cut\\

02.01.02 05:38:31 PM

[ MAIN\\ ] [ NEWS\\ ] [ EXTRAS\\ ] [ BANDS\\ ] [ REVIEWS\\ ] [ CONTACT\\ ] [ EXPAND\\ ] [ BOARD\\ ]

System of a Down - System of a Down

            Probably the most impressive aspect of System of a Down’s self titled debut disc is the intensity and speed at which the aggressive guitar riffs and raging vocals tear out of your speakers.  When the CD starts you are given no less than 30 second so tie everything down to the ground before System begins to slam and break everything, and the track “Suite-Pee” is just the introduction to their own brand of thrash and rap metal mayhem.  The screaming, thrashing and scratching only catalyze on Suite-Pee.  The song “Know” does little to calm you down, with all the bass riffs and chanted pungent refrains.  The sensation of chaos begins to peak with the well-known single “Sugar”.  The song waists absolutely no time getting started with it’s absolutely insane riffs and screeching vocals that only begin to define what System of a Down is.  After Sugar the tone begins to change a little with the still chaotic but less violent “Suggestions”.  And we’re all thankful for the 3½ minute masterpiece spiders lets us catch our breath.  Of course it’s not long before you can feel the knives digging into your sides as you emerge yourself in chaos once again with the excellent and angry track called DDevil. (A personal favorite of mine.)  From there it’s a crazy fucking trip through the music of System of a Down, with more of the same violent thrashing insanity, almost reminiscent of hardcore punk.  At some parts of the CD I cant believe how fast the vocals and guitar come screeching out of my stereo.  Now, I know it’s not the fastest stuff out there but the it more than that… it’s the combination assault of the speed, power and intensity that gets to me.  This CD isn’t noticeably hard, it isn’t notably angry and I can’t bring myself to call it heavy.  System of a Down is really just chaotic, violent and fast; the CD is a lesson in how to be crazy and enjoy it.  Just listen to Peephole again and again. That track could make anyone go insane… bonkers, even!  Then they do something extra mean and put CUBErt and Darts right in a row after Peephole.  If there are any three more insane songs on one CD I have yet to hear them.  The disc draws to a close with a still violent, but sobering track called P.L.U.C.K.  In P.L.U.C.K., which by the way stands for Pollitically Lying, Unholly Cowardly Killers, Serj sings about the horrible slaughtering of Arminians in Turkey during the earlier part of the century.  Which, although it was well documented, both the US and Turkey deny that it ever happened.  The final song does an excellent job of bringing the CD to a close, although in my opinion it could have been a little longer.

 An excellent, fast paced and insane CD.  It is full of vicious riffs and screaming, powerful vocals along side and intense insanity that cannot be matched. It’s just all over to quickly.

Razor_Mag\\E-Mail

(c) 2001 Dæmonwerks. All rights reserved.