Mezmerize (Parental Advisory) [Digipak] [PA] - System Of A Down

Album title: mesmerize
Release date: May 17th 2005
Label: American recordings/Columbia
Other information about the album: parental guidance, explicit lyrics, part of a two part album project, the two parts to the album being released on separate dates.


History: ok so here is a little bit of history for those of you who don't know who System of a down are:
Vocals: Serj Tankian
Guitar: Daron ...
...
System Of A Down have been providing there fans with a unique and individual blend of death-metal, funk, and Armenian folk for close to ten years. There first album they named self titled which was released on June the 30th 1998. There different style of music changed the way that the world looks at politics and gross misuse of power. The once freedom of speech was flipped on its side and turned in to something you could head bang too. Though ... more

Album title: mesmerize
Release date: May 17th 2005
Label: American recordings/Columbia
Other information about the album: parental guidance, explicit lyrics, part of a two part album project, the two parts to the album being released on separate dates.

History: ok so here is a little bit of history for those of you who don't know who System of a down are:
Vocals: Serj Tankian
Guitar: Daron Malakian
Bass: Shavo Odadjian
Drums: John Dolmayan

System Of A Down have been providing there fans with a unique and individual blend of death-metal, funk, and Armenian folk for close to ten years. There first album they named self titled which was released on June the 30th 1998. There different style of music changed the way that the world looks at politics and gross misuse of power. The once freedom of speech was flipped on its side and turned in to something you could head bang too. Though there first album did not fly as well as there second album Toxicity. Toxicity was released on September the 4th 2001. This in my opinion and many others has been by far there greatest album to date. The greatest hit on this album being the irrelatively named, Chop Suey. The song was lyrical in a way that made you choke and almost cry in a way, the song being about mass genocide and misuse of power, the song got its name from the video, were the band and its fans are seen eating Chop Suey. This has been there biggest hit to date with a greatest video of all time awards to go with it. November the 26th 2002 brought along the release of the silliest of there albums steel this album. Steel this Album was not so much there usual stuff. There first track titled Chic n Stu had them singing about pizza pies and its toppings, as I said the sillier of the previous albums. The album was a success and its songs remembered to this very day. The band took a break from it all as the lead singer Serj Tankian was out and about sparking off political protests and such. 4 years have past since there last released album, many fans hade started to doubt if the band would return with any System-calibre music, if any new releases at all. But to put it frank, we all couldn't have been more wrong. Mesmerize was released on May 17th 2005 and immediately began to cause a stir amongst SOAD fans. The new feel to there music and experimentations created the stir; these included such things as new instruments and effects including accordion and synth. The fans came around and decided that this was the way forward and accepted systems new adaptation of there music.

Lyrics: System Of a Down's lyrics have always been a large part of what makes system of a down so different. Most fans will agree that the bands seemingly endless creativity of lyrical ability is what makes them who they are today. On Mesmerize Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian, continue the bands legacy of poignant, politically-charged lyrics. Something new on Mesmerize is Daron Malakian's vocals. Daron sang very little on the previous albums and was considered to be just a backing singer. Now he has made his vocal talents known on Mesmerize and how wrong we were. Darons fresh slightly high pitched voice makes a refreshing change to Serj's and the songs that Daron sings on really give them meaning and bring them to life, to give Mesmerize a much different, yet more diverse ambience.

Impression: Compared to earlier system of a down releases, Mesmerize manages to keep the meaning behind its songs associated with system of a down, while incorporating new, and exciting elements which listeners haven't experienced on previous releases. All of Malakian's guitars on previous records have been tuned to Drop-C (drop-D down one whole-step for all you guitarist out there), however on Mesmerize all guitars have shifted up a half step into Drop-Db. This adds a bit more feeling in my opinion to the album's solidarity compared to all previous releases, where due to the drop-c tuning the songs were more of a statement than something to listen to due to its low and heavy sound. While songs like "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song" are reminiscent of older system of a down material, tracks like "Revenga" and "Lost In Hollywood" bring a brand-new feel and vibe to the album, this includes new elements like rapid tempo and key changes, as well as melodic vocals from both Tankian and Malakian using a voice synth. After a steady diet of such groups as my chemical romance, blink 182 and Killswitch Engage, Mesmerize provides a welcome change and as they have done so many times before, System Of A Down continue to push the limits of socially accepted heavy metal music.

Track list and my views on the songs:

Track 1 - Soldier side/intro: this track is the intro to Mesmerise; as soon as the track starts to play you know this album is different to the previous ones. The first line "welcome, to the soldier side, there is no one here but me" instantly hits you with the image of war, and the lives that were lost. Whether this is what the intro means I am not sure. The sound is also unlike system of a down, it is light and airy almost with the softly picked strings of a clean guitar and mandolin. So different already and that's just the intro.

