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System's 'Hypnotize' is mesmerizing disorder |
Posted by jumppogo on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 01:45 PM
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System's 'Hypnotize' is mesmerizing disorder
As one listens to System of a Down's latest album, ''Hypnotize," it's easy to understand why some harbor an intense dislike for the band.
The Los Angeles quartet demands a lot of its listeners. Yes, it's a rock band, but it's also a bunch of musical marauders who joyfully plunder any genre in service of their songs. Neck-breaking thrash metal? Absolutely! Ethereal world music? Definitely! Clubby disco beats? Oh, why not! Musical twists and turns don't simply occur from track to track but often within the confines of the same song, and that, for some, makes this a very vexing band.
Of course, what some find vexing others applaud as bracing, and it's that diversity that makes this one of the most compelling rock acts around. With so much unhinged energy, so many elaborate and daring compositions, this music tickles the ear and challenges the mind. There's never been anything rote or predictable about a System of a Down album, and that includes ''Hypnotize," the stunning completion of a double album that began with ''Mezmerize," released in May.
''Hypnotize" is the more epic of the two, with all the rococo theatricality of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman in peak ''Bat Out of Hell" form. Still, this is more ambitious and expansive music, crammed with wacky ideas and images. It's grandiose, provocative, and more than a little ridiculous in the best possible way. And as with ''Mezmerize," this is progressive rock at its most economical. Of its 12 tracks, only two clock in at four or more minutes -- ''Holy Mountains" and ''Dreaming." Five are under three minutes, but the band elevates every moment into a thrilling mini-drama.
Then again, why expect anything less from an album that aptly begins with a song called ''Attack"? Singer-guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan drop riffs with the deadly precision of a guillotine, then Malakian and lead singer Serj Tankian offer sweet harmonies before the bombast crashes through again. It's a battering ram of a song with just enough tempo changes for everyone to catch their breath.
But not for long, as that dynamic repeats itself on ''Dreaming." Given how much System of a Down relies on this tactic, the band's sheer musicality keeps the device from growing stale. Political pronouncements are sprinkled throughout, especially on the closing track, ''Soldier Side" (''Soldier Side Intro" opens ''Mezmerize"), in which Tankian and Malakian sing:
"They were crying when their sons left
All your men must go
He's come so far to find no truth
He's never going home"
Only with that song, and the disarmingly gentle ''Lonely Day," does the band come up with something even remotely structured like a single. Despite the success of such songs as ''Chop Suey!" and ''B.Y.O.B," this band has never thought in terms of radio-friendly hits, and with albums this staggeringly good, there's no need. With ''Mezmerize," System of a Down already has one of the year's best rock albums; miraculously, ''Hypnotize" surpasses it.
By Renée Graham, Globe Staff | November 22, 2005 | www.boston.com
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Comments
Cougo
23.11.05, 11:24
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I think it's a shame you can't enjoy it like so many others do cainw.
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zirdox
23.11.05, 11:46
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Hypnotize is on my top 2 of SOAD albums! Serj said once that music was his inspiration and his foe. Well hypnotize has become that to mee. I hear it constantly. And when i turn it off it spins in my head. Like for the first day i kept hearing banana banana terracota pie. It spinned in my head. And i couldn't sleep. That how good music is written :)
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pao
23.11.05, 12:25
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I DON'T AGREE WITH cougo and cainw
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nevindk
23.11.05, 15:53
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The only way to describe hypnotize is like meeting someone for the first time but you feel like youve known them your whole life. Normally when i listen to a new album i need time to adjust to it but with hypnotize i was encapsulated from the start. The fiery intro of 'attack", the cheecky vocality of 'kill rock and roll',the virally infectious lyrics of 'vicinity of obscinity' and then to come full circle with the selectively sensitive 'soldier side' all sum up the genius of the band in a way thats unexplicable through the consciousness of thought.
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enychick215
23.11.05, 22:57
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I just saw them at Webster Hall in NYC last night. This was my 3rd show this year and by far the best. I think that the reason why I love System so much is because they allow their band to evolve. If they didn't, they would not be who they are or as phenomenal as they are. People should not lose sight of that. We all love them because they are so different from all of the crap bands out there!
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barakari
24.11.05, 02:09
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"Singer-guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan drop riffs with the deadly precision of a guillotine" ooooh yeah
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5xserjloverx5
24.11.05, 04:13
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i agree with zirdox... when i first hear vicinity of obsenity i had 2 keep singing it and i got on my brothers fucking nerves and mii parents. ha ha thnx soad now i have sumthing 2 bug the shyt out of mii family with!!!!
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SystemofaDownisHot
25.11.05, 08:01
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no offence, but serj is losing the rough voice he once had, which is handy alot, even on older live songs... It doesn't sound right. ^^OMG i agree with u, i mean, he still has a hell of a voice, but now its more piercy or something, i dunno, its not as good as it used to be. I used to be in love with it. I think im going more for darons =X
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Shavos_Son5555
26.11.05, 08:46
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I cant c how soad can make a better album then this. Better then christmas
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timmah1231
28.11.05, 01:38
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To be honest, there are plenty of people I know who "harbor an intense dislike" to SOAD, even after giving them a long listen. I wouldn't go so far as to call them "tasteless fucking idiots", or something like that. Some people just naturally don't vibe with it. Oh well. More room for us.
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parabol(a)
29.11.05, 07:56
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no offence, but serj is losing the rough voice he once had, which is handy alot, even on older live songs... It doesn't sound right no he hasn't. i think that his harshness would not have suited this album, but it could also be because he's getting older, and can't go that harsh. but it doesn't matter because he can sing and keep the harmony pretty long just listen to the end of Holy Mountains
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MeRenKi
06.12.05, 01:33
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"All YOUNG men must go" not "your" men. Lol
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i_am_benji101
12.12.05, 13:15
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Fuking Hell, System of a down hasnt exactly lived up to its expectation on Hypnotize compared to the great successness of its songs but i think they are getting lazy for it and just want to make music and dont give a fuck what people say about it? right i mean thats what they do stand for.. i like lonely day vicinity of obcinity kill rock n roll mostly so even if it isnt the best album they could put out there i still love it !
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rippingandfailing
14.12.05, 12:08
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Yeh Serj has lost his rough voice. Everything he sings now is in a high octave, which means the music doesnt sound as dark. I prefer dark...
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jumppogo
15.12.05, 15:38
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mooo
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jumppogo
15.12.05, 15:39
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otherwise thanks for posting comments :D
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Luminus
17.04.06, 19:36
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I think it will be a thing in the future...people will say...where were you when you listened to hypnotise for the first time. Well...me...i drove down to the beach with my girlfriend and three of my mates...and we parked on the shore and listened to the whole album..and we were just...so pumped afterwards....we partied on into the night listening to it and by the morning we were singing all the songs like we had known them for years...thankyou for that experience system...so...what about everyone else...where were you when you heard the album?
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36dam36
13.07.06, 16:46
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11/22/05 wrote:"who doesnt like this album(hyp/mez)or soadcan go to %$#@!!!!!!!!!!!!----------------------i agree with him/her. luminus wrote:where were you when u heard the album?------------------------------well id have to say in my bedroom. my new bedroom. not my old haunted one of course.thats insane. HYPNOTIZE AND MEZMERIZE ARE COOL AND IF YOU DONT LIKE THEM IM NOT SURE IF YOU ARE A DARON LIKER!!!!!!!!! HE WROTE EM!!!!!! HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OR A SOAD LOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF SERJ WAS GOD ID PRAY TO THANK HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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