The video for “ B.Y.O.B.” featured the band playing to a crowd gradually being infiltrated by black-clad automatons whose visors bore propagandist keywords. The group also continued with their vivid visual explorations. A separate “ Lonely Day” single also tossed in the System B-side “Marmalade”. Beyond the two album cuts were covers of Black Sabbath’s “Snowblind” and Lou Reed’s “Metro” along with the track “Shame” which was an edgy collaboration/cover with Wu-Tang Clan. The “Vicinity Of Obscenity” / “Lonely Day” EP released in 2006 offered fans some extra goodies. Each disc landed Grammy Award nominations for Best Hard Rock Performance – “ B.Y.O.B.” from the first, which won, and “ Lonely Day” from the second.įurther music from the sessions later came forth. Both albums went platinum and debuted at #1, allowing SOAD to join a small club of artists who have had two #1 albums released in the same year. The artistic expansion that the Armenian rockers displayed on Mezmerize and Hypnotize paid off with big dividends, critically and commercially. I couldn’t listen to another song, and I kept on thinking, ‘I can’t imagine someone having to go through this!’” “I remember one day sitting down and listening to 30 songs in a row in the studio with Rick,” Tankian told Epstein, “and I was done - I was exhausted. The group also decided to split up what would have been a fully stuffed single CD into two discs because of the decreased attention spans of modern listeners. By the time they hit the road from 2005 into 2006, Odadjian had become more proficient at his instrument. Energetic bassist Shavo Odadjian admitted he was encouraged to bump up his game as he was considered to be a better guitarist, which resulted in Malakian playing most of the album’s bass parts. Interestingly, he brought in more lyrics while Tankian brought in more music. Diverse guitarist Malakian had been listening to black metal and ’60s rock and pop around that time. In a 2018 story for Revolver by Dan Epstein, the foursome discussed the albums’ creations and assembly strategy.

System have provided anthems for their awakening. Some people rightfully seek to rail against injustices and get in the face of oppressors to make them understand that they will not be tolerated. Their frenetic music matched with passionate lyrics always make one feel insurgent and wanting to take on the world, rather than just lamenting problems or deciding for a more placated approach. System never sugarcoated any of their topics, and they made a powerful argument for why heavy metal is as good as or often superior to other genres like folk or straight-ahead rock or pop in dealing with social and political themes. This duology represented a sonic shift forward for the band in terms of increased use of dynamics and subtlety, but there were plenty of thrashier and more aggressive songs to provide balance. Some people try to make major distinctions between these two releases, but they really are two sides of the same coin, a concept evoked by the synonymous album titles. While the sonic diversity found in these albums was hinted at on Toxicity and Steal This Album!, they really came to the forefront here. System Of A Down are unique and nothing like what became before and after them, and the twin album release of Mezmerize and Hypnotize took them to the next level. Frontman Serj Tankian possessed powerful pipes and also rivaled the most verbally agile rappers with the vocal gymnastics he displayed on some SOAD tunes. They could be both funkalicious and thrashtastic and stop on a dime. In other words, they could not be pegged in simple terms.Įach member of the L.A.-based ensemble also brought distinct parts to a melodic yet muscular musical equation. Their affinity for curse words, dadaist energy, and kooky expressionism just added to the fun. They were direct in sociopolitical musings which skirted nihilistic nu-metal rage. They had musically eclectic influences and an intensely quirky stage presence. Their cultural heritage played into their musical influences and political activism, particularly in raising awareness for the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 which has been repeatedly denied by the Turkish government. They were taking on Establishment thinking even among their own ranks.ĭespite being lumped within the over-saturated nu-metal movement that spiked in popularity between 19, System Of A Down boldly stood out in many ways. While their political ideas lean to the left, many members of rock and metal audiences skew to the right. System had become a powerful metal machine that matched potent words with rambunctious riffs and wore their beliefs proudly on their sleeves.

Soad hypnotize