Well, it's been a long time coming for a new System Of A Down album. A long time. It's been almost four years since we were graced by the mega-successful sophmore album, "Toxicity," and if you discount the outtakes/b-sides collection that followed in 2002, "Steal This Album," this is the first smattering of new System Of A Down material since then. To put things in perspective, "Toxicity" was released a week before September 11th. Now think about all of the things that have happened since then. Wow, how I have missed this group.

Those expecting things in System Of A Down's music to change will be sorely disappointed. Aside from increasing air-time from guitarist/co-producer/back-up vocalist Daron Malakian, not much has changed. Instead, the band's sound seems revitalized and all eleven songs are up to standard. And if you thought they would shut up after Bush was re-elected, that's your mistake. The lyrics on this album are just as, and maybe even more, political than ever before. Songs like "Sad Statue" and "B.Y.O.B." carry their anti-war message very bravely and very clearly. "Sad Statue" is easily the emotional apex of the album, with the poignant and memorable line: "We'll all go down in history/With a sad Statue Of Liberty/And a generation that didn't agree." Likewise, the first single "B.Y.O.B." (Bring Your Own Bombs) throws just as many barbs at our government, with a rather catchy pop-chorus to go along with. Perhaps that line ("Everybody going to the party/Have a real good time") is an ironic take on the bloated tens of millions of dollars spent on the rather lavish and tasteless inauguration party of George W. Bush that took place just weeks after the Tsunami disaster? I don't know, maybe I'm just reading in a bit too far. Anyways, if all the political mumbo-jumbo makes your head hurt, or if you actually support our (p)resident, than you can still enjoy this album. Afterall, the two previous tracks are the only ones that tackle politics head on. Take, for example, "Old School Hollywood," which tells the tale of Malakian's bizarre appearance at an all-star baseball game with random, slightly obscure/washed-up celebrities like Tony Danza and David Arquette. "Cigaro" and "Violent Pornography" are two other slightly slanted tracks, alongside more traditional System tunes like "Question!" and "Revenga."

Front to back, it's almost flawless. Almost. Like mentioned before, Malakian gets more vocal time, which means, unfortunately, frontman Serj Tankian is pushed into the background, or sometimes completely out of the picture! What's up with that? I don't have anything against Malakian, but a big part of who System Of A Down are is credited to Serj's unique vocal stylings and often poetic lyrics. That's the only angle this album suffers, but hopefully the follow-up, "Hypnotize," (due this fall) will rectify that problem. For as good as "Mezmerize" is, I feel a much bigger and grander album is on the way. This seems like just a small taste of what these boys have coming for us.

Before I get into the review, I would like to explain exactly what is going on with this CD because a lot of people do not seem to fully understand. This CD is System of a Down's third CD, not their fourth. In addition to that, it has been almost five years since their last CD, so this is a long awaited release from them. Another interesting fact about "Mezmerize" is that it is actually part two of a two disk set, and not part one as some people had previously thought. Their fourth CD "Hypnotize," will be released on November 22nd and is actually the first part of the two disk set. The band just decided to release the two in opposite orders. To further explain my point, "Hypnotize" leads into "Mezmerize." The last song on "Hypnotize" has the same title as the first track on "Mezmerize," although the one on "Hypnotize" is a full-length song, and the one on "Mezmerize" is merely an intro or transition into "Mezmerize." Plus, the two cases containing the CDs can be combined to create one continuous case with the artwork linking together, and as far as I know, it is the first CD set to ever incorporate that.

Some people might wonder why they are releasing two CDs only six months apart from each other, and why those two CDs are being released as a two disk set. It is simply because they had around thirty songs written and instead of picking the best songs out of those thirty and throwing away the rest, they decided to cut it down to twenty three of the best songs because they felt that the majority of them were CD worthy. Also, they did not want to have an album that was too long to listen to all the way through and is why they have cut them down to around forty minutes each; which brings me to my review.

