Band:	System Of A Down
Album:	Hypnotize
Style:	Alternative metal
Release date:	November 22, 2005
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

Disc I
01. Attack
02. Dreaming
03. Kill Rock 'n Roll
04. Hypnotize
05. Stealing Society
06. Tentative
07. U-FIG
08. Holy Mountains
09. Vicinity Of Obscenity
10. She's Like Heroin
11. Lonely Day
12. Soldier Side

Disc II [Special edition DVD]
01. Attack [Enchanced Stereo mix]
02. Dreaming [Enchanced Stereo mix]
03. Kill Rock 'n Roll [Enchanced Stereo mix]
04. Hypnotize [Enchanced Stereo mix]
05. Stealing Society [Enchanced Stereo mix]
06. Tentative [Enchanced Stereo mix]
07. U-FIG [Enchanced Stereo mix]
08. Holy Mountains [Enchanced Stereo mix]
09. Vicinity Of Obscenity [Enchanced Stereo mix]
10. She's Like Heroin [Enchanced Stereo mix]
11. Lonely Day [Enchanced Stereo mix]
12. Soldier Side [Enchanced Stereo mix]
+ Studio Documentary [The Recording Of Mezmerize / Hypnotize]
+ B.Y.O.B. [video]
+ Question! [video]

System Of A Down's Hypnotize continues the chaotic, genre-hybridizing experimentation that defines the band, building on a framework laid by its predecessor Mezmerize. Released as part two of the double album project, Hypnotize is a hyperkinetic journey through heavy metal, art-rock, and politically charged commentary. It channels the band's signature 100-mph shifts between blistering breakdowns and soulful melodies with doses of Armenian folk music.

As a cohesive work, Mezmerize/Hypnotize tackles an array of explosive themes: propaganda, psychic overload, menacing governments, drugs, television, Tiananmen Square, bombs, prostitution, Hollywood, and the business of rock and roll. It also delves into prostitution, Hollywood's hollow glamour, and the cutthroat competition of the music industry. These subjects are not just daunting—they are a visceral indictment of societal decay and personal disillusionment, all wrapped in the maniacal juggernaut that confines System Of A Down. Hypnotize follows a similar path to Mezmerize: a dozen tracks, all around four minutes long, ricocheting ideas, cramming in prog-rock suites with jump-cut barrages. By the album's second half, the high-speed diversity blurs into undifferentiated hopscotch; tracks such as “U-Fig” and “Vicinity Of Obscenity” embody the band’s irreverent, almost cartoonish lyricism, pairing complex guitar lines with absurd surrealist imagery. It’s as much an indication to their originality as their willingness to push the boundaries of metal.

Where Hypnotize truly shines is in its rare moments of vulnerability, as reflected in “Lonely Day”; an emotionally resonant ballad with Daron Malakian’s fragile vocals offering a stark contrast to Serj Tankian’s fiery delivery, it gives an emotional touch for fans entering from the lopsided fun ride of metal preceding it. So does “Soldier Side,” the final song of the album, a poignant meditation on loss in the war, captured in a barrage of chaotic shifting tones.

In essence, Hypnotize offers a rehab after the overdose of Mezmerize in a truly chaotic caravan fashion-style of metal. System Of A Down's oxygen lies in their psychotic energy and willingness to defy expectations. They offer political critiques and dark humor through a relentless onslaught of sound and ideas. Yet, in their attempt to distill complex emotions into short bursts of aggression and wit, they occasionally leave listeners craving more substance and coherence. Hypnotize proves that System Of A Down remains one of the most exciting, unpredictable forces in modern rock and metal.

Highlights: “Vicinity Of Obscenity”, “U-Fig” and "Soldier Side"