System Of A Down - Toxicity review
| Band: | System Of A Down |
| Album: | Toxicity |
| Style: | Alternative metal |
| Release date: | September 04, 2001 |
| A review by: | Herzebeth |
01. Prison Song
02. Needles
03. Deer Dance
04. Jet Pilot
05. X
06. Chop Suey!
07. Bounce
08. Forest
09. ATWA
10. Science
11. Shimmy
12. Toxicity
13. Psycho
14. Aerials
System of a Down created a huge hype for the nu-metal scene back in 2001 with an album called "Toxicity"; to this day the mentioned album is still a best seller in many stores and we can hear many people talking about the greatness of this album. I bought this album a while ago, I heard it a lot of times I liked it the first few listens, but after a while it bored me big time and then I even sold it to a weird kid with an emoish hairdo.
This is not a bad album at first sight, the first listens you'll find good guitar structures, catchy songwriting and even a lot of funny lyrics which, for example, talk about a guy who has a pogo stick and every single person wants to play with it but can't because there is just one pogo stick at the party with so many friends ("Bounce"). So as you might know, this kind of things are cool the first 3 times you read it, but when you hear it the fifth time or the sixth time it becomes really boring and idiotic.
The album fails in continuity, and this is the epitome of good albums you know? Most albums MUST have good schemes for you to hear it 50 times without a problem, SOAD was not able to achieve this task. Then the riffs are not powerful at all, the backing vocals are just hideous and really fucking annoying (f.e. "Needles") the drumming is monotonous, there's no strength whatsoever in the whole album and it becomes a "nerd"/idiotic/ridiculous release.
This album is not as good as many people think, there are good moments with schizoid riffs and crazy paces ("Psycho") but that's it, most features "good" decompose badly after a week or so. Not even "Chop Suey!", which was one of the most praised tracks in nu-metal history, manages to create a constant interest for the audience, just imagine the rest of the songs.
So this is an average nu-metal release, certainly I've heard better albums and also I've heard worse ones. Is it really that good? Not at all, it's totally disposable; I just keep thinking "why in the fuck didn't I download it first". This is exactly the kind of album which makes metal-heads hate nu-metal, it gets a lot of hype and everyone talks about how great it is, but in the end it's just a plain, average, middling and nerdy release, nothing more nothing less.
Comments page 2 / 3
Comments: 72
Visited by: 509 users
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| GT Coffee!! Staff Posts: 5101  |
Written by Syk on 23.07.2007 at 16:00 I agree with pretty much everything said here (if not everything). I like SOAD or what I've heard from them. Can't listen to it for hours, but I still enjoy it when it pops up in my playlist
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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| Dam3k Posts: 704  |
Written by Lucas on 30.07.2007 at 21:11 Valaskjalf owned, sponsored by nervel XDDD. I hate people who cares more about the people who listens a band instead the music the band make.
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| khwatog Posts: 4  |
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| vatro Account deleted |
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| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689  |
The memories come back, oh, the high school times haha, oh great times, a very entertaining album in that time, I still listen to it and never becomes boring in any sense (well, I have to be in the mood, because this can be really monotonous), this is very different from nu metal, and hey I like Tankian's voice, it is... well, singular. I disagree with this review, yes nu metal is hated by many people in many ways but, you just need to be open minded, that's all, the album is not groundbreaking or mind blowing but, I find it entertaining.
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| Feirund Posts: 5  |
Toxicity deserves more than this bunch of lies (and that's exactly what this review is). It has everything one would want from SOAD.
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| ilicit Fallitur Visio Posts: 805  |
I highly disagree with almost everything in this review  First, you don't listen to the album over and over again in a row to start disliking it. You'd be bored with pretty much every album, not just Toxicity. Yes, it's true that a good song is a good song, and you like to hear it, but not in repetitive mode for like 50 times as you say there. I've heard toxicity since I was a younger boy, and after like 8 years of the album being on my playlist, I still get a blast listening to eternal songs like "Toxicity" or "Chop Suey", or even headbang a lot with "Prison Song" or "Jet Pilot". And wtf is that conversation about riffs not being powerful? Why should they? Because the album is better if a band plays powerful riffs? Give me a fucking break... And btw, "Needles" is a great song and I say the drums fit the music in a really nice way. You should really pay more attention to their skills to play faster and slower in the same song, and change the rhythm all the time, and still make it sound nice! I mean, in this review you call a best-seller an average album, because you just don't like SoaD that much. "..and it becomes a "nerd"/idiotic/ridiculous release." And here you are just being simple plain offensive, which pretty much defines this all review.
---- <JustinSane> shall we play the /quit game? <skoo> /quit * JustinSane has quit IRC (Signed off) <skoo> owned * JustinSane has joined the # <JustinSane> i cannot believe i just did that
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| Haddonfield Chucky's Bride Posts: 1993  |
Fisrt, not nu metal. Second, it is a great album which is very well worked. I don't think it's their best album but it is worth much more than a little 6/10. Sometimes hype comes for the right reasons but even then some people decide they must slag it off as pop culture. If SOAD touch a wide audience it's mainly because of their talent just like bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Korn and Sepultura (Chaos and Roots period) people who listen to electro, rap, soft rock, reggae, indie all seem to appreciate these bands, doesn't necessarily mean they are bad.
