Malaysia Star, Malaysia
June 20 2005

System of a Down – Mesmerize

System of a Down
Mesmerize
Sony/BMG

IT’S been almost three years since Los Angeles-based heavy metal
quartet System of a Down (SOAD) released any new material. Their
official second album, Toxicity, came out in 2001 while the “outtakes”
record, Steal This Album!, hit the racks in 2002. Now they’re back
with not one but a double album.

Mesmerize, being the first part of the album, is packed with 11 tracks
of enamel-ripping metal mayhem and that is a very good thing, unless
of course, you’re not a fan of metal music.

Not to be confused with the nu-metal bunch out there, SOAD is very
much rooted in old school death metal music. Also when the band
members consist of American Armenians, it lends a totally different
flavour where mainstream metal is concerned. And in this case, it
is heavy, riff driven, dynamic and progressively laced with socially
and politically conscious lyrics.

On top of that, the unique vocals of singer/keyboardist Serj Tankian
and guitarist Daron Malakian make histrionics look like a walk in
a park.

Make no mistake; Mesmerize is a visceral assault on the senses and,
funny enough, musical at the same time. Opening with the sombre
short intro Soldier Side, SOAD suddenly shifts into full metal gear
with B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs) with Malakian screeching, “Why
do they always send the poor?” An anti-war song reminiscent of Black
Sabbath’s War Pigs, lyrically at least. Where the music is concerned,
SAOD is adept at odd metre changes, vocal harmonies and employing
dynamics in the most unbelievable manner.

And they seem to have an endless supply of musical ideas with notable
tracks like Revenga, Cigaro, Radio/Video, Question!, Sad Statue and
Lost in Hollywood. SOAD’s tunes are short, pounding, take unexpected
twist and turns and, interestingly enough, void of guitar solos.

SOAD is undoubtedly a unique metal band and it keeps the metal flag
flying high, and to think that there is still more to come later in
the year with part two of the album, Hypnotize.

This is a very good year for metal indeed! – By RIZAL JOHAN