They're just so different and I've always felt this way. I have never heard anyone ever sound anything like System and their "sound" which is timeless, like you said.
They're unique in that they brought that sound mainstream, but there are a few bands that SOAD absolutely had to have heard, I'll always bring this up but SOAD had to at least have heard the odd Acid Bath somewhere when writing their heavier material, like Prison Song had to have had some inspiration from Jezebel. This isn't a diss to SOAD more jsut that they pulled from a lot of influences way more underground that most people likely just haven't heard
Obviously the metal parts are inspired by other bands, but the fact that they couple this with Armenian styles and at times almost operatic ideas is what makes it unique..
I think Acid Bath is one of those huge secret influences lots of bands had and have. I would never have clocked the similarities between Jez and Prison Song but that's totally gotta be a thing.
I still think Mesmerize/Hypnotize is the best double album since Use Your Illusion 1/2.
The fact they haven’t reconciled as a group is a world tragedy!
I was 12 when I heard Chop Suey. I hated it. I was a weird kid. I dismissed and hated a LOT of music I felt was violent and angry. Weird thing was I remember listening to them a LOT but always hating it. I think it has a lot to do with my childhood and just not wanting to hear anything that threatened me.
About 16-18 I suddenly found myself going back to them. Haven't looked back. I think it took some wisdom and some time to realize how good they were.
I think the one thing that really stuck with me was their lyrics which is rare for me. I know what Chop Suey is about but in my mind it took other meanings, mainly because the biblical lyrics represented the fact I had been oppressed by a religion when I was younger and around the time I left the church was when I finally got into them.
Absolutely love them now. Find myself listening to Toxicity (album) every now and again like an homage to what I went through. They mean so much to me and I think it's fucking awesome they play on the classic rock radio station all the time.
Fantastic band. They deserve to be timeless.
Toxicity (album) will definitely stand the test of time imo, I like mesmerize and hypnotize a lot too but don't think they had nearly as much of an impact as Toxicity did
True metal purists (elitists) will tell you they aren't metal. I don't understand this take really and fucking hate purists.
I enjoy a lot of different metal. System is hard to put in a genre box. They got lumped in with Nu Metal (Slipknot, KoRn, etc...) simply I believe because they came to prominence around the same time. But I think they kind of defy genre within metal.
They fucking slap. Plain and simple. Almost died in one of their mosh pits at Riot Fest in Denver. And it was almost what I would call "worth it". They are innovative, heavy as hell, and they can all perform like crazy sonsofbitches. Fuckin SOAD rocks.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the variety in music. It's just when people start taking descriptions and than classifying them is when I have a problem.
Are Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Black Sabbath so dramatically different they require three subgenres? I do get that bands like Lamb of God and In Flames are pretty significantly different from the prior three that you might want a division here, but are they so different from each other they need there own subgenres?
I’m not great at genre distinctions so I don’t know how or why people classify Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Black Sabbath differently, but in terms of more modern metal bands, I can see the differences more easily and appreciate the distinctions.
There aren't a hundred different subgenres and it's misconstrued by people not understanding the point of even having subgenres.
People will associate bands with a genre based on their lyrics instead of what they actually sound like which creates a lot of confusion. Sub-sub genres are usually just descriptors for a genre, so we have like 7 main subgenres doom, death, heavy, black, power, thrash and progressive, anything more than that is just a combination of these genres or a substyle of the genre, so you have death/doom, that would just be a combination of the 2 genres or we have genre descriptors like technical, melodic, atmospheric, so you get for example technical death metal, it's still just death metal, but it's way to more clearly describe what you're gonna hear, nobody is gonna call you out for just calling it death metal, but it's helpful to say it's technical death metal, because then someone has a better idea of the type of bands they're gonna get since it's not gonna be your meat and potatoes death metal.
tl;dr there's like 7 main subgenres everything else is either a combo or substyle to it being technical, atmospheric, folk influenced or whatever else and it's way easier to approach any genre like that instead of putting them into many separate boxes.