----  "Seasons don't fear the reaper. Nor do the wind, the sun and the rain (we can be like they are)."
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| Mikyz Posts: 711  |
I respect ure opinion but I disagree with this whole review, Toxicity is an album that I bought 8 years ago and I still get hyped over some tracks to this day like Prison Song , Toxicity and Chop Suey. I find this album accomplished musically and lyrically, you might not like it but I think it would be because of your personal taste and preferences imo but this album is still one of the best in the genre, SOAD is a band composed of talented individuals like Daron and Serj, so I think this album deserves much more than a 6/10 ( It's not even nu metal btw).
---- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
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| Panterica Posts: 341  |
C'mon, it's not such an bad album, it surely not the most interesting and musically challenging one, but it sure contain a lot of fun. And beside, how can someone hate a band so much with Serj on the mic? He has an incredible voice.
---- Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
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| Rozz Posts: 195  |
Good as fuckin band and album cant belive this guy rated it shit as, this album made millions of dollars in america alone
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Gosh, I don't udnerstand the whining... 6 is for average, because it has good and bad parts... and this cd is jus tlike that... a completely meh. I believe that Herzebeth was very generous.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Cyroth Posts: 274  |
This is their best album IMO...and a note would be 7.3 I always considered SOAD a hard rock band...and I liked it very much back then when I was a rocker and not a metalhead  ...now I listen to them from time to time...I prefer the song so much live,they come to their potential I think anywho SOAD is...was...a nice band
---- 
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9155  |
Written by AnGina-- on 08.10.2006 at 03:07 yeah it is
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| Haddonfield Chucky's Bride Posts: 1993 |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 20.01.2010 at 22:08 No it's not. This is simply alt. metal.
---- "Seasons don't fear the reaper. Nor do the wind, the sun and the rain (we can be like they are)."
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| soadbyob Account deleted |
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 9155 |
True you guys are right...
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| Dologan Posts: 18  |
This is a bloody great album. I don't give a shit if it's nu, alt. or whatever. That 6.0 is TOTALLY undeserved. It gets an 8.8 from me.
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| freetrader0000 Posts: 5 |
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| spiritofvengence Posts: 36  |
Written by 4look4rd on 26.06.2007 at 04:32 Same can be said about Iron Maiden
---- I'd rather like what I like because I like it, despite if everyone hates me for it, then like what I hate just to be accepted by you.
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by spiritofvengence on 09.09.2010 at 00:27 Remember that time in grade 4 when you shit your pants in gym class? That was Iron Maiden's fault. Remember that time when you were 6 and your dog got hit by a car and your parents told you he ran away? That was Iron Maiden's fault. Remember that time when your parents told you you were adopted, and they're considering returning you to the orphanage? That was Iron Maiden's fault. Remember that time when your therapist told you about how you seem to be perpetually stuck in the mentality of a 12 year old? As you can guess, that was also Iron Maiden's fault. Question; Have you ever made a negative post on here that doesn't contain the words Iron Maiden? Actually, scratch that, have you ever made a positive post on here that wasn't paranoid bitching?
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Sword_Chant Posts: 717 |
This album is good - I think the fact it was released in part of the 'Nu-Metal' era when Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Korn emerged all made them seem like SOAD were part of that same crowd and gave them a demeaning image. But musically they're much more 'metal'. I think the era this album was made was unfortunate, but for the album to be so commercially successful makes this album one hell of an achievement. I have to commend this band, they're one of a few bands I know that speak about real issues around us... and that gives their songs a lot of lyrical content and meaning. My ears have evolved long since the SOAD days but every now and again I come back for the good memories  and for something a little different. One last note, i'm glad they're back and might see them in 2011.Written by [user id=4365] on 09.09.2010 at 00:40 I think I have to agree with this comment
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| Gummingurru Posts: 14  |
It has some great tunes,but it also has some fucking annoying songs.after the first 2 times I heard Bounce I couldn't stand it anymore.though, I think songs like ATWA,deer dance,chop suey and etc. were able to save the album.:banger:. I don't think it's a real nu-metal record though,it's more alternative metal.
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| Cryzpin Posts: 113  |
Written by [user id=4365] on 09.09.2010 at 00:40 Second to that! This album is a great ride, much of inovation, great vocals, power and rage, total freedom of genres and standout classic in itself. Best of Systems.
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| KvltovKthvlhv Posts: 20  |
I can't understand why this album gets consistently bashed, and labeled as nu-metal, i mean yeah it came out during that era, yes the guitars are downtuned, but historically new metal had a lot to do with rap influences and shitty repetitive riffs. This album is classic, if it could be considered nu-metal its one of the only good new metal bands. I have been listening to it pretty consistently since it came out, and i still find it to be a unique hell of a fun album, that brings a lot of good social commentary mixed with Serj's great since of humor, i respectfully but HIGHLY disagree with a 6 i would say at least an 8 or 9
---- When night falls she cloaks the world in impenatrable darkness, a chill rises from the soil and contaminates the air...suddenly life has new meaning
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| The Benighted Posts: 243  |
Very distinct album by a very distinct band. Probably their best album. Disagree with the review, but its all a matter of opinion, so...
---- Learn to adapt to the change, or get washed away like tears in the rain.
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| godisdead Posts: 84 |
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