Issue #36: System of a Down – System of a Down

Released:  June 30th, 1998

Recorded:  November 1997 – February / March 1998

Genre:  Alternative Metal

Record Label:  American

Duration:  40:36

Producers:  Rick Rubin, System of a Down

Personnel

Track Listing

Singles

Why System of a Down is One of My Favorites

I was fortunate enough to own this album not long after it was released.  There was a huge buzz about it in this subset of friends I had at the time, and soon I ended up being the one to introduce this record to others.  Toxicity gets a lot of the System of a Down love, and it’s a great album as well, but I think I like their self-titled debut just a little bit more.

I was just short of totally blown away by this release.  These guys came onto the scene out of nowhere, clearly influenced by the surging popularity of nu-metal at the time while also remaining distinctly separate from the movement on a musical level, edging closer to thrash.  More than anything System of a Down draws a good deal from hardcore punk in terms of its erratic presentation, confrontational nature, and sociopolitical themes.  This stuff is loud, heavy, fast, spastic, and more “in-your-face” than a lot of other “in-your-face” music.

Although formed and based in California, System of a Down is an Armenian outfit.  Undoubtedly their heritage plays a role in their unique style as well as the album’s subject matter.  System of a Down has always been outspoken about their leftist political and social beliefs, radiating an aura not dissimilar to Rage Against the Machine.  Some of their musings are a little abstract and vague, however, the liner notes suggests very specific meanings for a few songs.  “Spiders” uses the arachnid as a metaphor for the government, spying on its citizens for presumably less-than-noble reason.  The liner notes specifically cite “remote viewing,” though I’m not quite sure I see it in the lyrics.  “War?” is perhaps the most politically charged, addressing the USA’s ostensible reasons for engaging in war and attempting to reveal that no matter what the “reason,” the “reason” always concerns a power struggle.  Other topics like mind control (“Mind”), religion (“Darts”), the Armenian Genocide (“P.L.U.C.K.”), and drugs (“Peephole”) are touched on as well, with varying degrees of metaphorical density.

I appreciate the idea behind using music to express political beliefs, but at the same time I can’t help but think that serious issues are grossly simplified when confined to 3 to 5 minutes of a song.  And I agree with these guys on a broad level; I just think it’s mildly dangerous to present such huge issues with a narrow focus, possibly limited or incomplete understanding, and thickly overlaid with metaphors, comparisons, and symbolism.  Fortunately I can distance myself from this aspect enough to sing a long and enjoy the music and not think too much about the music (probably the exact opposite of the band’s intention), but I prefer to keep my politics and music separate.  Again, the effort is laudable, but it is also inherently flawed.

Serj Tankian will probably remain one of the most unique and unusual metal vocalists to ever break into the mainstream.  There’s a lot to be said for having a distinct voice and delivery style; for one, it marks nearly any System of a Down song a instantly recognizable.  Tankian possess the ability to sing to at least some degree (“Spiders”), though he generally prefers to use a number of other styles.  A lot of the verses contain Tankian’s quasi-spoken word and offbeat delivery (“Sugar,” “Suite-Pee”) while in others he adopts a chant-like meter and occasional pops of falsetto (“DDevil”).  Most choruses are composed of growling, screaming, or some combination thereof.  Tankian rounds off the album with the liberal use of a slightly deadpan, nasal drawl evident in the record’s various “ahh’s” and “oohh’s.”  The overall effect comes off as random, unplanned, and best of all, extremely passionate.  I can see why his voice might rub some people the wrong way, but I’ve never had a problem with it.  At only 40 minutes, the album is pretty short, so it doesn’t tend to get old or tiresome.

The music is the fun stuff, and it goes along well with Tankian’s sporadic vocals.  Start, stop, fast, slow, the squeal of a single note, the grinding of power chords…everything is thrown together, mixed up, and rearranged with skillful alacrity.  The chorus of “Sugar” is defined by its churning wave of guitars, yet the verses are noticeably sparse aside from vocals.  “Peephole” has verses inspired by Eastern European folks music, compete with a tuba (my best guess) and guitar that almost achieves an accordion-like sound.  Songs like “CUBErt” and “Suite-Pee” make interesting use of the guitars higher strings to establish rhythmic elements alongside the typical “crunch crunch” of chords in lower octaves.  “”DDevil” is the most interesting showcasing of Tankian’s voice, coming in as a cross between a nightmare and a funhouse.  These are just a few instances illustrating how nearly every track has something unique to offer.  System of a Down is full of familiar sounds used in unfamiliar ways, and most of the time it’s pulled off flawlessly.

Heavy, assertive, and a little weird, System of a Down carved out their own niche in the world of mainstream metal.  They would continue to refine themselves on 2001’s Toxicity (it was shortly after the release of Toxicity that System of a Down went platinum), further channeling their manic energy into something new.  System of a Down is a little inconsistent at times as are most debuts, but with such a radically new sound back in 98, it’s easy to forgive.

Written by The Cubist

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Written by The Cubist

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I collect as much video gaming paraphernalia as I can get my hands on, especially when it comes to hardware. With over 40 systems including oldies like the ColecoVision and Intellivision, obscurities like the CD-i and 3DO, and the latest and greatest including the Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, and PS Vita, I get easily overwhelmed. Most of the time you can find me firmly nestled sometime between 1985 and 1995 when it comes to my games of choice, but I’m also having a great time seeing what the 8th generation has to offer.

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