First off, I would like to say that this review is split into two parts. I have read too many reviews which contained information that I was not looking for, and I am trying not to do that. So what I'm doing is splitting them up into two comparisons. The first part compares the album to the band's first two albums and the second to other albums in its genre. This way the review will not be geared towards specifically System of a Down fans or heavy metal fans in general, but instead towards both.

Compared to the band's other albums, I would give this album four out of five stars for a few reasons. Their first CD simply entitled "System of a Down," was very heavy and raw. It had an unmixed feel to it which built up its raw intensity. Their second CD entitled "Toxicity," was more mellow and comical. It did have its heavy moments, but was no where near as heavy as their self-titled debut; which leads me to "Mezmerize." First of all, it is an excellent album. It is really a combination of their first two albums, and more. The lyrics, as always, are brilliant and entertaining at the same time. They manage to use humorous or just downright strange things which actually end up being complex metaphors. The only problem is that although the lyrics are better, they are a little more repetitive than their previous releases. Second, it is unique from any of their other albums. It starts off unlike their previous two. Instead of abruptly starting off with a heavy riff right away, as "System of a Down" and "Toxicity" did, it starts off with a mellow and melodic intro, which then leads into a heavy second song. The rest of the CD, excluding the last song, manages to keep a very heavy feel while at the same time, incorporating a softer side of System of a Down, and the fast song transitions manage to help keep a fast-paced feel. In addition to that, they throw in some different styles of music such as dance, punk, and even polka. Yes, polka! It sounds odd but it sounds even better with those types of music in it. The strange combination of music that they use with their style of vocals just works, to put it simply. The final track on the CD is mellow, but unlike most bands, is not worse. In fact, it may be one of the better songs on the entire CD. It is a very good ending to a very good two disk album (with "Hypnotize" included). Any System of a Down fan should love this album. Their intensity manages to stay as high as ever, but at the same time incorporates a softer and more experimental side.

Now compared to other bands or CDs in its genre, "Mezmerize" deserves five out of five stars for the simple fact that it is unlike anything else in its genre. They combine heavy metal, polka, dance music, melodic harmonies, and humorous lyrics while all together keeping a deep and serious meaning and hard-hitting riffs. How many bands have done that? This CD, I think, will change the metal genre as we know it. A lot of bands will be following in their footsteps. Now for this CD, don't expect a non-stop scream fest with heavy riffs. Instead, expect something different and unique that still has that heavy metal feel, but is more experimental and has more depth and range. A lot of bands' songs on the radio are good, but the rest of their CD is not. The only good songs are the singles that are on the radio, and the rest just seems thrown together. Well, System of a Down is one band that will not fall into that hole. "Mezmerize" is just a great CD throughout, and its short running time of about thirty-eight minutes makes it easy to listen to and enjoy all the way through; but don't take my word for it, just look at the billboard charts. It was number one and had the number one single for weeks, and sold over 800,000 copies in its first week alone. That's more than most heavy metal bands can brag about.

So, whether one is a long-devoted System of a Down fan, or a heavy metal fan in general, this CD would be a part of their collection.

It's been awhile since System of a Down has come out with a new album. "Toxicity" is still one of my favorite albums that I listen to over and over again, and I was wondering how they could even top that. Well, they came out with a great new album, "Mezmerize," which definitely shows us that this band still has what it takes. The album brings you a variety of haunting, melodic and hyperactive songs that are bound to stay stuck in your head. It's not without its flaws, but the album still delivers.

Basically, if you have heard System of a Down before, then you know what to expect. Crazy and political-driven lyrics that can be hard to decipher at times, although this time around it seems a little easier to tell what each song is about. Songs like "B.Y.O.B." "revenga," "cigaro" and "violent pornography will give you an instant dose of road rage should you play them in your car, while there are other songs like "sad statue," "question!" and "lost in hollywood" that are a little slower and more melodic. The songs are emotional, powerful and sometimes even funny. All of the songs sound different and you're never feeling like you're hearing the same song again once you go to the next tune.

