Album Rating: 4.5

Kinda surprised that Suggestions isn't being mentioned more, that's probably my favorite here alongside War and Know. The whole album is fantastic though

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah suggestions is such a great like rock opera ballad or something for this record. I have the same top 3

Album Rating: 4.5

The growl before the final chorus of War... *chef's kiss*

Album Rating: 5.0

CAUSE EVERYONE



NEEDS



A MOTHER



FUCKERRRRRR

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

It's really funny that soad were really heavy on this album



but the music journals told the kids it was OK to like it regardless, and so they did. While simultaneously considering the "true" metal bands too heavy. fucking unreal if you ask me

Album Rating: 5.0

They were heavy as fuck but weirdly accessible. Like tons of of people I know who usually can't stand metal love this band and Korn.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

I still think it's because they were given the stamp of approval by the big radio stations. I don't think there's anything that makes them more accessible than say, Slayer - except maybe the insufferable fans the latter has

"I don't think there's anything that makes them more accessible than say, Slayer"

Umm SOAD has actual melodies and hooks.

Album Rating: 5.0

slayer has an album called “hell awaits”. there is a hard cap to how much of the general population can handle a band with that aesthetic, regardless of musical content. In fact, you could argue that slayer is much more popular than they had any right to be making the music they did.



and re soad as a live band, the weak link was always guitars. serj, shavo, and john are all awesome musicians and songwriters and they always kill it. Daron flat out sucks as both a musician and a singer and can barely play barred power chords. he was always the worst part of the band and they got significantly worse (see mesmerize/hypnotize) once he starting having a bigger part on the band.

Album Rating: 4.0

Daron was a great composer though. SOAD have really simple guitar parts but they're really good, at least through Steal This Album

Album Rating: 5.0

ive thoight for years that serj was the one composing all the guitar parts. there are videos floating around of him playing guitar and it’s much closer to what’s on the albums that what Daron plays.



that’s just a hunch thought I have no idea what their actual process is.

Album Rating: 4.0

daron is the band

Album Rating: 4.0

Daron is credited with writing most of the music, but you never know

Album Rating: 5.0

it’s all speculation on my part, all I know is that he is a fucking terrible live guitarist and you can verify that easily on YouTube.

Album Rating: 4.5

I mostly agree Hyperion. I think daron has always been a really talented guitarist and a competent writer in some respects but his ego and drug use has always hard capped him especially in live shows. But yeah Serj being the main contributor to songwriting was basically confirmed by the last two soad albums and their respective solo projects

Album Rating: 1.5

They were insanely boring live when I saw them back in 2011. Looked like half of the band didn't even wanna be there. Probably the worst headliner at a festival I've seen

Album Rating: 4.5

haha yeah thats fair. serj post crazy hair was a bit insufferable onstage. just know this exists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdPrjjGsAIs&t=149s

Album Rating: 4.5

Daron's my least favorite member, but mostly because of how much input he had on the band's final few albums. Mezmerize and Hypnotize weren't bad, but they were such a watered down version of SOAD and a lot of that came from Daron stealing the spotlight and ramping up his contributions to their sound

Album Rating: 3.0

I feel like SOAD's best stuff is special because the whole band is on the same page and sounds excited about the song they're playing, nobody feels like a tagalong on toxicity. If serj isn't THE frontman the whole thing doesn't make any sense, that's his contribution to the band

Album Rating: 4.0

I saw them at the Hollywood bowl a few years back, they were pretty good (though not great).