza sound cool!) , and the soaring INNERVISION. There is also the nicely anti-authority track F**K THE SYSTEM as well as some gentler songs which will surprise some SOAD fans, but will also delight them too.
By inserting the CD into your computer you can access the album info such as lyrics etc. STEAL THIS ALBUM is a record well worth your money and will please SOAD fanatics both old and new. So if none of your friends or relatives got you this for Xmas (like mine), make sure STEAL THIS ALBUM is the first CD you buy in 2003. Got it?

I put off buying this 'album' simply because I kept hearing it was throwaways that didn't make it to System Of A Down's other albums. But I finally decided to pick this up a while ago, and was pleasantly surprised at how good and consistent it was. Steal This Album! certainly isn't as prominent as their debut or Toxicity (or the recent Mezmerize), but there a lot of songs on here that NEED to be heard. I see a number of people bothered by the antiwar sentiment used throughout this album and its lyrics, but isn't that what Serj and the guys do best? Well, besides rocking, of course.

The first three songs here, I believe, are three of the best. "Chic 'N' Stu"'s bizarre, pizza-topping lyrics make it kind of funny (and a nice let-go if you truly don't like the antiwar lyrics); "Innervision" is just classic SOAD, leaving us to wonder why the heck it wasn't on an album; and "Bubbles" has one of the catchiest heavy metal beats around, backed with scathingly smart lyrics. Those three songs alone are worth the price of this. "Boom!" is more of a spoken-word track, reminiscent of the way the facts were used in "Prison Song". And the chorus isn't anything more than shouts of 'boom'. Next, "Nüguns" should get most of its praise for the Egyptian-like guitar interlude. "A.D.D.", as you will see, is fittingly titled. "Mr. Jack", a slow-moving song, seems to've only missed Toxicity's cut because "Aerials" didn't. "I-E-A-I-A-I-O" and "36" are (probably) two of the weaker tracks, mainly because "36" is only 46 seconds long and you can't understand anything in "I-E-A-I-A-I-O". "Pictures" is a nice little ditty that sounds like some of the latter tracks on SOAD's debut. "Highway Song" is another excellent song that shouldn't be ignored, along with the lyrically straightforward "Fxck The System". "Ego Brain" is an average track, while "Thetawaves" uses more spoken word, although it is a bit more likable than "Boom!" because Serj actually constructs somewhat of a chorus. And finally, although not exactly saving their best for last, "Roulette" and "Streamline" finish of this record perfectly. There are no smashing, frenetic guitars; instead Serj's voice takes center stage, making the tracks two of the better, more original ones on Steal This Album!

So of the 16 tracks, which total (a measly) 43 minutes, I'd say about eight songs could've easily made the cuts for either of SOAD's albums, even if having them here is just as good. The opening three songs, which are three of the best--not only here, but of all System Of A Down has done--are especially terrific. There is no question that if you loved their debut and/or Toxicity, that you will love System Of A Down's overlooked Steal This Album! I wouldn't necessarily steal it, but make sure you buy this record.

This record is a huge mixture of sounds because of the time period it covers. Comprised of tracks from throughout the band's history, the sampling of their different sounds over the years is impressive. From the hard-hitting "Chic N' Stu" to the more thought-provoking "Streamline," it is easy to find something you like here. As a System fan, I saw the disc as a way to see their progression to where they are now, but any fan of rock will appreciate the overall sound of this record.

Another important part of the record's appeal is the underlying messages of System of a Down. From the presentation of the case (no book included, CD is made to look like a CD-R that someone wrote on), to the title, "Steal This Album!," to the politically motivated songs included, it is easy to see where the band stands on many issues (especially their anti-war stance).

Overall, "Steal This Album!" is definitely a record to own, if for many different reasons. System fans should buy it because it is a chance to hear unreleased songs from the band's past. Rock fans in general should buy it because it is a record with purpose that appeals to you no matter what style of "System" you prefer, hard-hitting or thought-provoking, and sometimes all of the above. Get your hands on this one, even if you have to follow the band's cynical advice and "Steal This Album!"

Best tracks: "Innervision," "A.D.D.," "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," "Highway Song," and "Streamline."

Although a collection of previously unreleased tracks that were only partially finished (recorded durring the "Toxicity" sessions), I agree that every song on here was definetley good enough to make the final cut. I'll break it down song by song...

1.) Chic 'N' Stu: Very interesting lyrics. I'm still trying to figure out what it means... it's more than just food here. However, this is one of the very few System songs where Daron (guitar/back up vocals) sings in a normal voice. Very cool! 4/5

2.) Innervision: The new single from the album. If you got this from the net a while back (like me), this version is better overall with some revised parts. Arguable the best song on the album. 5/5

3.) Bubbles: Life in a bubble jungle! I admit, some of these songs catchy for having such political lyrics :) Good song. 4/5

4.) Boom: Something VERY different from our Armenian friends. The whole song is spoken as a poem, by Serj, except for the chorus. 5/5 for the originality alone.

