Customer Reviews

Toxicity [Vinyl]

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3 star:		(43)
2 star:		(34)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

I really doubted the SOAD could top their incredible self-titled debut, but they have...and FAR surpassed expectations. This album is such an amazing accomplishment of modern metal that I find myself almost speechless. Serj Tankian is this generation's Jello Biafra. His lyrics are pointed, political, and biting. He does not flich when giving his opinions, whether it be on the state of modern collegiate education (Shimmy) or the overcrowded penitentiary system of the USA (Prison Song). As a whole work, Toxicity succeeds on EVERY level, the music is raw and hits you like a blast of adrenaline. The best thing about Toxicity is that it plays as a WHOLE album, something that is extremely rare in today's watered down metal climate. Every track on this cd is strong, it is UNRELENTING and BRUTAL. Some of my very favorites are Jet Pilot, Prison Song, Forest, Aerials, and Toxicity. The song Toxicity anchors the album and is the absolute best thing that SOAD has done so far. Bringing in Rick Rubin was a great decision because the strengths of SOAD have been maximized(Tankian's ranting, fast and numerous tempo changes, and Dean's heavy riffing) and the weaknesses simply no longer exist. The track placement on Toxicity is to be commended as well and much credit should go to Rubin. I never thought I would say this but this album smokes TOOL's LATERALUS by miles (and I'm a huge TOOL fan). Toxicity will hit you like a scud missile quick and deadly, but the remains will be with you for a lifetime. HiGhLy ReComMeNdEd.

I loved System of a Down's self titled debut, so naturally I was first in line to buy Toxicity the day it came out. After 3 years of delays and anticipation, I have to say I am not the least bit disappointed. Toxicity shows great growth in the band's talent over the past few years, thanks to grueling touring and the union of SOAD with Producer-God Rick Rubin. The guitar parts are much more complicated and add more depth and personality to the songs. Add in Serj's quirky vocals joined by Daron's background vocals and you have a pretty unique album. The opening track "Prison Song" is more a comfort song than anything, telling the listener that System of a Down refuses to disappoint. Then tracks like Deer Dance and X get crazier and show that there is much diversity in this album, which ultimately makes it superior to their last outing. ATWA, a song based about Charles Manson (yes, you heard me) and his views on the environment is easily my favorite song on here. Very angry and very melodic at the same time. Aerials and Toxicity are two softer songs, which could be compared to SOAD's own Spiders. Psycho is probably the most enjoyable song to sing along to and of course, you can't forget the first single, "Chop Suey!" which is a great choice for a first single, and will definetly earn them the fame they deserve. If you loved System of a Down's first album, you will love this even more. A great album, and I must say, it was well worth the wait.

