Review Summary: Steal This Album! is the top of this bands career. With an album that's filled with incredible diversity, Steal This Album! is the greatest album they've ever released, even if it is just B-Sides.
It's 2002, and one year earlier a band known as System of a Down released their breaktrough album "Toxicity,". A year later, fans have leaked supposedly new SOAD songs under the title "Toxicity II". The band was very disappointed at the news that their fans were hearing material that was incomplete. Because of this, they took a handful of the demos, touched them up, and released them under a third album known as "Steal This Album!". Little did they know, and little do they know, that this third record is shockingly their most triumphant release. But I'm not here to give you a full history lesson on the record, I'm only here to tell you why you need to listen to this album.
Firstly, this is System's biggest album with a total of 16 tracks. However, it could also be seen as their shortesr record, as each song clocks in at under 4 minutes (with the exception of Mr. Jack, which breaks that statement by about 9 seconds). But what is really noteworthy about this album is that it takes every musical idea System has and will covered and plugs them all into the songs on this record, and they make something amazing out of it. I-E-A-I-A-I-O has the rapping Serj (and it's probably the fastest he's ever sung anything), Pictures and Chic N Stu have the fun quirkiness, Streamline has the epic and emotional feelings, and Innervision has the straightforward thrash sound, with some added elements. But what's really great about all of that is that every song I named are all great songs. Every System release before this has covered all of that, so STA! succeeds what every System album has succeeded with; making a good group of songs that fit together, listenable music with a kick of originality, and outstanding instrumentation that fits these songs together. STA! succeeds at doing all of that, but it just does it better.
What really shines on this album however, is how much variety there are on these songs. System don't repeat themselves here at all, which makes this album more diverse then previous releases. Even longer songs like Mr. Jack don't drone on, they progress forward and become more exciting as the song goes on. Songs like Pictures start slow and explode into greatness and is thrown into your face, making you accept the fact that these songs have what people would expect this band to have. They make a perfect balance of songs that go across charging songs, to soft explosions into greatness, from epic and emotional compositions, to strange yet interesting tunes, and to the straightforward and heavy thrash elements the band is known best for. Even the shorter songs like "Bubbles" hold up, and even the most different of songs like "Nuguns" and "Boom!" are still invigorating songs to behold.
The variety in each of these tracks make it an invigorating release and put's it on the top of their career. Unfortunately it's greatness is buried beneath the other 4 releases, and is never paid any attention to. Some songs on this record could possibly sound the same upon first listen, but when giving it a chance you will realize that these songs are all so diverse from the next, and it is a truly rewarding listen. STA! will take it's occasional quirkiness with silly songs like "Chic N Stu", "Pictures", and "*** The System" and throw them in your face. But even when silly, the songs all have those hidden meaning that, like every other release, are constructed to provoke thought and force people to analyze further, which is creative but frequently used. There are some songs on here that are melancholy as hell, such as A.D.D. (American Dream Denial). It's such a dark song, and even when it's brutal moments, it's still a dark song. But it's my favorite song on the album, and the darkness is what makes it good and diverse. But the sound of the album also helps it immensely. System's sound is very distinct, and it's almost easy to tell it's them. But their sound makes the songs what they are, and it really makes you appreciate the pieces they've stringed together here.
However, the final few songs on this album really stand out. These songs are so exceptionally amazing in their own ways, and most of them being about relationship makes them even more melancholy to listen to. "Highway Song" has to be one of the best songs they've ever written, and is a practically perfect song. Sadly, just like the rest of these songs, it doesn't get much live attention. Roulette is a nice, slow ballad that works well for SOAD, and the lyrics resemble a wounded love letter, which transforms it into a pretty depressing song. Ego Brain and Streamline are both epic songs in their own ways. Ego Brain has the emotional design that really knocks you off your feet, but the real bank of these few final songs is Streamline. Streamline consists of the epic vocal harmonies and the underlying violins, that show you how beautiful the song, and the album really is. It's also worth mentioning that Roulette and Streamline are possibly paired together, as it would make sense. Roulette would be the start of the relationship issues, and Streamline would be the epic, yet emotional, end to the destroyed relationship.
But, just like every SOAD album, the instrumentation is always worth noting. Daron has kept his thrash style, but has most definitely fused it with the more technical style of playing he used on the debut. Daron's playing is truly epic here, and is probably his best record. Shavo has been given some more purpose, with his bass being more exposed into the light as it was on the debut, and he really is an excellent bassist. John is truly a great drummer, and his performance on the album is phenomenal, just like the other members. He doesn't really repeat himself, and he has become much more experimental on the album. Serj has drifted away from the weird vocal styles and has become more committed to the usual vocal work he used on Toxicity, and he really is great here. He's fixed up his roughness and has really redeemed himself, and even the people who think he's the weirdest and dumbest metal vocalist to ever make music must admit that he has really made a mark for himself here. The instrumentation on this album is probably the best it's ever been on any record they've released. They've really combined all the musical styles they've worked with from each album to make something truly intoxicating.
Steal This Album! is not what you'd expect. It's an epic surge of emotion and awe-inspiring tracks that are strung together to form a masterpiece. Each song has it's own sublime sense of diversity, that makes it notably different from the next, but when fit together it truly makes something amazing. Each song really fits, and while they're all demos and b-sides, they are all put in the right order that makes this album feel how it's supposed to feel. This album is the one that covers everything System will explore and have explored, which makes this record the central point that balances all the albums together. I really can't think of anything negative to say about this album. This album is full of charm and uniqueness from the start to the end. This album is truly excellent and is definitely worth your time. It's perhaps the best collection of songs they've released in their entire career. From the beginning to the end, Steal This Album! is a masterpiece of uniqueness and diversity that is a rewarding listen from the start to the epic finish.
Favorite Track: A.D.D.
Least Favorite Track: 36