While this is a great album... it could've been an EXCELLENT album. What's the problem? Simple. Daron, one of the other vocalists in the group and who is also credited to a bunch of the songs (musically and lyrically) gets WAY too much singing time on this album. I don't have a problem with his voice, but in my opinion he does not have what it takes to carry an entire song or a MAJORITY of a song. Leave that to Serj, please. Serj can turn anything into gold. Daron is good for hooks and backing up Serj, and I don't mind him having more air time on a song here and there, but when you get the feeling that he has more vocal time than Serj... something just isn't right. I was really disappointed by that, but it still doesn't make this album awful. It still delivers as being a great new release from the group.

You may want to listen to "Mezmerize" a few times before you give a verdict on it. I know for me it usually takes me a few listens to fully absorb a System of a Down album. They never immediately get me going, "Oh, this is the greatest!" but that's okay. It's more power to them that they make me want to listen to it more and more until I finally get a great grasp onto what the album really is. Not too many other bands I know can do that. You either love them right away or you hate them immediately. The album length is shorter than their previous releases, but you have to remember that "Toxicity" isn't that long of an album, either. They're always fast paced with a few slow songs to help balance everything out.

Favorite songs are, "B.Y.O.B," "revenga," "violent pornography," "question!" "sad statue" and "lost in hollywood." I really enjoy listening to the album in whole, but those are the standout tracks to me.

"Mezmerize" isn't perfect, and if Serj had gotten more air time it would've been an outstanding release. Still, it is a great album that shows that the band hasn't lost their touch. If you're a fan of their previous albums, then chances are you will like this, too. I can't wait for the new album next year, and I hope Daron will be more in the background this time around and allow Serj do what he does best. Not perfect, but still a top-notch album with addicting tunes. -Michael Crane

Metal addict that I am, I rarely listen to anything non-metal. However, I happen to still have a rather large soft spot for System of a Down, so I picked this album up the day it came out.

Needless to say, I was most impressed. On Mezmerize, we see an older, more mature System of a Down that has stepped up the musicianship without losing any of the insanity. In fact, in terms of all-out craziness, this album is more reminiscent of their debut than the streamlined Toxicity.

And there's another thing...this album actually borders on metal. System of a Down (just like all the other nu-"metal" bands) often get misclassified as metal (they're actually just hard rock), but on Mezmerize, even I have to admit there are some undeniable metal tendencies. In fact, if they used more riffs like the one at the beginning of "B.Y.O.B." and maybe tossed in a few more guitar solos, I'd be forced to call them bona-fied metal.

Now, on to the music...

1. Soldier Side (Intro) - 1:03 - Just an intro, so I'm not going to give it a rating, but it's a good intro. All acoustic guitars and softly delivered vocals from both Serj and Daron. Daron actually sings quite a bit throughout the album, often trading off leads with Serj. Heh, there's something about how they sing "welcome" at the beginning that always makes me expect them to follow it with "to the machine."

2. B.Y.O.B. - 4:15 - You've all probably heard this one on the radio by now, so no surprises here. Daron's in peak form on the guitar, producing some frantic riffs that fall somewhere between thrash and punk. A very good song, though a bit repetitive. I give it 9/10.

3. Revenga - 3:48 - Starts out mellow, but then Daron cuts in with some triplets reminiscent of Iced Earth, continuing the thrashy feel of B.Y.O.B. Serj is just as crazy as ever on the shouted vocals during the verses, but showcases his immense singing ability during the chorus. Daron also plays something like a solo at one point, but I wouldn't exactly call it a full-fledged guitar solo. This one's an 8/10.

4. Cigaro - 2:11 - Another one most of us have heard before, since the mp3 was posted on Systemofadownonline.com well before the album came out. It's short and catchy, but has some good guitarwork and distinctly punk-style drumming. And the intro features one of Serj's deep roars...something that was missing from Steal This Album. Oh, and the opening line of "My c**k is much bigger than yours" is just the greatest. 8/10 for this one.