Many fans awaited this album with a single question in mind:Can SoaD possibly make an album better than their first? Well, the answer has become blazingly clear-YES! From the first jolting chord of "Prison Song" to the final whisper of "Aerials" it is quite obvious that you aren't dealing with a mere rock band, but a musical force to be reckoned with. So many young bands suffer the "sophomore curse" when it comes to following up a breathtaking debut, but SoaD has managed to outdo themselves and what a pleasure it is to listen to. Always the consummate showman, vocalist/lyricist, Serj Tankian is definately the biggest standout of the group. His voice has matured quite a bit since the first album, and this transformation is very apparent. His dynamic range can only be described as awe-inspiring. He infuses his lyrics with such emotion that the words take on a life of their own. I have read quite a few reviews that dismiss his unusual lyrics a simply psycho babble, but this could not be further from the truth. There tends to be a fair amount of symbolism in SoaD's lyrics. If you simply take the words at face value all the time, of course some of it isn't going to make very much sense, but if you take your time to interpret the words for yourself, the meaning becomes very obvious. For example, "Bounce" may at first seem like a silly song about pogo sticks, but upon close listening, you'll find that it is actually a song about a promiscuous woman. Guitarist Daron Malakian also stands out. In a way, he has the ability to produce music that is just a unusual as Tankian's lyrics. He can go from heavy ("Science") to beautifullly soft (the opening of "Chop Suey!"). He also displays a great vocal talent by lending harmonies to Tankian's melodies on several tracks ("Chop Suey!" "ATWA" "Needles"). During the bridge of "Needles" he sings on his own, and the result is incredible. It seems that he has the ability to convey the few, and I emphasize few, emotions that Tankian cannot achieve. Bassist Shavo Odadjian is definately a very talented bassist. He seems to to far more than just provide a foundation for everyone else to play upon. If you listen to "Toxicity" and concentrate on the bass, you will be pleasantly surprised. As far as lyrical content, "Toxicity" must be one of the most diverse in recent years. Their politically charged material has garnered comparisons to Rage Against the Machine, but I think these comparisons are a little off. SoaD can be very political at times (particularly on "Prison Song" "Deer Dance" and "X"), but they can still have fun with a set of quirky lyrics ("Shimmy" "Bounce"). With Tankian's incredible vocal talent to work with, almost any type of song is possible. Despite the fact that this entire album is nearly flawless, a few tracks are bound to shine a little more than all the rest. "Prison Song" is a thought provoking criticism of the American prison system and its practices. The combination of a controversial topics and very catchy melodies seems to be the group's forte. "Deer Dance" is another very political song that basically calls out the wrongs of the LAPD. The meaning of the song isn't always obvious, but the line that points a definite finger is the "Beyond the Staples Center..." line. "Jet Pilot" just radiates the energy that SoaD possesses. The lightning speed and electric lyrical delivery in a way epitomizes what SoaD is all about. I have seen this song performed live and it is an incredible experience to witness. "X", at least in my opinion, picks up where "P.L.U.C.K." left off, telling the story of the Armenian Genocide. "Chop Suey!" is a stroke of pure genius, and everyone already knows that, enough said. "Forest" is probably Tankian at his most dynamic. His voice goes from high to low, and soft to loud almost effortlessly and that makes this one of the best tracks on the album, which is a great complement when the excellence of the rest is put into consideration. "ATWA" is aesthetically the most beautiful song on the album. The intricate melding of Tankian's melody with Malakian's harmony envelopes this song in a sort of a melancholic beauty that is unlike anything you have ever heard. The title track is kind of ambiguously political. Rather than pointing out a specific entity that is being criticized like in "Prison Song" and "Deer Dance", "Toxicity" just describes a situation and sort of lets you pick a specific on your own. My favorite track would probably have to be "Psycho". To be very honest, the song is simply about cocaine crazed groupies, and is quite a harsh criticism of them. There is a bit of irony in this when you consider that rock bands and groupies basically go hand in hand. The opening of the song is this terrific guitar driven crescendo that ends with Tankian maniacally chanting the chorus of the song. That opening almost drags you into the song and doesn't let go until the very end. Overall, "Toxicity" is a work of great minds and talent. It is clear exactly how much SoaD has expanded their musical horizons and have mastered their new styles incredibly. I think it would be safe to say that SoaD has their work cut out for them if they ever plan to top this!

I've been downloading songs from this CD off the Internet for weeks, but still am making plans on buying "Toxicity" today, it's THAT good. System of a Down is going to be HUGE. Serj Tankian with his ingenious and socially conscious lyrics and hypnotic manic vocal style is destined to become the Bono of thrash metal, just less annoying and certainly much, much more deranged.

SOAD mixes bits and pieces of their Armenian musical heritage into their sound to come up with music that you simply will not hear anywhere else. Dont fret headbangers- this isnt music that will be playing on National Public radio anytime soon. Armenian Folk Death Metal? Well, its a cliché, but System definitely defies classification, but your getting the idea of how unique this band really is.

"Chop Suey!" is one of the best songs I ever heard, though buyer beware: it's not a typical song on this CD. The rest of what I have heard from "Toxicity" is much, much harder edged. Not to say that Suey wont impair your hearing. With it's classical acoustic guitar interludes immediately devolving into thrash metal hysteria, and climaxed by an incredible chorus, "Suey" is one of those songs you can't get out of your head, and simply has GOT to be a bonafide radio hit.