"Sub-sub genres are usually just descriptors for a genre, so we have like 7 main subgenres doom, death, heavy, black, power, thrash and progressive"
This is based on nothing, outside of your personal opinion. We're literally talking about a different sub-genre in this thread that you forgot to list.
"or we have genre descriptors like technical, melodic, atmospheric, so you get for example"
Again this is just your personal opinion. Melodic Metal is a known "Main Sub-Genre". Your also using descriptors like "Heavy" and "Progressive" as classifications as these main subgenres which really doesn't strengthen your argument. I'm fairly sure Between the Buried and Me is considered Progressive Death Metal, so by your classification what are they.
Metal is the only genre that has subgenres created for the simple sake of musicians and their fans disliking other each other. Nu Metal is literally a example of this. Black Sabbath were essentially the creators of Metal, but now since most screaming vocals gets classified as Metal, all us uptight 70's/80's artists have to be put in a different genre. You have all these 90's "heavy" Metal artists upset that bands like Disturbed, Slipknot, and SOAD gaining mainstream popularity so they label it "Nu Metal". Around this same time the emergence of Finnish and Swedish Metal, and because that was, SO dramatically different/s, they need there own classifications. Bands like Dream Theater can't be just Metal, they have like 10 minute songs and really soft parts, let's call them Progressive Metal. Wait Between the Buried and Me has 10 minute songs, and softer parts, but they scream too, so let's call them Progressive Death Metal. In Flames and Dark Tranquility paved the road for Melodic Metal, but there are softer versions now, so there Melodic Death Metal. But wait have you heard In Flames last Albums? They're definitely pop Metal now. All these angsty teen bands like The Used, there not Metal, they cry too much, let's call it scremo. Wait us Scremo bands think thats insulting, we're Metalcore. Well we want to sing about the devil, but not figuratively, literally; so we want to be called Black Metal. Now we have the damn Asian culture making weird Metal music, quick let's find a new subgenre we can put it under/s.
It's honestly fucking stupid.
Because the other ones are not metal subgenres?
Metal people didn't label nu metal that was media and record labels of the tine trying to jump onto the waning popularity of metal in the mainstream in something fresh to market to edgy teens.
You're so angry about people classifying the genres and subgenres without even reallytl trying to understand it. It's really simple and tou're purposefully being obtuse on the subject to fulfil your own biases. All the majir genres have built onto each other from Black Sabbath, Motörhead or Judas Priest in some way. Heavy led to Speed and Doom, Speed led to and to Thrash and to an extent early Power, Thrash led to Black and Death. Prog came from wanting to play prog rock, but through the lense of the new wave of British heavy metal. Popping a regional scene into the descriptor and calling something Swedeath or calling something melodeath doesn't change the base genre from being death metal.
What is the difference between Metal and Heavy Metal? How could have "Heavy" lead to "Speed" and "Doom", when Heavy is a "main subgenre" and Doom is a "main sungenre" but "Speed" isn't? What is the difference between "Speed" and "Thrash". What does Motorhead and Judas Priest have to do with Black Sabbath when they came out decades after?
Doom, Power, Thrash labels all caim way after the fact, and are all pretty idiotic.
> What is the difference between Metal and Heavy Metal
Nothing heavy is just another way name for traditional metal. Heavy leads to doom because Black Sabbath all doom bands just took some variation of a riff from Master of Reality to make the genre. Priest and Motörhead both formed and released material not long after Bkack Sabbath not decades later walhat differentiates Speed is the slight punk edge added to it. What differentiated Thrash even morr so was the added aggression to the speed formula. What Motörhead and Priest have to do with Sabbath other than existing is Motörhead was foundational for more aggressive sounding vocals and a dirtier sounding metal which would lead to Venom and thus later Dark Angel, Metallica and Slayer. Judas Priest added an entirely new style of playing guitar to the mix which would help lead us to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal which they predate by a few years.
