New Zealand Herald, New Zealand
May 22 2005

System Of A Down: Mezmerize

by Rebecca Barry
(Herald rating: * * * * *)

Listening to Mezmerize makes you think of a Matrix film – it’s faster
and more violent than most, and although the thrills are primitive,
the underlying messages are not. Let’s hope that unlike the films,
when fourth album Hypnotize is released in six months it will live
up to its predecessor – this is their best yet.

SOAD haven’t strayed from the staccato-riffery of Toxicity, or from the
schizo-comedy that sees them chopping and changing time signatures,
or singer Serj Tankian giving a hammy performance. But they’ve cut
the fat and taken more liberties.

Take BYOB (Bring Your Own Bombs), a heavy protest against the Iraq
war that breaks into a cheerily sarcastic singalong: “Dancing in the
desert, blowing up the sunshine.” Or Question!, which weaves elements
of their Armenian heritage into a bombardment of guitars.

Tankian’s views haven’t softened. In Violent Pornography: “Everybody
sucks, everybody dies.”

Too much anger is directed at obvious themes – Hollywood, for instance
– but creative delivery makes up for it. Like a certain blockbuster,
you’ll be on the edge of your seat throughout.