"Prison Song", while I've only heard the rough studio track, is another destined to be a concert anthem for this group. It's a straightforward blistering attack on the War on Drugs that is aims at it's target and completely destroys with extreme prejudice. Potheads all over will be playing this on their car CD players as loud as they can while getting pulled over by drug confiscating feds.

"Deer Dance", which I believe is a swipe at the LAPD, is where the key to SOAD is to be found. Serj's almost chant like central Asian influenced vocals shine through on the line "From the Staples Center /you can see America(?)" and referring to the fuzz and their "rubber bullet kisses".

"Jet Pilot" is the best example of this bands incredible composing skills. "Pilot" starts out like a sledgehammer, hitting you over the head wondering what the hell did you get yourself into when you bought this CD, then goes into a goofy jazz riff, then builds steam again as Serj goes into a trance once again.

According to a story in Rolling Stone, when one of the members of Pantera was in the studio listening to System cut this record, he described it as Crazy man's music. That's from PANTERA. System is hard to simplify, but that phrase comes the closest to doing it.

System of a Down has everything going for it- a great vocalist, incredible lyrics, great musicianship, inventiveness and just incredibly heavy, heavy metal. At the risk of contradicting myself, think Primus + Metallica +Crowbar + Alice in Chains- with an undeniable folk influence, insanity and Rick Rubin as your producer mixed in. It just cant get any better than this.

If this CD doesn't sell a million copies, then Rock IS Dead!

I had high hopes for this album and surprisingly System of a Downs sophmore release, "Toxicity," doesn't disappoint. I have been a fan of SoaD since their self-titled album. Although I loved that album there were some songs I just didn't care for and I found myself skipping 2 or so songs everytime I listened to it. This is not the case with "Toxicity." Every song is awesome. From lead singer Serj Tankian's rants about the U.S. prison system to the get up and dance song "Bounce," in which he sings about a pogo stick. It's interesting the way Serj's voice and guitarist Daron Malakians voice seem to fit together in harmony. It just sounds so perfect. If you like System of a Down then your going to love this album. If you've never heard System of a Down then chances are you'll still love this album. Pick this one up before you pick up Slipknot's "Iowa," you won't regret it!

Just as Id predicted, SOAD pulled no punches and released one of the years best records, while still maturing and growing upon their debut album. This was not an easy task-their s/t album was easily one of the greatest rock releases of 1998. Toxicity takes everything that made that cd good and improves upon it-their unique blend of metal with Armenian influence has become tighter and even more focused. The songs sound even heavier and aggressive than some on the prior album, albeit with more melody. Unexpected time changes still come around with this band, leaving you guessing where it will go next. Songs are still politically charged, and the lyrics are at times bordering on the plain bizarre. The guitar work from Daron is great: melodic while still maintaining a heavy, aggressive edge. The rythymic section backs well, Shavo's basslines flowing perfectly and John beating his kit with an intent fury. The real force on this is Serj however: his vocal work is amazing, and he shines on mellow tracks such as Aerials and ATWA for instance, while still retaining his hardcore vocal style elsewhere. Easily one of the best albums of 2001 (along with Slipknot's Iowa and Slayer's God Hates Us All).

I have been looking forward to this album every since hearing their new single "Chop Suey", the blend of acoustic and hammering drums and guitar riffs made it an immediate catch in my head. I also had been hearing a lot of buzz concerning this album's release, which also helped to fuel my desire to purchase it as soon as possible. So when I got it I was expecting a lot out of the album. What I got was a remarkable piece of work that blew away my expectations.

