Steal This Album | 
| Artist: System Of A Down
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $2.98
You Save: $5.01 (63%)
New (35) Used (42) Collectible (2) from $2.98
Rating:  423 reviews
Sales Rank: 2677
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.5
MPN: 87062
UPC: 069699870622
EAN: 0069699870622
ASIN: B00007E8V4
Release Date: November 26, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Chic 'N' Stew | | • | Innervision | | • | Bubbles | | • | Boom! | | • | N - guns | | • | A.D.D. | | • | Mr. Jack | | • | I-E-A-I-A-I-O | | • | 36 | | • | Pictures | | • | Highway Song | | • | F**k The System | | • | Ego Brain | | • | Thetawaves | | • | Roulette | | • | Streamline |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
With Rage Against the Machine disbanded, System of a Down ascend to the political aggro-rock throne, and with Steal This Album, the Los Angeles-based quartet prove themselves worthy to wear the crown. A play on the late activist Abbie Hoffman's Steal This Book, the album consists of 16 System songs from the mid-1990s through 2001. The band stresses the songs are not "B-sides or outtakes"; in fact, they clearly show System at their apex. These smart, varied songs feature Serj's frenetic, staccato, Jello Biafra-like phrasing atop the band's edgy, commanding, metal-meets-punk base. From the funny, frantic "Chic 'N' Stu," to "F**k the System," "A.D.D. (American Dream Disorder)," and "Boom!" System keep listeners guessing with discomfiting time changes that match up with Serj's incendiary lyrics. In keeping with their creative, fan-oriented approach, System are releasing four limited runs of the CD, each version featuring artwork from a different band member. This is not escapist rock. It's an intense and eye-opening aural history lesson you can mosh to. --Katherine Turman
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| Customer Reviews: Read 418 more reviews...
 Not their best, but still very enjoyable October 12, 2005
A. Stutheit (Denver, CO USA)
19 out of 22 found this review helpful
Considering it took four years to make "Toxicity," it's not (or shouldn't be) surprising that System of a Down had some leftover songs that they wanted heard. What is surprising, however, is that these b-sides were so good. Some songs here, like "Innervision" and "Chic `N' Stew," are as good as anything on System's last two discs. In fact, the band left some of these songs off of their last album not because they weren't good songs, but because they wanted "Toxicity" to have a different, more serious theme. A song like "Bubbles" wouldn't exactly fit if it were next to, say, "Aerials."
These 13 songs don't have as many powerful lyrics as "Toxicity," so "Steal This Album" doesn't have the sharp impact or depth that its predecessor had. But this C.D. is still very fun to listen to! Daron's riffs are still crunchy and heavy, sometimes (as in track three) almost flattening, and Serj's vocals are (as always) top-notch. ("Roulette" is probably the best example of his proper, nasal, almost soulful singing.) Plus, even though they're not AS good, the lyrics are still pretty intelligent. "Boom" is a bold, unabashed anti-war tirade, and has lyrics like "four thousand children die per hour from starvation/while billions spent on bombs/creating death showers."
Elsewhere, "Pictures" is a fairly odd song with catchy drumming, making it kind of sound like it's a b-side from System's first, self-entitled album. Next, "Highway Song" has a good soft-loud-soft dynamic, as well has a good give and take between the guitars and drums. "Ego Brain" seems in the same mold as "Toxicity"'s album closer, "Aerials," and "Roulette" features acoustic guitar plucking and even some violins. Other highlights include "Mr. Jack," "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," and the silly "F**k The System."
When it was first released, "Steal This Album" served as a nice snack to whet fans appetites for what was to come. Now, since "Mezmerize" was released earlier this year (2005), "Steal This Album" isn't any less good, it's just the band's best album, and not essential for casual System of a Down fans. But if you liked SoaD's first two albums, you're sure to like this, as well.
 YES May 3, 2005
pErFecTsToRm (USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
peter please go back to listening to limp bizkit and let the adults review this TALENTED band.