5.) Nuguns: The opening chords may have you wondering if this is some kind of remake of "Prison Song" from Toxicity. Pretty good song overall. 4/5

6.) A.D.D. (American Dream Denial): You may have seen Shavo laying down the bass tracks for this song durring the "Toxicity Backstage" video. One of my favorite songs on the album. 5/5

7.) Mr. Jack: For now, my favorite song on the album. Has kind of a gloomy feel to it, much like "Spiders" from their self-titled debut. 5/5

8.) I-E-A-I-A-I-O: Serj in a display of his ability to sing the impossible in a mumbling of tongue twisters. Beautifully sung chorus. Interesting song. 4/5

9.) 36: A 46 second track of (mostly) screaming and brutal guitar riffage. Nothing special here. 3/5

10.) Pictures: Another great What-The-Hell-Kind-Of-Music-Is-This-Song from S.O.A.D. It kicks booty! 5/5

11.) Highway Song: Shows of Daron's back-up vocal skills quite well. Pretty good song. 4/5

12.) F**k the System: You've probably heard this song before as it has been very easily available on Kazaa for a while. Sounds more like the type of songs they were writing on their self-titled debut. 4/5

13.) Ego Brain: Probably one of the top 5 songs from this CD. It's a bit different from what they usually make, but it's great none the less. 5/5

14.) Thetawaves: A song that would've fit in just fine with the "Toxicity" line up. 4/5

15.) Roulette: Something different from a nu metal band. Features Daron on guitar/back-up vocals and Serj singing. I love the lyrics! 5/5

16.) Streamline: Up in the top 5 of this CD. This seams quite different in some aspects than the downloaded (Scorpion King Soundtrack) version but I never bought the soundtrack so I'm not sure. VERY good song. 5/5

The only reason I gave this CD 4/5 is because there are very few records that I feel really deserve a 5 star rating, despite the fact that I gave 5/5 stars to some of the songs. However, this CD is definetley worthy of any nu metal fan's collection, S.O.A.D. fan or not.

What is with you people not liking this. It is one of the best cd's ever. It is not bad at all. Many people think this cd is SOAD's best and some think it's there worst. I think it's as good as Toxicity but worse then there first album. The overall rating for this cd is 4.5 out of 5 stars so you know it's going to be good. I love the introduction to all the songs as I do to every other SOAD song. I don't like how they left us on this cd with soft, lighter songs because it made me believe it was the end for them, but it's not. There have been rumours of a new SOAD cd coming out in late 2004. If you can find one of the cd's that has a picture from one of the four members drawn on it, buy that. Try to get at least one. This cd is still worth buying because the songs are played out well. I like how the guitar and the drums sound. The vocals are always great. It is just one great cd that will have you listening to it for years.

SONG RATINGS:

1.Chic n Stu-(2:23)-10/10

2.Innervision-(2:33)-10/10

3.Bubbles-(1:56)-9/10

4.Boom!-(2:14)-10/10

5.Nuguns-(2:30)-8/10

6.A.D.D.-(3:17)-10/10

7.Mr.Jack-(4:09)-9/10

8.I-E-A-I-A-I-O-(3:08)-10/10

9.36-(:46)-9/10

10.Pictures-(2:06)-10/10

11.Highway Song-(3:13)-10/10

12.F*** the System-(2:12)-10/10

13.Ego Brain-(3:21)-10/10

14.Thetawaves-(2:36)-10/10

15.Roulette-(3:21)-10/10

16.Streamline-(3:37)-9/10

System of a Down has always been different and ahead of the pack with their music. They take one step farther away with Steal This Album. The album, consisting of unreleased songs, is practically a continuous album, giving you no time to catch your breath, which was a problem for me. More then a few times I couldn't tell where one song ended and another one started. I would glance at the CD player and it would be on the next track. Here is a track by track listing, with a rating out of 10

Chic'N'Stu-Probably not the best song to start the album, its hilarious, with seemingly no point at all, but its got some good parts to it. I would have started with something more serious.
Rating: 7/10

Innervision- The new single, this song is amazing. Combing great rythms and the Serj Tankian's usual amazing vocals, this song packs it all in and gives you a kick
Rating: 9/10

Bubbles- Another song that has the short, kick you in the a** feeling. This one is good, with the same beat as track 1 shown by drummer John Dolmayan near the end.
Rating: 8/10
Boom- Very political, parts of it are great, parts are boring
Rating:7/10

Nuguns- One of the best songs on the CD, with amazing harmonizing by Daron Malakian. Great song, worthy of being a single, but probably on the heavy side.
Rating:9/10

A.D.D.- Another political one, great song, with Dolmayan putting opposite and very staggering drum beat. Great stuff.
Rating: 9/10

Mr. Jack- Currently my second favorite song on the album. Amazing passionate singing by Tankian near the end. THe song takes a big dive at the end as they turn it into a joke.
Rating: 9/10
I-E-A..- This one is probably the strangest. It combines very heavy strange rambling, and also a Jewish rabbi-type chant in the middle which is incredible. They are the only band that could do something like this.
Rating: 8.5/10
36- Well, its 36 seconds long, just to say that
Rating: 5/10
Pictures- Another one thats short and sweet, I started to get bored here, it all sounded the same.
Rating: 6/10
Highway Song: One I didn't get into as much yet, it'll take me a while, but its a very good song
Rating:8/10
F**k The System: Why?
Rating:3/10
Ego Brain: SLower song, with a more "rock-y" feel to it. Great vocals as always.
Rating: 9/10
Thetawaves: The whole purpose of this song is too set up Roulette.
Rating: 6/10
Roulette: Simply amazing. Amazing Harmonizing, amazing vocals, amazing guitar. Done deal, best song on the album.
Rating: 10/10
Streamline: Great song, AMAZING vocals by Tankian, and a great solo by Malakian. Nice bass playing at the beginning by Shavo. This song ends a great album, that seemed to progress towards the end. I hope they quiet down a little bit, but never lose their energy. Great album, take a listen.

peter please go back to listening to limp bizkit and let the adults review this TALENTED band.