Review Summary: The legacy of one of the most legendary bands of the 2000s, reduced to two songs.
All the praise surrounding System of a Down's semi-comeback has left me feeling puzzled. While I am very happy that a very worthy cause has united one of the most legendary metal bands of the 2000s to create music, looking past said worthy cause leads me to instead see a band who have nearly 30 years of legacy behind them, only five albums and two measly singles to show for it. It feels quite weird to be writing a review of a double single and trying to describe how to it shapes their legacy in the same way that I would an album, because the saddest part is that this exact situation is currently looking to be their legacy.
As far as how the music itself shapes up, it goes without saying that if
Hypnotize didn't exactly rustle your jimmies, "Protect the Land" will not exactly do much of anything for you. While lyrically very touching and a tribute to the men and women who lay their lives down on Armenia's front line, said song seems to chug along at a mid-tempo pace for five minutes that seem to feel like ten without ever finding a hook. It tries to be "Holy Mountains" by way of "Aerials", but instead ends up reminding me a lot more of Lonely Day than anything else, which is not a compliment. Fortunately, B-side "Genocidal Humanoidz" fares much bette, fueled by anger and aggression, calling back to System's golden days of Toxicity all while bringing new elements to the table, even including the band's first ever
blast beat. The way to look at this music apparently is that one side is from the Armenian army's side, and another is from the invaders' side. Which frustratingly just doesn't get the execution it deserves.
In fact, the sad thing about this release is that the cause it supports is not just worthy, but paints a picture of a situation that is still happening, with a war breaking out over Artsakh land. The problem, however, is when going back and listening to songs like "P.L.U.C.K." and "Holy Mountains", the anger, fire, and desperate cries for help are detectable, and here, I can only detect indifference. Which is why it feels bad for me to only see this release as cynical, when its motivation is anything but. But when looking at this release in the grand context of their career, that these songs may be all they have to show for it when they've offered far more sincere versions of them 15 years ago, it's hard not to.
