OregonLive.com, OR
Sept 30 2005

Mellow metal
Friday, September 30, 2005

Heavy-metal music once was all about cutting class, chasing chicks
and getting down with Satan. In this post-millennial era, however,
decadence is out, raging against the machine is in. And nobody’s
raging as loudly as System of a Down.

The Armenian American act brings its inexplicable blend of thrash,
operatic vocals and folk music to town, touring behind its latest CD,
“Mezmerize.” A companion disc, “Hypnotize,” is due in November.
“Mezmerize” delivers the required social content (pro: justice; anti:
violent pornography) but also includes touches of surrealist humor
and jarring changes that suggest jet engines tearing themselves
apart.

Opening band Mars Volta (formerly At the Drive-In) shares System’s
fearless eclecticism but favor moments of Afro-Cuban rhythms and
horns along with the expected guitar crunch on its latest CD,
“Frances the Mute.”

So what if the dudes in Motley Cre wouldn’t consider these guys hard
rockers? As Beavis once said to Butthead, “Heavy metal has come a
long way.”

7 p.m. Thursday, Rose Garden arena; Ticketmaster; 503-224-4400. Also
appearing: Hella. — Curt Schulz Special to The Oregonian