SYSTEM OF A DOWN
Hypnotize
Sony
· System entrances audiences with their hypnotic record
After the release of their highly anticipated album Mezmerize in May, System of a Down’s followup disc, Hypnotize, couldn’t have come soon enough for fans. From its guitar-shredding opening on "Attack" to the reprise of Mezmerize’s "Soldier Side," this disc is filled with the intrinsic, spellbinding sound that can only be made by System of a Down.
That being said, System seems to be engaging in an audio evolution, with much of the songwriting and lyrical influence shifting from vocalist Serj Tankian to guitarist Daron Malakian. The new record, while still charged with symbol-bashing speed metal moments wielding Serj’s enchanting vocals, is laced with more harmonious melodies and the softer, more eerie sounds of Malakian.
Lyrically, the album is consistent with System’s signature interwoven mix of the eminently profound and the equally aberrant. Played as intended, contiguous with its predecessor, the disc brings out an interesting, scarcely explored angelic side of the band. It can be said that System of a Down is a band truly unafraid to create art they believe in, which may explain the social, political and emotional tie they share with their fans, who wait anxiously to be floored again and again.
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