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#1: Prison Song: About politics, prisons, police corruption, and just about everything wrong with the legal system. For obvious reasons (once you have listened to it) this is the funniest on the cd. 10/10

#2: Needles: Very bouncy, and sounds very strange, even for SOAD. Good song. 8/10

#3: Deer Dance: Follows the same subject matter as Prison Song, but in a more serious fashion, and with riot topics thrown in the mix. Great song. 9/10

#4: Jet Pilot: A very fast and short hit, and this one sounds like nothing but noise........ Not so great. 6/10

#5: X: Kind of like Jet Pilot, only shorter. 6/10

#6: Chop Suey!: The year's weirdest single, and really cool.
10/10

#7: Bounce: Funny song, confusing, and cool. 10/10

#8: Forest: A great song, heavy, and the best on the cd. 10/10

#9: ATWA: Doesn't make much sense, but it's ok. 7/10

#10: Science: Good song, not much special about it. 8/10

#11: Shimmy: The same style as Jet Pilot and X. 7/10

#12: Toxicity: Cool song, about city life and the poison
of it. 10/10

#13: Psycho: Bouncy song about cocaine crazed groupies. 9/10

#14: Aerials: Much longer than a typical system song, and
really cool. 9/10

This is a good cd, and modern rock/metal fans will find it very enjoyable. Classic rock fans, on the other hand, probably won't. Altogether, it's a good cd, recommended to modern rock fans.


One of the BEST albums I have EVER heard, No Joke...   September 14, 2001
 44 out of 50 found this review helpful

I really doubted the SOAD could top their incredible self-titled debut, but they have...and FAR surpassed expectations. This album is such an amazing accomplishment of modern metal that I find myself almost speechless. Serj Tankian is this generation's Jello Biafra. His lyrics are pointed, political, and biting. He does not flich when giving his opinions, whether it be on the state of modern collegiate education (Shimmy) or the overcrowded penitentiary system of the USA (Prison Song). As a whole work, Toxicity succeeds on EVERY level, the music is raw and hits you like a blast of adrenaline. The best thing about Toxicity is that it plays as a WHOLE album, something that is extremely rare in today's watered down metal climate. Every track on this cd is strong, it is UNRELENTING and BRUTAL. Some of my very favorites are Jet Pilot, Prison Song, Forest, Aerials, and Toxicity. The song Toxicity anchors the album and is the absolute best thing that SOAD has done so far. Bringing in Rick Rubin was a great decision because the strengths of SOAD have been maximized(Tankian's ranting, fast and numerous tempo changes, and Dean's heavy riffing) and the weaknesses simply no longer exist. The track placement on Toxicity is to be commended as well and much credit should go to Rubin. I never thought I would say this but this album smokes TOOL's LATERALUS by miles (and I'm a huge TOOL fan). Toxicity will hit you like a scud missile quick and deadly, but the remains will be with you for a lifetime. HiGhLy ReComMeNdEd.


One of the best hard rock albums of 2001   March 6, 2002
 36 out of 46 found this review helpful

I'm not too impressed right now with the current state of hard rock. 95% of today's hard rock acts sucks because lyrically and musically they are cliched and contrived. This whole nu metal genre reminds me of when hair metal ruled the airwaves back in the early to late '80s. Then out of the sea of contrived and cliched rock bands that one rare band will stand apart from its peers with an album that shakes the foundations of hard rock. That band is System of a Down with it's latest album "Toxicity".

I wasn't immediately impressed with System of a Down when I first heard its first single "Chop Suey". It was all noise and no substance to me but when I heard "Toxicity", the gorgeous middle eastern melodies changed my attitude. I bought "Toxicity" through a record club so I could get more bang for my buck as opposed to paying close to $20 for one cd. I was greatly impressed with what I heard on "Toxicity". I completely hear what many critics heard and why they listed that album as one of the best releases of 2001.

The lyrics may lean on the left side of politics which I don't think is bad. It sure beats listening to the same ol' BS of "life sucks" from bands like Papa Roach and Slipknot. That old line is so cliched and contrived, not to mention lacks any imagination in songwriting. Musically, this album packs a real punch. Like I said before, I loved the middle eastern melodies that the band incorporated in the band's music. That and their politically-charged lyrics are what set this band apart from their peers like Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. The title track and "Chop Suey" are just two of my favorite songs on this album. "Prison Song" kicked major butt as does "Pyscho". I wish hard rock bands would follow System of a Down's suit, not the ways of Limp Bizkit, Nickelback, and Puddle of Mudd.


Absolutely Brilliant!   November 24, 2001
 19 out of 19 found this review helpful