The album starts thumping with the heavy hitting, but very odd "Prison Song", in which the vocalist changes voices several times and once sounds like a nasal Fred Durst. Then comes "Needles" and "Deer Dance" which both have thundering guitars and a very fast drum beat. They also both have beautiful if not odd vocals with amusing, but poignant lyrics. "Jet Pilot" starts out fast then slows down slightly, then picks it up again and continues this way until the end of the song. Has beautiful vocals though, probably one of the best tracks vocally. "X" is a heavy song, that starts out slow, then kicks into some super-high gear, with anthemic lyrics. Good song. "Chop Suey" is a very good song, great mix of speedy beats and acoustic sections. A beautiful song, believe it or not. "Bounce" is another fast song, but seems less serious than those before it, similar to "Prison Song." Decent song, one of the weaker tracks. "Forest" does not have the punk beat, the earlier songs have, but is still a good song. Great vocals and lyrics, sounds similar to Tool. "ATWA" starts extremely slow, but kicks in during the "I don't feel it anymore", and repeats the cycle. Another excellent song vocally and lyrically. "Science" is a cool song that slows down in the middle, then the hammering guitars and drums kick back in with Serj's anthemic vocals. The lyrics seem to convey that he believes religion over science. "Shimmy" is another odd song similar to "Prison Song" and "Bounce", better than the latter. Cool lyrics make this a memorable song. "Toxicity" is a poignant song with powerful lyrics and pounding guitars. "Psycho" is melodic song that talks about cocaine adicts. One of the best tracks on the album. "Aerials" is a harmonious blend of stunning vocals and moving guitar work. The best song on the album, incredible lyrics, great way to end this brilliant album. After the song there is some odd tribal music, not really worth the time to listen to, though.

As a band the musicians are top-notch creating beautiful metal riffs and punk beats. The lyrics are affecting and have great meanings, while Serj Tankian sings, rants, and screams beautifully his passions. These guys are similar in message to Rage Against the Machine, but have their own distinct style. Beautifully done, recommended for fans of Staind, Tool, Godsmack, etc.

I'm not too impressed right now with the current state of hard rock. 95% of today's hard rock acts sucks because lyrically and musically they are cliched and contrived. This whole nu metal genre reminds me of when hair metal ruled the airwaves back in the early to late '80s. Then out of the sea of contrived and cliched rock bands that one rare band will stand apart from its peers with an album that shakes the foundations of hard rock. That band is System of a Down with it's latest album "Toxicity".

I wasn't immediately impressed with System of a Down when I first heard its first single "Chop Suey". It was all noise and no substance to me but when I heard "Toxicity", the gorgeous middle eastern melodies changed my attitude. I bought "Toxicity" through a record club so I could get more bang for my buck as opposed to paying close to $20 for one cd. I was greatly impressed with what I heard on "Toxicity". I completely hear what many critics heard and why they listed that album as one of the best releases of 2001.

The lyrics may lean on the left side of politics which I don't think is bad. It sure beats listening to the same ol' BS of "life sucks" from bands like Papa Roach and Slipknot. That old line is so cliched and contrived, not to mention lacks any imagination in songwriting. Musically, this album packs a real punch. Like I said before, I loved the middle eastern melodies that the band incorporated in the band's music. That and their politically-charged lyrics are what set this band apart from their peers like Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. The title track and "Chop Suey" are just two of my favorite songs on this album. "Prison Song" kicked major butt as does "Pyscho". I wish hard rock bands would follow System of a Down's suit, not the ways of Limp Bizkit, Nickelback, and Puddle of Mudd.

O.k., I originally wrote System of a Down off as yet another wanna-be corporate Mtv "nu-metal" band. I WAS WRONG. THIS CD IS FANTASTIC! Yes, I do think that SoaD should get down on their knees and worship at the feet of "Faith No More" (this CD brings "King for a Day" and "Album of the Year" to mind), but they really have their own sound that comes out and distinguishes itself from other bands.

I really liked their first CD, and on "Toxicity" the band is even more polished. The only song that doesn't seem to fit on the CD for me is "Chop Suey!". It sound a little out of place compared to the other music, but that's probably because I've heard it on the radio so much. With good reason, it's a great song!

