System of a Down - Mezmerize (2005)^{Release ID: 169}

When it comes to nu/alt-metal bands, some of them seem interesting enough for me to try and others just soar past my mind. I never thought of checking out one of System of a Down albums until just recently, so let's see how this album Mezmerize stands out...

There's a lot you can think of when hearing System of a Down. Maybe something like Rage Against the Machine gone Dead Kennedys. Mezmerize is part of a double album with the other half Hypnotize released 6 months after. It's a blizzard of dark energy and comedic joy blended together into one. It's heavy enough to tear you asunder while giving you something to smile about and turn the pain into pleasure.

"Soldier Side" is a soft melancholic intro, and I almost thought it was going to lead into something like epic power metal. "B.Y.O.B." quickly proves me wrong by launching into a thrashy intro followed by a blend of Iron Maiden-like verses and nu metal choruses. An epic diverse start to this offering, and the main reason why I became up to listening to this album, when my brother was listening to that song. "Revenga" kicks off the heaviness with some fast riffing to remind me of Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" before going all wacky like some of Devin Townsend's more comedic material. "Cigaro" is a strange song that can be considered "c*ck mock rock".

The chorus of "Radio/Video" sounds too repetitive and fails to give the song the memorability it should've had. The verses have good rhythm too, but they often dive too deep into a reggae dance. "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song" is filled with speedy fury spawned from Jello Biafra's projects such as Dead Kennedys and Lard. "Violent Pornography" starts with a Wild West-like ominous intro but swiftly turns lyric-spitting rapping that has confused me. The chorus is nice though.

"Question!" has a different structure I like. You just gotta hear it to believe! "Sad Statue" isn't sad at all, filled with rage and humor. "Old School Hollywood" is a decent song to expect from the band. Finally, "Lost in Hollywood" is a great track to end this release, a ballad I actually like. You'll definitely sing your heart out to this lovely hit!

Anyone who has System of a Down's 1998 debut or their 2001 album Toxicity as their own entryway to the band's material, I can understand. I mean, who in the nu/alt-metal world has not yet heard one of their earlier classic hits like "Chop Suey"? But I've encountered more than just their singles by checking out one of their full albums for the first time, the less conventional choice Mezmerize. I don't know if I'll be up to following it up with its companion Hypnotize, but maybe one day....

Favorites: "B.Y.O.B.", "Revenga", "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song", "Question!", "Lost in Hollywood"

It's funny how a record with such energy & vitality can divide opinions on it's individual components yet elicit a similar overall response, isn't it? I'm hardly a die-hard System Of A Down fan as I'd only ever heard their classic 2001 sophomore album "Toxicity" prior to digging my teeth into this month's feature release. I really enjoyed "Toxicity" though. It was a very strong album & this one is too. Perhaps not quite as strong as it's older sibling but I've rated it the same nonetheless. Let's just say that "Toxicity" was a strong 4/5 while "Mezmerize" has just snuck over the line for that rating by the barest of margins.

"Mezmerize" starts off a little slowly for me as the first three tracks were mildly enjoyable without ever really threatening to hit my sweet spot. It's only when SOAD embrace their hardcore side a bit that I start to see my pulse rate increasing rapidly. I actually really dig the two short gimmick songs in "Cigaro" & "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm on This Song", both of which worked to super-charge my experience. I couldn't give a toss about the lyrical direction. It's more about the electricity & urgency they bring to the table. "Violent Pornography" is the only let-down across the tracklisting for me as it's simply too quirky & accessible for my taste but I love the Tool-ish progressive approach of "Question!", the strong alternative metal stylings of "Sad Statue" & especially the lengthier alternative rock builder "Lost in Hollywood" whose hooks really dug in & made it my album highlight. The production job is very much situated in the hardcore space with plenty of mid-range in the guitars & I think this works to the band's benefit as It adds to the chaotic nature of the arrangements & gives the avant-garde vocal approach a better grounding. The occasional Faith No More style clean sections usually aren't my cup of tea when taken in isolation but within the context of the rapid-fire song-structures they work to nicely break up the record.

In many ways I really shouldn't enjoy this album as much as I do because I usually recoil from humour in my metal but System Of A Down have a funny way of nudging you in the ribs enough times with a silly "Eh?" look on their face that you eventually turn around & laugh along with them despite trying hard not to. That's a rare talent because it's so easy to end up on the wrong side of that equation. The fanaticism of the SOAD fanbase is often overwhelming (particularly in the USA) but it's nice to occasionally be reminded that there's a fair bit of merit behind it.

For fans of Faith No More, Dir en Grey & Twelve Foot Ninja.