System of a Down Seeks to Move You

System of a Down has always been for me an alternative metal band. I have never owned their albums, but I have heard numerous tracks from them. Each one I have heard has had similar characteristics: hard, driving guitars; a fast pace; and Serj Tankian’s rapid fire verbal explosions (for lack of a better word right now). I have never really focused on the intricacies of the songs—the lyrics, the individual instruments—until now. I just liked the sound they made.

What I didn’t realize was how varied their sound can be and how interesting lyrically they are. The record I am hearing from them is Mesmerize, which was released in 2005. The album has received universal acclaim amongst critics and actually has a song that won a Grammy in 2006.

#169 – System of a Down, Mesmerize (Metascore = 85)

The album opens with “Soldier Side”, a quiet song whose lyrics provide the backdrop for the rest of the album. The album focuses on the War on Terror and the fallout from its continuation. The song segues into “B.Y.O.B”, which is not about going to a party. The song, which won a Grammy for “Best Hard Rock Performance”, is a vocal outburst against the war and the policies around this war. Musically, the beat is fast-paced but slows down during the verses to set up the message.

I like the vocal interplay between Tankian and guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian. Each has a unique singing style that meshes well together. Some of the songs’ lyrics (“Cigaro”, for instance) are uninteresting, but the songs are catchy, which makes the album that much more intriguing. “This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m on This Song” and “Violent Pornography” are other examples of this. The vocal interplay is very evident in these tracks.

“Radio/Video” is about how the record industry promotes bands through radio and television. The song is the most varied by far of the entire album, moving from high-speed thrash to ska-like verses. According to sources online, Malakian wrote the song after thinking about his 5th birthday, marveling over seeing a band on TV, and contrasting this with his current popularity. “Question!” was the second single off of the album and lyrically repeats the same verses and chorus, but the depth of the music (which moves in multiple time signatures and pace) make the song a very poignant song contemplating life.

“Sad Statue” is another favorite of mine from the record. Tankian and Malakian sing about generations apart on the future of the country. One generation doesn’t seem to care about human suffering so long as their liberties are not compromised, while the other generation sees what the other generation is doing as evil, causing this great divide between the two. “Lost in Hollywood” is another strong song from Mesmerize and has a deeper meaning, Malakian singing about his hate for growing up and living in Hollywood and all the phoniness out there.

Mesmerize is an intense album at times, but most of the songs are musically catchy and lyrically deep. The acclaim it received from the press was deserved, as this is a good record.