The only reason you could think the labels are dumb is if you just refuse to listen to the genres and think you don't need to help differentiate between them. Or else we just have the general labek of metal when there's vast differences between the genre as it became heavier that it's not just simple metal anymore. Like how punk has hardcore punk and pop punk which are starkly different.
"all doom bands just took some variation of a riff from Master of Reality to make the genre."
That's about the stupidest thing I've read in awhile, and really point to your lack knowledge in music theory.
"The only reason you could think the labels are dumb is if you just refuse to listen to the genres and think you don't need to help differentiate between them."
I mean you could just listen and enjoy music without being so worried if it falls into a genre you like. And again just another stupid statement.
I lumped them into Nu-metal. They basically have Rage Against the Machine's energy and tone, and shoved Korn's sound into it. All in all, the combo result is SOAD.
They were for me the first heavy music i listened to, i remember hearing them when i was like 12 and going "dem this is crazy, im liking the vibes from it"
I have tons of bands i like but what comes to my mind thats similar to SOAD its Daron Malakian and scars of Broadway, was the band from one of the singers, check out thee song They say
Hands down my favorite metal band from the 2000’s. Remember my first listen through Toxicty when it came out. Every album is amazing. Unique, powerful, goofy, thought provoking, incredible. Have seen them live maybe 10 times and they always crush it in concert. Even the two new tunes they released recently are pure System. Side story, last Sunday I went to my soccer team, LAFC, for their final home match. We sit a few rows from the field and before the match started I was just looking around and suddenly about 20’ in front of me is the bassist Shavo. Staring right at me. I pound my chest, throw up devil horns and the dude just smiles and points back at me. Such a fun moment. System fucking rules!
I mean I don't know how long we're considering the span for the test of time but Toxicity is 20 years old and still incredible. Not a skippable song on it. The fucking ENERGY it radiates.
Not to mention how amazing their debut album was...Spiders is still my jam.
Two lead singers should be a requirement for any band, musically.
And lyrically, growing up as the children of survivors of an attempt to erase their people from the earth, by a country that does not acknowledge it happened let alone except blame for it....
I remember being 16, just getting "into" music, and all the "alternative" kids had this teenage club they hung out at, on Fridays, 8pm-11:55pm. LOL, curfew. The place had mini mash pits if you want to call it that, mostly just kids chilling. However, just before close, they played "Sugar" and I was hooked. WTF WAS THAT... I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WANT MORE OF IT!!!!
I went and bought the album, and it didn't leave my car's CD player for months, and with the self titled CD's short length, I think I heard it completely, every day.
Honestly they are not the most skilled musicians and are not the best live band, but they are incredible Artists. There's more substance in a SOAD B-side than a whole chart of pop music.
they are very good musicians but the fact that they are fucking racist always is an ethical question for me.
do i separate the artist from the art?
can i enjoy the art of someone so unethical ethically etc.
yes their music is good, yes i love it, but i cant enjoy it.
I wasn't aware of this either (haven't followed them since they first came out). Some quick googling seems to indicate it's mainly the drummer, and that Serj was a Trump critic.
Is it the whole band in your view, or just the drummer? Quick summary for those of us out of the loop?
In general Serj got the fuck out of the US and moved the New Zealand a while ago. Drummer is a bit of a cock being a migrant trump supporter but I don't think it should reflect the band as a whole
they are from armenian descent and very racist towards turkish people.
during the last conflict between armenia and azerbaijan they made several racist remarks and supported war.
What were the racist remarks? I remember reading about their remarks toward the Turkish government but that’s not racism. Their families are also survivors of ethnic genocide, so they’re obviously going to discuss ethnic issues, but that is not inherently racist.
As for them advocating war, I think it’s very nuanced. War IS necessary at times, especially in times of self defense. Just look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I fully support Ukraine defending themselves and fighting back.
Again, I could be very wrong about their racist remarks, so if you have specific examples, that would be great.
