dayum
November 1, 2008
ive had this album for years, and i never get sick of it. im not usually into this kind of stuff... harder stuff. but this... this is just plain GOOD! if you like System and youve never heard this, do yourself a HUGE favor and pick this up. NOW! imo, its their best...
Less melodic, more psychotic
August 12, 2008
3 1/2
A solid attack sucker punch of flavored, offbeat hardcore came with the Armenian-american groups debut combining relentless hostility, eccentrically powerful vocals, melodic transcendence, and a dash of old-world flavor to boot. It's no wonder the band immediately stood out in a genre all but known for it's generic torment. Not all of the album works properly; the songs eventually tend to bleed together, at worst into a type of pummeling oddball metal gimmickry, but a distinct mark upon their craft hinted at an important career to come.
Definitely not a typical metal band debut
July 26, 2008
In the age of the new millenium, there were many metal bands whose metal was extremely downcast and anarchistic, but very few of them really distinguished themselves. System of a Down was one band than set themselves apart from the crowd--they clearly had a political leftist fury, but they had a sense of humor too.
"Sugar," System of a Down's first single, was just plain weird. It alternates between a swing drum beat and a heavy guitar burst, and Serj is singing about oppression, but in quirky monologues about kicking his girl in the "Ooh! Baby! She's okay!" I have to admit that I really passed this single off as a cheesy 90s comedy song, but gradually I loved listening to them.
System of a Down has a Middle Eastern-style to them as well, with very characteristic chord progressions. The guitarists were incredible for making heavy metal sound far different than it ever sounded.
Whether Serj is yelping weird lyrics in "Ddevil" or screaming in "Suite-Pee," he really showed that metal had so many dimensions. In "P.L.U.C.K." Serj Tankian shows off his maddening anger at genocide, screaming "Die! Why?!? Walk Down! Walk Down!".
And the drummer really knows how to set the band in different beat rhythms, sometimes playing in a seven beat rhythm, then switching back to four beats. He sure knows how to slide in those speedy drum rolls and offbeat rhythms.
This debut shows that System of a Down clearly makes a half-anarchist, half-hilarious lineup of songs so entertaining. Clearly System of a Down is going to be remembered for being one the craziest, but most eclectic metal bands around.
System of a Down/System of a Down
February 26, 2008
I love this cd, everyone of the songs are hard and demented. It is definatly explicit but it has the hit song sugar and my favorite song ever P.L.U.C.K (Political Lying Unholy Cowardly Killers). If you like System of a Down or rock in general this cd is a must!!!!!!!!!!
And I usually hate metal...
July 8, 2007
This album is freaking amazing, full of songs that are both Socially and Politacaly concious(Sugar, CUBErt, P.L.U.C.K) To just all around goofiness(Suite-Pee, ddevil). My only complaint is the over use of the f-word. I love this band, and I don't mind swearing, but they relied way to much on swearing to display anger in this album.