WHAT? THESE ARE B-SIDES? January 15, 2003
JiggyT (Texas)
14 out of 18 found this review helpful
No...I can't bring myself to believe that these are rejects. Well, I guess System's "trash" is another band's "aspiration". Other nu-metal bands could only hope to be half as good as SOAD's B-sides. I almost didn't waste the 11.99 on this cd but I'm so glad I did.1. Chic N Stu- This might be my favorite song on the whole damn album. Its worth stealing for this song alone! Worthy of anything on Toxicity (except for Needles and Deer Dance and Chop Suey and ATWA and Toxicity....) 10/10 2. Innervision- At first I was like, hmmm....its an okay song....but the more i listened to it the more I fell in love with it. Beautiful. 9/10
3. Bubbles- Wow. That's all I can say. 10/10
4. Boom!- I love the chorus to this song and the very end of it too. SOAD really knows how to end a song with a bang. 10/10
5. Nuguns- Not as good as the previous four songs...7/10
6. ADD- Again, this song didnt impress me the first 10 times I heard it. Then suddenly one day I was listening to it and I realized that it was one of the best songs. This CD keeps amazing me. 10/10
7. Mr Jack- A slower song but it picks up speed at the end and I LOVE the way it ends, when he screams and then it just cuts off. Very powerful. 9/10
8. A-E-I-E-I-O- If there were a single to this CD, this song would be it. All around catchy, very singable. 9/10
9. 36- Why so short? I want more! This is the strangest song by far, just because of the voice inflections and weird guitar thingy. "Life is so...unnecessary!" 8/10
10. Pictures- Another very catchy song. I like the little drum cadence. 9/10
11. Highway Song- Haunting, beautiful melody. 9/10
12. *uck the System- A tribute to what the band is all about. Amen. 9/10
13. Egobrain- A third song that I fell in love with after a few dozen listens. And getting better every time. 9/10
14. Thetaways- It's ok...kind of blends into the rest of the songs, doesn't stand out all that much to me. 7/10
15. Roulette- The guys slow down for a second here to catch their breath, I guess. And I'm glad they did- the result is...well...breath-taking. 9/10
16. Streamline- This one also kind of blends in and doesn't really stand out on its own. Don't get me wrong, still good though. 7/10 Hope that was helpful!
Intense and Thoughtful January 2, 2003
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This record is a huge mixture of sounds because of the time period it covers. Comprised of tracks from throughout the band's history, the sampling of their different sounds over the years is impressive. From the hard-hitting "Chic N' Stu" to the more thought-provoking "Streamline," it is easy to find something you like here. As a System fan, I saw the disc as a way to see their progression to where they are now, but any fan of rock will appreciate the overall sound of this record. Another important part of the record's appeal is the underlying messages of System of a Down. From the presentation of the case (no book included, CD is made to look like a CD-R that someone wrote on), to the title, "Steal This Album!," to the politically motivated songs included, it is easy to see where the band stands on many issues (especially their anti-war stance). Overall, "Steal This Album!" is definitely a record to own, if for many different reasons. System fans should buy it because it is a chance to hear unreleased songs from the band's past. Rock fans in general should buy it because it is a record with purpose that appeals to you no matter what style of "System" you prefer, hard-hitting or thought-provoking, and sometimes all of the above. Get your hands on this one, even if you have to follow the band's cynical advice and "Steal This Album!" Best tracks: "Innervision," "A.D.D.," "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," "Highway Song," and "Streamline."
More musical brilliance December 26, 2002
BD Ashley (Otago, New Zealand)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I first approached buying this CD with caution. Sure, the other 2 SOAD albums were brilliant, but what do you immediately think when you walk into the Metal section of the music store and see a CD which has no cover art and looks like a ripped album? Are you going to pay $??.95 for that?
Or is this just a damn clever gimmick? Yes it is. STEAL THIS ALBUM is an album that is well worth your money, and finds the band issuing previously unreleased material that spans their career to date. As you would expect, Serj Tankian is in full flight with his anti-consumer song CHIC'N'STU (only Serj could make screaming out the ingredients for casserole and pizza sound cool!) , and the soaring INNERVISION. There is also the nicely anti-authority track F**K THE SYSTEM as well as some gentler songs which will surprise some SOAD fans, but will also delight them too.
By inserting the CD into your computer you can access the album info such as lyrics etc. STEAL THIS ALBUM is a record well worth your money and will please SOAD fanatics both old and new. So if none of your friends or relatives got you this for Xmas (like mine), make sure STEAL THIS ALBUM is the first CD you buy in 2003. Got it?
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