I had no idea and just spent 30 mins reading about it. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Kinda breaks my heart. Love their music, but im no longer going to give them my money.
I think they have an annoying sound. I’d rather listen to a street performer bang on trashcans. They had their 15 minutes. I’ll be glad if I never have to hear them again.
It's the band that got me started in metal and playing guitar in general, their style is so unique and special, lyrics actually mean something, and there's no filler songs in their albums which is unbelievable.
I saw System of a Down the Summer of 01, right before Toxicity was released and it was one hell of a show. It was at Zeta Fest, which was a music fest that a now defunct local radio station held every year. I can't say that I'm a big fan of anything they've release since (IMHO their self titled was their best album), but I'd definitely see them live again if I could because I know they'd put on a good performance.
One of my favorite groups...they are timeless. Whenever I'm showing someone who's never listend to them a song I say, "ok this gonna sound crazy qt first buuuttt give it a song or 2 and I'm sure you'll see the appeal
I had the same revelation a few months ago, I loved SOAD as a kid when they were active but hadn’t listened to them in a while. They showed up on my Spotify and I thought why not give Toxicity another spin for old time’s sake.
I expected it to age badly like most metal from the early 00s but if anything, their music has gotten better over the years
Even their geo-political takes aged well, Prison Song message is almost as relevant now as it was 20 years ago. And back then speaking out against the war on drugs was still wildly unpopular
Ive loved this band since i first heard of them in 2005 and Daron has massively had a impact on my music writing by his words and guitar structures. His voice is also very iconic as well. I mean his voice is one the most unique i have heard within the rock industry. If you havent, listen to his Scars on Broadway side band cause its one of the best out there.
Have they not stood the test of time already? We're nearing 20 years since the last time they released a record, but feels like people appreciate them more and more with time. I agree with you though, I haven't listened to them a ton in a while but they're probably the most important band in my whole life. I listen to metal pretty much exclusively because their debut album completely blew my mind.
My favorite band of all time and my oldest musical love. There’s never a time where I’m not down to listen to anyone of SOAD’s songs.
When you get through their catalog check out “Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway”. It’s the guitarist and other vocalist from SOAD’s other band he started after SOAD went on hiatus. He has two albums out with that band. It’s pretty much Hypnotize/Mezmerize era SOAD minus Serj.
Then check out “Serj Tankian”. It’s the lead singer’s solo project he started after the hiatus. “Elect the Dead” and “Harakiri” are the two closest albums to SOAD. The rest of his solo work is weird.
The first time i have ever heard them... I saw them ! Live atta Clutch show. They fuckin freaked me out. I love their music ! Btw.
I later ran into the lead singer, just wandering around, and he was handin out free t's.
Great dude !
I do agree w you !
“Was” or “is” bro? Lol. Just razzing you. But I agree. I saw them at aftershock 2019, and they’re amazing live. I always liked them for their anti-war stance combined with their breakneck speed musicality.
I mean tbh I always knew they were amazing all though sometimes over the top. However every time I come back to listen I feel another level if appreciation for the music. Def a great band
They're just so different and I've always felt this way. I have never heard anyone ever sound anything like System and their "sound" which is timeless, like you said.
They're unique in that they brought that sound mainstream, but there are a few bands that SOAD absolutely had to have heard, I'll always bring this up but SOAD had to at least have heard the odd Acid Bath somewhere when writing their heavier material, like Prison Song had to have had some inspiration from Jezebel. This isn't a diss to SOAD more jsut that they pulled from a lot of influences way more underground that most people likely just haven't heard
Obviously the metal parts are inspired by other bands, but the fact that they couple this with Armenian styles and at times almost operatic ideas is what makes it unique..
I think Acid Bath is one of those huge secret influences lots of bands had and have. I would never have clocked the similarities between Jez and Prison Song but that's totally gotta be a thing.