Anyway, the rest of the CD is a little heavier than the radio hit. I really like the lyrics. The lyrics of most of the songs talk about social or political injustices, like Rage. Unlike Rage, SOAD has a sense of humor and don't seem to take up an issue with Everything.

All in all, I think this CD is a safe buy. Metal friends of mine are split on their opinions of this CD. Some love it, some hate it. The odd singing and rapid time changes could definitely throw a listener off. I know this is often said, but I really believe that if you don't like it at first listen, believe it or not "Toxicity" WILL grow on you. So will their first CD. If you like Faith No More, Korn, and Rage; go ahead and experiment with System of a Down. If you can, see them live, too. Their energy could light the planet! (Am I the only person who thinks that the lead singer of System looks like B-Real on a massive ammount of stimulants?)

Unless you have a grudge against political rock, I don't see how anyone can trash this C.D. or say it's overrated. This C.D. is one of my favorites and, in my opinion, was the second best C.D. of 2001 (second only to Tool's "Lateralus".) I wouldn't call it nu-metal-- sure, there are typically heavy riffs and drum beats, but the soulful vocals (sometimes soulful, granted they sometimes yell) and meaningful/thought-provoking lyrics make this more than nu-metal. I'd call it intelligent metal. The lyrics aren't entirely political (although they often are) also deal drugs and groupies, and other issues (over population, and science failing "mother earth").

Highlights include:

"Prison Song" opens with a hard hitting riff which startled me at first. It then turns to chugging, machine gun riffs and drums, in between which singer Serj Tankien whispers "they're trying to build a prison." The song's "boom-boom" riffs remain throughout the song while Serj's angry voice sings Rage Against the Machine-esque paranoid lyrics about the government, prisons, and drug money.
"Needles" is as heavy as "Prison Song", but it has a dark theme and when guitarist Daron Malankian sings two minutes into the song (and Serj later joins him), it turns melodic. It then turns to turns back to hard, chugging guitars while Serj alternates between almost soulful and yelling.
"Deer Dance" is a personal favorite. The guitars are slower, but equally as heavy. Lyrically, it's about crooked cops shooting little kids. My favorite part of this song is when Serj's voice comes down after the chorus, he sings the following verse slowly (whispering at some points) until the build up of the next chorus. Here, you'd think there'd be a heavy break down, but Serj and Daron sing a capella for about two seconds. Then, the bone crunching riffs and yelling return to end the song.
"Jet Pilot" is really fast with some good guitar work, but Serj's nonsense lyrics (which I think are about war) drag this song down a bit. It sounds good, though.
Surely, most of us know how good the hit single "Chop Suey" is. It's brilliantly combines metal, melody, soulful vocals and thought provoking lyrics. You can put your own meaning to this song; since it's lyrics deal with religion (Jesus, angels and spirits) and suicide.
I think "Bounce" is thrown in purely for mosh pit purposes. It's not political, it's just a fun song to listen to. The guitar chugs fast, and Serj sings a head banging chorus ("Bounce! Pogo, pogo, pogo, pogo!")
"ATWA" goes from slow verses to fast choruses, with great riffs. Serj shows his vocal range, here.
"Toxicity" has great drum work (the best on the C.D.) with more irresistable riffs and deep, soulful vocals.
"Psycho" builds slowly to another irresistable chorus that you'll have in your head for days. The guitars and drums hit equally as heavy and simultaneously.
"Arials" is, again, beautiful and heavy. Serj does some more real singing, in between the choruses (where his voice raises.) The lyrics, which compare life to a waterfall, are almost poetic. My favoirte part of this song, though, is at the very end of the song (when you think it's over). Here, an instrument that sounds like an Indian flute plays a solo for a few seconds, then is joined by soft drumming and chanting. Brilliant.

So, this album is a masterpiece. Again, I wouldn't call it nu-metal, but I'd recommend it to nu-metal fans, as well as Rage Against the Machine fans, fans of intelligent metal, melodic metal, and thoughtful lyrics.