Many fans awaited this album with a single question in mind:Can SoaD possibly make an album better than their first? Well, the answer has become blazingly clear-YES! From the first jolting chord of "Prison Song" to the final whisper of "Aerials" it is quite obvious that you aren't dealing with a mere rock band, but a musical force to be reckoned with. So many young bands suffer the "sophomore curse" when it comes to following up a breathtaking debut, but SoaD has managed to outdo themselves and what a pleasure it is to listen to. Always the consummate showman, vocalist/lyricist, Serj Tankian is definately the biggest standout of the group. His voice has matured quite a bit since the first album, and this transformation is very apparent. His dynamic range can only be described as awe-inspiring. He infuses his lyrics with such emotion that the words take on a life of their own. I have read quite a few reviews that dismiss his unusual lyrics a simply psycho babble, but this could not be further from the truth. There tends to be a fair amount of symbolism in SoaD's lyrics. If you simply take the words at face value all the time, of course some of it isn't going to make very much sense, but if you take your time to interpret the words for yourself, the meaning becomes very obvious. For example, "Bounce" may at first seem like a silly song about pogo sticks, but upon close listening, you'll find that it is actually a song about a promiscuous woman. Guitarist Daron Malakian also stands out. In a way, he has the ability to produce music that is just a unusual as Tankian's lyrics. He can go from heavy ("Science") to beautifullly soft (the opening of "Chop Suey!"). He also displays a great vocal talent by lending harmonies to Tankian's melodies on several tracks ("Chop Suey!" "ATWA" "Needles"). During the bridge of "Needles" he sings on his own, and the result is incredible. It seems that he has the ability to convey the few, and I emphasize few, emotions that Tankian cannot achieve. Bassist Shavo Odadjian is definately a very talented bassist. He seems to to far more than just provide a foundation for everyone else to play upon. If you listen to "Toxicity" and concentrate on the bass, you will be pleasantly surprised. As far as lyrical content, "Toxicity" must be one of the most diverse in recent years. Their politically charged material has garnered comparisons to Rage Against the Machine, but I think these comparisons are a little off. SoaD can be very political at times (particularly on "Prison Song" "Deer Dance" and "X"), but they can still have fun with a set of quirky lyrics ("Shimmy" "Bounce"). With Tankian's incredible vocal talent to work with, almost any type of song is possible. Despite the fact that this entire album is nearly flawless, a few tracks are bound to shine a little more than all the rest. "Prison Song" is a thought provoking criticism of the American prison system and its practices. The combination of a controversial topics and very catchy melodies seems to be the group's forte. "Deer Dance" is another very political song that basically calls out the wrongs of the LAPD. The meaning of the song isn't always obvious, but the line that points a definite finger is the "Beyond the Staples Center..." line. "Jet Pilot" just radiates the energy that SoaD possesses. The lightning speed and electric lyrical delivery in a way epitomizes what SoaD is all about. I have seen this song performed live and it is an incredible experience to witness. "X", at least in my opinion, picks up where "P.L.U.C.K." left off, telling the story of the Armenian Genocide. "Chop Suey!" is a stroke of pure genius, and everyone already knows that, enough said. "Forest" is probably Tankian at his most dynamic. His voice goes from high to low, and soft to loud almost effortlessly and that makes this one of the best tracks on the album, which is a great complement when the excellence of the rest is put into consideration. "ATWA" is aesthetically the most beautiful song on the album. The intricate melding of Tankian's melody with Malakian's harmony envelopes this song in a sort of a melancholic beauty that is unlike anything you have ever heard. The title track is kind of ambiguously political. Rather than pointing out a specific entity that is being criticized like in "Prison Song" and "Deer Dance", "Toxicity" just describes a situation and sort of lets you pick a specific on your own. My favorite track would probably have to be "Psycho". To be very honest, the song is simply about cocaine crazed groupies, and is quite a harsh criticism of them. There is a bit of irony in this when you consider that rock bands and groupies basically go hand in hand. The opening of the song is this terrific guitar driven crescendo that ends with Tankian maniacally chanting the chorus of the song. That opening almost drags you into the song and doesn't let go until the very end. Overall, "Toxicity" is a work of great minds and talent. It is clear exactly how much SoaD has expanded their musical horizons and have mastered their new styles incredibly. I think it would be safe to say that SoaD has their work cut out for them if they ever plan to top this!


What an awesome CD!   September 19, 2001
 18 out of 21 found this review helpful

What a great CD! Lemme give you a run down of the CD

1. Prison SONG: Great song, starts out fast stays that way. The singer's voice changes throughout the song. Great song if I was to rate out of 10, 10 is given
2. Needles: Good song, fast and furious, just the lyrics make this one a 9/10
3. Deer Dance: fast, then slow, but totally awesome. Great song and great beat and lyrics. Definetly a 10!
4. Jet Pilot: Another good song. Fast riff and great beat. 9.25/10 :)
5. X (Multiply): Great SONG! Hard Riffs, great beat and great lyrics. Tempo changes slightly and sounds awesome!
10/10
6. Chop Suey!: BEST SONG ON ALBUM! only forest, prison song and ATWA compare, but this song flat out kicks .... Starts slow, hits hard, goes slow, and then hits it hard again. Great lyrics Guitar sounds oddly tuned, but it fits perfectly. 11/10.
7. Bounce: GOod song, but coming after Chop Suey is a hard act to follow. Good song better than needles or jet pilot, just not the best song. 9.5/10
8. Forest: GOod LOrd how awesome! Only slightly less than Chop Suey! Great song. Tempo similar to Chop Suey, but awesome lyrics, my second favorite song on CD. 10/10
9. ATWA: Great song, with a great lead in from Forest. Mostly slow, but has a few heavy and hard hitting riffs. Great song 10/10
10. Science: Good song, good riffs, great lyrics. not much to say, definetly a good song 9.5/10
11. Shimmy: Short but sweet. Hard and Great lyrics, only wish it was longer, but thats ok :) 9.5/10
12. Toxicity: ANother Awesome song! SLow and then hard like many of the previous great songs, another 11/10 song
13. Psycho: Dark song, but great song. Hard riffs and great lyrics and tempo. 10/10
14. Aerials: Longest song on CD, but does that matter? no, its a great song. Great way to end the CD. 10/10

THis is a great CD, it mixes slow and hard tempos together to create a sound your ear will love. I am new to the S of a D scene, I just decided to buy this CD because I liked Sugar and Spiders off the last CD, but this CD blew me away. Its the first CD in a while that I could listen to the entire thing straight through. I highly recommend it. THanks for reading.