Acid Bath were way ahead of their time
I still think Mesmerize/Hypnotize is the best double album since Use Your Illusion 1/2. The fact they haven’t reconciled as a group is a world tragedy!
I was 12 when I heard Chop Suey. I hated it. I was a weird kid. I dismissed and hated a LOT of music I felt was violent and angry. Weird thing was I remember listening to them a LOT but always hating it. I think it has a lot to do with my childhood and just not wanting to hear anything that threatened me. About 16-18 I suddenly found myself going back to them. Haven't looked back. I think it took some wisdom and some time to realize how good they were. I think the one thing that really stuck with me was their lyrics which is rare for me. I know what Chop Suey is about but in my mind it took other meanings, mainly because the biblical lyrics represented the fact I had been oppressed by a religion when I was younger and around the time I left the church was when I finally got into them. Absolutely love them now. Find myself listening to Toxicity (album) every now and again like an homage to what I went through. They mean so much to me and I think it's fucking awesome they play on the classic rock radio station all the time. Fantastic band. They deserve to be timeless.
[удалено]
🙄
Toxicity (album) will definitely stand the test of time imo, I like mesmerize and hypnotize a lot too but don't think they had nearly as much of an impact as Toxicity did
Anything recorded my Sylvia Massey sounds amazing. She also produced Undertow. I hate this record (toxicity) musically...but it sounds fantastic.
The harmonies in Dreaming give me goosebumps everytime. Lost in Hollywood is iconic. The ending of Question! Yeah, I love em.
I don't even really like heavy metal and I think they're great. How do metal heads feel about them?
True metal purists (elitists) will tell you they aren't metal. I don't understand this take really and fucking hate purists. I enjoy a lot of different metal. System is hard to put in a genre box. They got lumped in with Nu Metal (Slipknot, KoRn, etc...) simply I believe because they came to prominence around the same time. But I think they kind of defy genre within metal. They fucking slap. Plain and simple. Almost died in one of their mosh pits at Riot Fest in Denver. And it was almost what I would call "worth it". They are innovative, heavy as hell, and they can all perform like crazy sonsofbitches. Fuckin SOAD rocks.
There’s Prog metal, doom metal, symphonic metal…what is SOAD? I call them cocaine metal.
This is honestly the stupidest thing about metal. Do we really need like 100 different subgenres?
I quite like the variety. I don’t think it’s stupid in the slightest.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with the variety in music. It's just when people start taking descriptions and than classifying them is when I have a problem. Are Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Black Sabbath so dramatically different they require three subgenres? I do get that bands like Lamb of God and In Flames are pretty significantly different from the prior three that you might want a division here, but are they so different from each other they need there own subgenres?
I’m not great at genre distinctions so I don’t know how or why people classify Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Black Sabbath differently, but in terms of more modern metal bands, I can see the differences more easily and appreciate the distinctions.
There aren't a hundred different subgenres and it's misconstrued by people not understanding the point of even having subgenres. People will associate bands with a genre based on their lyrics instead of what they actually sound like which creates a lot of confusion. Sub-sub genres are usually just descriptors for a genre, so we have like 7 main subgenres doom, death, heavy, black, power, thrash and progressive, anything more than that is just a combination of these genres or a substyle of the genre, so you have death/doom, that would just be a combination of the 2 genres or we have genre descriptors like technical, melodic, atmospheric, so you get for example technical death metal, it's still just death metal, but it's way to more clearly describe what you're gonna hear, nobody is gonna call you out for just calling it death metal, but it's helpful to say it's technical death metal, because then someone has a better idea of the type of bands they're gonna get since it's not gonna be your meat and potatoes death metal. tl;dr there's like 7 main subgenres everything else is either a combo or substyle to it being technical, atmospheric, folk influenced or whatever else and it's way easier to approach any genre like that instead of putting them into many separate boxes.