5. Radio/Video - 4:09 - Whoa...this is almost reggae in places! It's a damn fine song, though, as we get to hear Shavo's bass-playing a bit more clearly than on most tracks. And Daron definitely plays a solo here, although it's clean (no distortion). There's a lot of tempo changes on this track, which makes it very interesting to listen to. The double bass from Jon at the ending is a very nice touch. Yet another rating of 8/10

6. This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm on this Song - 2:08 - Yeah, you read that right. This crazy piece of work reminds me very strongly of "F**k the System" off Steal This Album, but it has much more musical depth. The lyrics are some of the album's most bizarre, but it's System of a Down-what do you expect? It's a good headbanger and I enjoy it quite a bit. 9/10 for this one.

7. Violent Pornography - 3:31 - Now this is some good music! Definitely one of Serj's wackiest performances...the verses almost make "Storaged" (from the Sugar EP) seem like a slow waltz. And then the chorus comes along, slower, more melodic. Like many of the tracks on here, this song jumps around like a prog song played a 4x. Jon and Serj are the ones who really shine here, but Daron and Shavo get the job done. Maybe my favorite track on the album, it earns a 10/10.

8. Question! - 3:20 - This one reminds me of "Aerials." It's probably going to be a single eventually, as it's less wild and catchy as all hell. But that doesn't mean there's no substance to it; it's a heartfelt performance by everybody. Another one of my favorites. 10/10.

9. Sad Statue - 3:25 - Another great track, featuring some more brilliant work from Daron. There are some more ridiculous lyrics, but again, what else would we expect from these guys? At one point, it almost sounds like Daron's going to break into a solo, but he never does. Despite that, this track still gets a 9/10.

10. Old School Hollywood - 2:56 - This is only real throw-away track on here. It's kind of a generic nu-metal piece with more electronic noises than I've ever heard on any song by System of a Down. It has a semi-cool riff and some catchy vocal lines, but that's pretty much all it is. Still, I don't dislike it enough to skip it when listening to the CD, so I'll give it a 5/10.

11. Lost in Hollywood - 5:02 - The album closes with a ballad in the vein of "Roulette," but slower and better. Daron does almost all the vocals on this track and does a good job of it, too. He has a strange-sounding voice, but it's strange in a good way. I like this song a lot, so 9/10 for the closer.

Overall, that averages to a 8.5/10 for the album, which is pretty respectable, especially when you consider that there's only one track on there that's less than an 8/10. If you leave out "Old School Hollywood," the average comes to 8.9/10, which is not too shabby at all. That's worth a 4.5 on Amazon's scale, but they don't let us give partial points, so I rounded it down since a 5 implies perfection...and Behemoth's "Demigod" is the only album I can think of that deserves that rating.

Bottom line: Mezmerize is awesome. Get it. You won't be disappointed. Like I said in another thread, it's the System of a Down we all know and love...only more so.

It seems that the last few years have have been a creative desert in the world of music, whether it be commercial pop, metal, alternative rock and whatever other catagory there is. Apart from a few exceptions, most popular acts today are just rehashed versions of something that came before, predictable and formula based.

Not System of a Down.

'Mezmerize' is fresh and unpredictable, humourous yet still politically biting. Basically these guys know how to have fun, not take themselves too seriously yet voice real social issues. Regardless of how heavy or franetic the tracks of 'Mezmerize' get, there is still fantasic melody present over their deep grooves and in most cases, infectious vocal harmonies. The musical arrangements are complex and diverse yet they don't 'flog the musical log' for the sake of progressiveness. The production is outstanding, clear, tight, full and rich, you will be hard pressed to find a fault with the sound of 'Mezmerize'.

There are moments of commercial pop in amoungst the low end thrash and the chorus of 'B.Y.O.B' is a classic example of this. Who can resist the line "Everybodies going to the party, have a real good time." That just goes around and around in your head for days but you don't get sick of it. And that lines double meaning is very sharp, probably refering to the allied forces or Bush's cronnies getting together to secure their superannuation by planting the ol' stars and stripes on an Iraqie oil field after their armed forces have obliterated the local populous. Anyway, take it how ever you want it, this track is a little ripper.

I believe you would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't get something from this album.