Review Summary: System of a Down's Toxicity is a timeless classic that leaves you wanting more
After the release of the debut self-titled record in 1998, System of a Down's sound changed ever so drastically in my eyes. Whereas the debut has a much more obvious heavy, standard nu-metal-inspired sound, this album, whilst still having the roots of the debut, has not only a more polished sound, but it has a mix of genres. Ranging from tribal music on the hidden track ARTO, 80s-inspired synth-rock with part of Deer Dance, songs with indie-influences with ATWA, and just some standard metal tracks like Prison Song, Science, and Psycho.
This album has a lot to say, and while lyrically this thing looks like an incoherent mess, it's literary genius. Take Needles for example. That song is notorious for it's cartoony chorus of "My tapeworm tells me where to go! You! My tapeworm tells me what to do! Pull the tapeworm out of your ass!" And while on paper that looks absolutely dumbfounding as to why anyone would write that, it's actually a statement on drugs (as is the rest of this song, obviously; I mean it's called Needles). The "tapeworm" is drug addiction, and it's telling the host what to do, as the host needs to "pull the tapeworm out of his ass" (go to rehab) and beat the tapeworm.
It's stuff like that that makes me absolutely adore this album.
There's also no bad songs here. Sure, ARTO gets a bad rep in the System of a Down fanbase, but I feel as though it's a neat little hidden track. It's not designed to be an actual canonical track here, hence it's status as a hidden track.
The only song close to being somehwat bad is I guess Bounce, but even then it's great commentary on the stigma of group sex, and the negative side-effects of it.
The hits on this thing are timeless, and twenty-one (Jesus Christ... already?) years later, they still hold up wonderfully. Chop Suey! is all about mental disorder (albeit ADHD or Schizophrenia), and the uncertainty of situations. It's also about domestic abuse in America. It's a wonderfully crafted track.
Toxicity is obviously about the toxicity in communities in America, and Aerials is essentially the same as Toxicity.
The only fault I have is that this album goes by a little too fast. It makes me want more, and I wish that some of the songs from Steal this Album! were put onto here instead. Overall, this thing gets a 5/5.
Best tracks:
Deer Dance
Aerials
Toxicity
Science
Worst tracks:
N/A