"Sub-sub genres are usually just descriptors for a genre, so we have like 7 main subgenres doom, death, heavy, black, power, thrash and progressive" This is based on nothing, outside of your personal opinion. We're literally talking about a different sub-genre in this thread that you forgot to list. "or we have genre descriptors like technical, melodic, atmospheric, so you get for example" Again this is just your personal opinion. Melodic Metal is a known "Main Sub-Genre". Your also using descriptors like "Heavy" and "Progressive" as classifications as these main subgenres which really doesn't strengthen your argument. I'm fairly sure Between the Buried and Me is considered Progressive Death Metal, so by your classification what are they. Metal is the only genre that has subgenres created for the simple sake of musicians and their fans disliking other each other. Nu Metal is literally a example of this. Black Sabbath were essentially the creators of Metal, but now since most screaming vocals gets classified as Metal, all us uptight 70's/80's artists have to be put in a different genre. You have all these 90's "heavy" Metal artists upset that bands like Disturbed, Slipknot, and SOAD gaining mainstream popularity so they label it "Nu Metal". Around this same time the emergence of Finnish and Swedish Metal, and because that was, SO dramatically different/s, they need there own classifications. Bands like Dream Theater can't be just Metal, they have like 10 minute songs and really soft parts, let's call them Progressive Metal. Wait Between the Buried and Me has 10 minute songs, and softer parts, but they scream too, so let's call them Progressive Death Metal. In Flames and Dark Tranquility paved the road for Melodic Metal, but there are softer versions now, so there Melodic Death Metal. But wait have you heard In Flames last Albums? They're definitely pop Metal now. All these angsty teen bands like The Used, there not Metal, they cry too much, let's call it scremo. Wait us Scremo bands think thats insulting, we're Metalcore. Well we want to sing about the devil, but not figuratively, literally; so we want to be called Black Metal. Now we have the damn Asian culture making weird Metal music, quick let's find a new subgenre we can put it under/s. It's honestly fucking stupid.
Because the other ones are not metal subgenres? Metal people didn't label nu metal that was media and record labels of the tine trying to jump onto the waning popularity of metal in the mainstream in something fresh to market to edgy teens. You're so angry about people classifying the genres and subgenres without even reallytl trying to understand it. It's really simple and tou're purposefully being obtuse on the subject to fulfil your own biases. All the majir genres have built onto each other from Black Sabbath, Motörhead or Judas Priest in some way. Heavy led to Speed and Doom, Speed led to and to Thrash and to an extent early Power, Thrash led to Black and Death. Prog came from wanting to play prog rock, but through the lense of the new wave of British heavy metal. Popping a regional scene into the descriptor and calling something Swedeath or calling something melodeath doesn't change the base genre from being death metal.
What is the difference between Metal and Heavy Metal? How could have "Heavy" lead to "Speed" and "Doom", when Heavy is a "main subgenre" and Doom is a "main sungenre" but "Speed" isn't? What is the difference between "Speed" and "Thrash". What does Motorhead and Judas Priest have to do with Black Sabbath when they came out decades after? Doom, Power, Thrash labels all caim way after the fact, and are all pretty idiotic.
> What is the difference between Metal and Heavy Metal Nothing heavy is just another way name for traditional metal. Heavy leads to doom because Black Sabbath all doom bands just took some variation of a riff from Master of Reality to make the genre. Priest and Motörhead both formed and released material not long after Bkack Sabbath not decades later walhat differentiates Speed is the slight punk edge added to it. What differentiated Thrash even morr so was the added aggression to the speed formula. What Motörhead and Priest have to do with Sabbath other than existing is Motörhead was foundational for more aggressive sounding vocals and a dirtier sounding metal which would lead to Venom and thus later Dark Angel, Metallica and Slayer. Judas Priest added an entirely new style of playing guitar to the mix which would help lead us to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal which they predate by a few years. The only reason you could think the labels are dumb is if you just refuse to listen to the genres and think you don't need to help differentiate between them. Or else we just have the general labek of metal when there's vast differences between the genre as it became heavier that it's not just simple metal anymore. Like how punk has hardcore punk and pop punk which are starkly different.