Track 2 - B.Y.O.B or Bring Your Own Bombs: now the classic style of system of a down kicks in that the fans know and love. This song was there first release of the album and in my opinion, great. The song is about the classic politics and misuse of power though straying more to the misuse of power side. The song is basically trying to say that the president was wrong to send in innocent people to war to fight his battles and solve his problems, which states as being a misuse of power. Now I am not one to guess but I have a fair idea of who they are singing about, don't you think Mr Bush? Overall this song is very meaning full in what it is trying to put across, it's also very catchy.

Track 3 - Revenge: I am not entirely sure what this one is about but it is very lyrical and fast. The classic style of system's cram as many words into a verse as possible thing is reminiscing in this track. The first verse being "poisoning a drink, bleeding in a sink, choking with a link, killing with a stink, just your mothers ho!" to me doesn't make much sense, but being system of a down, its just there style.

Track 4 - Cigaro: this one is a little easier to understand than the previous track even with its unnecessary but funny expletives. Its basically about the people that have the power to stop all the bad things in the world, just sit back, calmly smoking there cigars, you will pick it up from the first 2 lines in the chorus, "cool, in denial when the cruel regulators smoking cigaro, cigaro, cigar" as you can see explanative. This track is another fast one and very catchy.

Track 5 - Radio/video: this one is new in style to systems usual. The song is very catchy and played in a melodic way. I think it might be trying to say that being on the radio or video will eventually destroy you or something like that anyways. The speed has slowed down a bit now and is at a medium pace. You will love this song and when you here it you wont be able to get it out of your head.

Track 6 - This cocaine makes me feel like I'm on this song: another medium speed one, though this one does have a serious meaning. This song is about the feeling while taking drugs and it's after effects. The clever use of creative lyrics makes this song stand out from the rest, the second verse being about the hallucinations and it goes " I cant see the soul soul through your eyes, the crying walls of sliding architecture, kidnapped by the likes of pure conjecture" this is what makes system of a down so different and amazing.

Track 7 - Violent pornography: no it's not about violent porn incise you are wondering! It's about the absolute rubbish that is on the TV these days and they have taken 2 of the biggest taboos to describe, porn and violence. Also the shocking things that appear on there too get there mention. Basically it's saying that TV will rot your brain and is no use to life. Again this track is another fast one and very catchy.

Track 8 - Questions: this is the one were the lyrics will make you choke and almost cry if you let it. System of a down usually put at least one of these on each album and there most successful one being Chop Suey from the second album. Lyrics like "sweet berries ready for two, ghost are no different than you, ghost are now waiting for you are you dreaming" have no meaning but you feel they have in a way, hard to explain but this slow song is sang with real feeling and you can tell. Overall this is a great song.

Track 9 - sad statue: I think this song is mainly about how America will eventually fall, on how its nation will disagree with its leaders, causing America's ultimate destruction the fall of power. The song starts off fast in the verses then drops to a slower tempo with meaningful lyrics over the top of it. The chorus goes "you and me will all go down in history, with a sad statue of liberty and a generation that didn't agree" as you can see, powerful stuff. You will find yourself singing to this one.

Track 10 - Old school Hollywood: again I'm not sure what this
one is about but the new elements of system of a down are introduced in this track. The lyrics just ramble on about Hollywood, baseball and celebrities you've never herd of. The voice synth and electronic sounds underneath the fast, distorted guitar riff makes this a fresh sound for system. The song id very catchy too and you can certainly sing along to it.

Track 11 - lost in Hollywood: another new element to this song is that Daron sings the whole thing rather than Serj. The song is very slow and is about how the craze of making it Hollywood is not what it is told to be. The lyrics are powerful and meaningful, making this song a refreshing change and a superb end to a great album.

Overall Mesmerize is a refreshing change and a masterpiece sent from the gods of music themselves, heavy metal with a refreshing twist just about sums this one up. System of a down have once again saved us from the annoying and repetitive Emo, Punk plague that has found itself lodged into the music scene in the last few years.

Track list: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Lyrical ability: 5/5
Catchiness: 4/5

Where you can get this: you can get this album from any leading music stores, online shops and there official website. The album is $12.98 from the website and £6.99 from play.com. There is also a duel disk version available that is $13.98 from system of a down's official website.

Here's some links to check out for more info
www.play.com
www.amazon.com
www.systemofadown.com you will find most of your info on here and there is also an online store for the albums and merchandise.

Thanks for the read and I hope you enjoy there album!

G-virus aka James

 

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