System of a Down: Mezmerize
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With every new album, System of a Down finds a way to re-invent themselves, while still maintaining their signature sound and style. However, the jump between Toxicity and this album is much greater than the jump between Self-titled and Toxicity, but it's all for the good. Primarily known as a drop-C band, this time around, it's up a half step and somewhat faster: but it's still System, and it's still all good. Now, let's get down to it :]
01 - Soldier Side (Intro)
This is the first time SOAD has put a, well I don't want to call it a filler track but, intro/outro/interlude onto one of their albums. Although at first glance it seems like a waste of a track, it actually flows quite nicely. Featuring only Serj and Daron, this 1 minute track talks about the ill-fate of soldiers in our country. It's a nice way to open the album, but it's so good, it probably could have been a nice song, so...
(3 out of 5)
02 - B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs)
The first full song on the album and also the first single released. Very fast-paced song with some nice guitar riffs. Obviously a big F-U to the Bush administration and the Iraq/Oil War. Chorus is somewhat of a pop/dance interlude if I may, but still maitains a System-esque sound. I really enjoy this song, one of my favorites on the album.
(4.5 out of 5)
03 - Revenga
At first, I skipped this song almost as fast as i skipped "Jet Pilot", but upon closer listening, I came to like it. The guitar is very aggressive, and the solo is one of the high points of the album, but the cheesy chorus doesn't really do much for this song, and I think they go overboard near the end when Daron and Serj just repeat "making"/"taking". Overall, pretty good, but not top notch.
(3.5 out of 5)
04 - Cigaro
One of the first songs to leak, this song is all about big corporations and how they run the world and brag. The songs lyrics are goofy, but catchy and always meaning more than meets the ear ("Can't you see we all love my cock"). This song is fast and sounds more like tracks on Toxicity but it still works on Mezmerize. Overall...
(3.5 out of 5)
05 - Radio/Video
The verse in this song sounds more like a folk song than a metal song, but it flows nicely and gets the thumbs up from me. The chorus is just asking to be blasted on a stereo and is very catchy, I find myself humming it time to time :/. The song essentially is a calling out to two of Daron's childhood friends, Danny and Lisa, whom he obviously misses. Repetitive, but it gets the job done.
(4 out of 5)
06 - This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm on This Song
When I saw the title to this song, I immediately disliked it. Judging the book by its cover turned out to be pretty accurate, I wasn't really a fan of the song after listening. I'm guessing this song is mimicing someone who is obviously high and whatnot. The song itself is decent and contains more goofy lyrics, but it's probably the low point of the album.
(3 out of 5)
07 - Violent Pornography
This is one of my favorite songs on the album. The lyrics are all about media brainwashing and desensitizing. I really like the slow climbing chorus with the intricate intro and the fast verse. Some more goofy lyrics, but with meaning behind them, again (non-stop disco, bet you it's nabisco), but I like the ones in this song. Overall...
(4.5 out of 5)
08 - Question!
The next single to come off of the album, IN MY OPINION, this is the best song on the album. Question! is the only song co-written by Serj on the album, and the "Question!" in question (haha), is referring to the chorus, "Do we know when we fly? When we go do we die?" The entire song is in wierd timing and is essentially off-kilter, but it sounds great and from interviews, I've read that even SOAD themselves had a hard time getting the timing down. The "alright" thrown in before the chorus just sent chills down my spine, I never thought I'd hear SOAD say that :O. One of the best SOAD songs recorded to date and this song gets a...
(5 out of 5)
09 - Sad Statue
People may disagree, but I think this song is about 9/11, considering it's called Sad Statue AND the track is number 9 out of 11. Suit yourself, this song is still amazing. Another pop-like chorus, but with System flavor. This was my favorite song until Question! took it's place. The intro riff sets the tone for the whole song and keeps you interested the whole time. And...
(5 out of 5)
10 - Old School Hollywood
This is definately a change in style for SOAD, featuring sort of a techno guitar filter. The chorus hits hard and the verse is more on the light side, but together they make this song awesome. Lyrics are about Daron's experience at a celebrity baseball game, in which he felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place among the other "washed-up" celebrities. I'm sure this song was a huge throw-up being put on the album, but it was worth it.
(4.5 out of 5)
11 - Lost in Hollywood
The ending tracks to Self-titled and Toxicity and Steal This Album! were all hard-hitting rockers (P.L.U.C.K., Aerials, and Streamline), but this song is an exception. More of a ballad, with almost no distortion, and plenty of character, this song hits home. About Daron's life, growing up in Hollywood, seeing how Hollywood changed people. A great ending to a great album.
(5 out of 5)
OVERALL: 4.0 out of 5
The good parts of this album greatly outweigh the bad parts and even make up for them. This album is a must-have, for anyone. If this is what Hypnotize is shaping up to be, part two will re-invent alternative music as we know it.
-bass31 :]
Happy Listening !