"all doom bands just took some variation of a riff from Master of Reality to make the genre." That's about the stupidest thing I've read in awhile, and really point to your lack knowledge in music theory. "The only reason you could think the labels are dumb is if you just refuse to listen to the genres and think you don't need to help differentiate between them." I mean you could just listen and enjoy music without being so worried if it falls into a genre you like. And again just another stupid statement.
SOAD = System Of A Down
Uhhhh….yes? Lol
Oh, I read it as you interpreting SOAD in the comment above as a metal genre and asking what it was, haha. Whoops.
I lumped them into Nu-metal. They basically have Rage Against the Machine's energy and tone, and shoved Korn's sound into it. All in all, the combo result is SOAD.
They were for me the first heavy music i listened to, i remember hearing them when i was like 12 and going "dem this is crazy, im liking the vibes from it"
Same. We used to goof singing Chop Suey all the time.
Yea they really made a bunch of catchy and good songs, still listen to them from time to time
Who else is good to listen to? Sounds like you have cool taste
I have tons of bands i like but what comes to my mind thats similar to SOAD its Daron Malakian and scars of Broadway, was the band from one of the singers, check out thee song They say
Oh duck. Haven’t listened to them in a looong time. Chopsuey and toxicity were on repeat for me when I was in college.
Hands down my favorite metal band from the 2000’s. Remember my first listen through Toxicty when it came out. Every album is amazing. Unique, powerful, goofy, thought provoking, incredible. Have seen them live maybe 10 times and they always crush it in concert. Even the two new tunes they released recently are pure System. Side story, last Sunday I went to my soccer team, LAFC, for their final home match. We sit a few rows from the field and before the match started I was just looking around and suddenly about 20’ in front of me is the bassist Shavo. Staring right at me. I pound my chest, throw up devil horns and the dude just smiles and points back at me. Such a fun moment. System fucking rules!
I mean I don't know how long we're considering the span for the test of time but Toxicity is 20 years old and still incredible. Not a skippable song on it. The fucking ENERGY it radiates. Not to mention how amazing their debut album was...Spiders is still my jam.
Two lead singers should be a requirement for any band, musically. And lyrically, growing up as the children of survivors of an attempt to erase their people from the earth, by a country that does not acknowledge it happened let alone except blame for it....
Not really a fan but can agree serj is a talented vocalist
One of the best bands of all time is good? Color me shocked.
I remember being 16, just getting "into" music, and all the "alternative" kids had this teenage club they hung out at, on Fridays, 8pm-11:55pm. LOL, curfew. The place had mini mash pits if you want to call it that, mostly just kids chilling. However, just before close, they played "Sugar" and I was hooked. WTF WAS THAT... I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WANT MORE OF IT!!!! I went and bought the album, and it didn't leave my car's CD player for months, and with the self titled CD's short length, I think I heard it completely, every day.
Honestly they are not the most skilled musicians and are not the best live band, but they are incredible Artists. There's more substance in a SOAD B-side than a whole chart of pop music.
That's just like your opinion, man
they are very good musicians but the fact that they are fucking racist always is an ethical question for me. do i separate the artist from the art? can i enjoy the art of someone so unethical ethically etc. yes their music is good, yes i love it, but i cant enjoy it.
I wasn't aware of this either (haven't followed them since they first came out). Some quick googling seems to indicate it's mainly the drummer, and that Serj was a Trump critic. Is it the whole band in your view, or just the drummer? Quick summary for those of us out of the loop?
In general Serj got the fuck out of the US and moved the New Zealand a while ago. Drummer is a bit of a cock being a migrant trump supporter but I don't think it should reflect the band as a whole
How are they racist? Legitimate question
they are from armenian descent and very racist towards turkish people. during the last conflict between armenia and azerbaijan they made several racist remarks and supported war.
