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User
Soundoffs 21
Album Ratings 852
Objectivity 81%
Last Active 02-25-20 6:45 am
Joined 11-27-19
Review Comments 566
| Best System of a Down ranked
Only five records but every single one left a lasting impression on metal in some way. I'm also still bored at work and this is another ranking I can do with my eyes closed. | | 5 |  | System of a Down
Hypnotize
While the first SOAD songs I ever listened to were off Toxicity and the first time I was ever consciously aware of the band wasn't until Mesmerize, this was the first SOAD record I ever owned. A lot of people like to hate on this record and while their opinions might be a little harsh, this record is undoubtedly the weakest in SOAD's catalog. Cuts like "Lonely Day" and "U-Fig" are entirely forgettable, songs like "She's Like Heroin" are memorable for the wrong reasons, and while boasting better songwriting than the songs I just mentioned, "Dreaming" feels slightly undercooked. But people who write off this album as lame overlook gems like the explosive "Attack", the heart-wrenching "Tentative", and the masterpiece that is "Vicinity of Obscenity", seemingly looking for a reason to hate this album rather than love it. Honestly, outside of the weaker cuts I mentioned, this record rips hard, even if Daron's vocals appear too much for their own good.
Rating: 3.5/5
Fave song: Tentative | | 4 |  | System of a Down
Mezmerize
Honestly, this flip-flops with STA! for me a lot. Both are nearly equal in quality making it a really hard choice. Mezmerize is an absolute rampage of a record. "B.Y.O.B." is one of the the strongest contenders for top 5 best SOAD songs ever while "Question!" incorporates some of the best musicianship the band has ever given throughout their entire discography. Meanwhile, "Revenga" and "Sad Statue" feature some of System's heaviest riffs while "Old School Hollywood" and "Radio/Video" are arguably the band's catchiest songs to date. And of course, "This Cocaine..." feels like it was birthed from the craziness of the s/t with the aggression of Toxicity's songwriting. However, while still quite good and wearing their politics on their sleeves, "Cigaro", "Violent Pornography", and the closer don't quite live up to the better moments on the record. This is also the first record Daron started putting too much of himself into, but he works better on here.
Rating: 3.9/5
Fave song: Question! | | 3 |  | System of a Down
Steal This Album!
I used to like both Mezmerize AND Hypnotize more than this album, but years have only made Hypnotize worse and this record way better for me, on most days even beating out Mezmerize. Often overlooked in the supreme SOAD discog, STA! is a collection of B-sides that the band allegedly made during the writing process for Toxicity that just so happen to be all-around very solid and quality tracks. The first half of the record starts strong including powerhouses like "Chic N' Stu", "Bubbles", "Boom!", and "Mr. Jack" while the even stronger second half finishes with some of Systems's most emotionally charged songs like "Highway Song", "Roulette", and "Streamline" and some of their best lyrically written like "Thetawaves" and "Fuck th-"... I mean, "Ego Brain". But more than anything, this album is fun. It knows what it is and keeps you entertained the whole way. This might be the easiest SOAD record to listen to.
Rating: 4/5
Fave song: Highway Song or Roulette | | 2 |  | System of a Down
Toxicity
Some days, this is the masterpiece. But most days, it is a slightly lesser masterpiece. Toxicity has been nearly universally lauded by its critics for justifiable reasons: it has the accessibility to be a gateway into metal music, the political sense to be taken seriously, and the near water tight writing and execution to keep one's ears fully engaged on its sonic assault. It is an incredibly rare instance that the political themes of a record nearly two decades old will remain relevant in a modern political landscape, and yet somehow it continues to succeed across the years. While some are more generally political and easily remain relevant ("Needles", "Psycho", and "Science"), others with more specific topics seems to hold more weight in the current generation than the time they were written ("Prison Song", "Toxicity", "Deer Dance", etc.). There isn't much to say about this record that hasn't been said. This is SOAD arguably at their prime.
Rating: 4.8/5
Fave song: Deer Dance | | 1 |  | System of a Down
System of a Down
Probably the sole reason that this beats out Toxicity is that this record is more musically 'out there' than its successor. While Toxicity is a much more mature, conscious, and accessible record than its predecessor, s/t aims for the throat with dadaic craziness, uncompromising heaviness, and unsettling imagery. You can pick almost any song from this record and it will be the best indication of what lies in store for you with the only exception being the haunting ballad featuring possibly Serj's best vocal performance, "Spiders". Songs like "Suite Pee", "Sugar", "Soil", and "Mind" will tear you out of whatever reality you're living in and set you somewhere disturbingly perverse, like you just stepped into a world where your childhood comforts became your most realistic fears. This album is like a drug filled with heavy bangers and chilling socio-political commentary. If no other SOAD record convinces you, this is it.
Rating: 5/5
Fave song: Mind | |
TabulaRasa6
03.24.20 | They really don't need a new record, but it'd be cool if they made one.
Also, artwork ranked:
5>4>1>2>3 | Doibhin69
03.24.20 | nah first two albums are 5s but they don't have a bad album imo | BAT
03.24.20 | i think someone actually got this right for once, erry soad list is either tox or steal at #1. back in the 00s i used to think hypnotize was more balanced than mez buuuut idk these days they're both fun. | TabulaRasa6
03.24.20 | Yeah, I don't think a single record of theirs is bad even if some are better than others.
Thanks, BAT! I used to think the same thing, actually! | InFiction
03.24.20 | V solid ranking. Sometimes I prefer Toxicity a bit more depending on mood but I think this is a correct ranking. Well done | cold
03.24.20 | Nice write-ups, my guy. This is my exact ranking as well. | Scheumke
03.24.20 | 2 was my gateway into metal when I was 12, so it'll always be 1 for me. | wojodta
03.24.20 | 1 is worst. 2 is best. | Itwasthatwas
03.24.20 | Ranking is correct and Darius nailed it. Consistently worse with each album | cold
03.24.20 | wojodta is worst. TabulaRasa6 is best | ArsMoriendi
03.24.20 | Agreed with ranking, but not with the ratings
| dctarga
03.24.20 | Good ranking, I feel like S/T is mad overrated but its good and got some bangers for sure. War? and P.L.U.C.K. are two of my favorite System songs though. STA or Toxicity would be my #1 | EclipseInYourEyes
03.24.20 | damn, guess I need to search for my SOAD discs. Thanks for the sweet write-up! | BenThatsMyJamin
03.24.20 | This is exactly the correct ranking | TabulaRasa6
03.24.20 | Toxicity deserves the number one spot depending on the day, tbh. Also, thank you guys for the ranking and write-up praise!! Hoping to try my first written review sometime soon.
Also, thank you, coldheaven! You're the best! | evilford
03.24.20 | "1 is worst"
Imagine being insane. | TabulaRasa6
03.25.20 | They have The Ocean - Aeolian at a 1.5 so I think they might be. | EclipseInYourEyes
03.25.20 | I need to read a lot today, guess I will do a SOAD discog run in the order of this list | EclipseInYourEyes
03.25.20 | damn, I forgot how much fun Mezmerize was! | HYPERVIOLET
03.28.20 | couldn't agree more. highway song deserves an award |
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