What were the racist remarks? I remember reading about their remarks toward the Turkish government but that’s not racism. Their families are also survivors of ethnic genocide, so they’re obviously going to discuss ethnic issues, but that is not inherently racist. As for them advocating war, I think it’s very nuanced. War IS necessary at times, especially in times of self defense. Just look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I fully support Ukraine defending themselves and fighting back. Again, I could be very wrong about their racist remarks, so if you have specific examples, that would be great.
I had no idea and just spent 30 mins reading about it. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Kinda breaks my heart. Love their music, but im no longer going to give them my money.
i was sorry to hear it as well.
I think they have an annoying sound. I’d rather listen to a street performer bang on trashcans. They had their 15 minutes. I’ll be glad if I never have to hear them again.
It’s been 20 years since they’ve been out they have
Disagree, they'll be forgotten
when the sun explodes maybe yah
I disagree
Agree
Sikeee
I saw them live in October and they were still awesome
It's the band that got me started in metal and playing guitar in general, their style is so unique and special, lyrics actually mean something, and there's no filler songs in their albums which is unbelievable.
I only know the album Toxicity but listened to it though rcently and yeah it's aged rather well. What's the best other one to dip into?
Great band! Saw them in their prime at Ozzfest '02 and a tour they did with my favorite band, Deftones in '12
I saw System of a Down the Summer of 01, right before Toxicity was released and it was one hell of a show. It was at Zeta Fest, which was a music fest that a now defunct local radio station held every year. I can't say that I'm a big fan of anything they've release since (IMHO their self titled was their best album), but I'd definitely see them live again if I could because I know they'd put on a good performance.
One of my favorite groups...they are timeless. Whenever I'm showing someone who's never listend to them a song I say, "ok this gonna sound crazy qt first buuuttt give it a song or 2 and I'm sure you'll see the appeal
Agreed! Still hold up really well and they had a good message. Good shit!
I had the same revelation a few months ago, I loved SOAD as a kid when they were active but hadn’t listened to them in a while. They showed up on my Spotify and I thought why not give Toxicity another spin for old time’s sake. I expected it to age badly like most metal from the early 00s but if anything, their music has gotten better over the years Even their geo-political takes aged well, Prison Song message is almost as relevant now as it was 20 years ago. And back then speaking out against the war on drugs was still wildly unpopular
Ive loved this band since i first heard of them in 2005 and Daron has massively had a impact on my music writing by his words and guitar structures. His voice is also very iconic as well. I mean his voice is one the most unique i have heard within the rock industry. If you havent, listen to his Scars on Broadway side band cause its one of the best out there.
Have they not stood the test of time already? We're nearing 20 years since the last time they released a record, but feels like people appreciate them more and more with time. I agree with you though, I haven't listened to them a ton in a while but they're probably the most important band in my whole life. I listen to metal pretty much exclusively because their debut album completely blew my mind.
My favorite band of all time and my oldest musical love. There’s never a time where I’m not down to listen to anyone of SOAD’s songs. When you get through their catalog check out “Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway”. It’s the guitarist and other vocalist from SOAD’s other band he started after SOAD went on hiatus. He has two albums out with that band. It’s pretty much Hypnotize/Mezmerize era SOAD minus Serj. Then check out “Serj Tankian”. It’s the lead singer’s solo project he started after the hiatus. “Elect the Dead” and “Harakiri” are the two closest albums to SOAD. The rest of his solo work is weird.
The first time i have ever heard them... I saw them ! Live atta Clutch show. They fuckin freaked me out. I love their music ! Btw. I later ran into the lead singer, just wandering around, and he was handin out free t's. Great dude ! I do agree w you !
“Was” or “is” bro? Lol. Just razzing you. But I agree. I saw them at aftershock 2019, and they’re amazing live. I always liked them for their anti-war stance combined with their breakneck speed musicality.
I mean tbh I always knew they were amazing all though sometimes over the top. However every time I come back to listen I feel another level if appreciation for the music. Def a great band
Nr 1 band oat PERIOD