I’m Mezmerized by System of a Down’s Fourth Record

In an industry obsessed with genres and classifications, a band that simply refuses to fit into any one box can be unnerving. This is the case with System of a Down, an Armenian-American alternative metal band who are as polarising as they are beloved. Even that simple description of ‘metal’ is contentious: are they really metal, or are they just hard rock? System often get slapped with the label of ‘nu metal’, which I can’t help but feel insulted by on their behalf. Nu metal is a much-derided subgenre characterised by immature lyrics, tryhard rapping and poor-taste dreadlocks; if you ask me, System are too brilliant and original to be associated with that crowd. I think the specific genre of their music is much less worthy of discussion than its brilliance, and there is a lot to talk about in that regard.

Released on the 17th of May 2005, Mezmerize is System of a Down’s fourth studio album, following System of a Down (1998), Toxicity (2001) and Steal This Album! (2002). The band’s lineup, consistent since 1997, is the same one that recorded their first three albums: Serj Tankian (vocals, keyboards), Daron Malakian (guitars, vocals), Shavo Odadjian (bass) and John Dolmayan (drums). Production is handled by Malakian and Rick Rubin, with Andy Wallace responsible for mixing.

Rubin is a legendary producer, famed for co-founding hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings and collaborations with pioneering acts such as Public Enemy, Run-DMC and Beastie Boys. However, his credentials span far beyond rap. He has worked with pop artists like Kesha and Lady Gaga, alternative rock acts including Weezer and the Strokes and, most importantly to us today, a variety of metal bands. Rubin was the man behind Slayer’s Reign in Blood, one of the most acclaimed albums in all of thrash metal, and South of Heaven, my personal favourite entry in the band’s stellar catalogue. Rubin’s raw, unconventional, impactful production is a key part of what gave those albums their place in metal history, and it is obvious he was essential in shaping Mezmerize’s explosive brilliance.

Thrash metal is characterised by lightning quick tempos, technically complex guitar work and an abundance of ferocity and aggression. System of a Down were heavily influenced by 80s thrash legends like Slayer and Metallica, and it shows in Mezmerize in the best way possible. Two of the album’s highlights, ‘Cigaro’ and ‘This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m on This Song’, are filled with a maniacal energy highly reminiscent of thrash metal: fast, thundering and barely exceeding two minutes. Of course, System are never ones to stick to a single genre; the record is thrillingly diverse, incorporating Middle Eastern influences throughout and even utilising synthesisers on the painfully underappreciated ‘Old School Hollywood’.

I only have one real gripe with this album, but I think it’s worth mentioning. By Toxicity, Daron Malakian was taking on increased vocal duties, and two records later, he is practically juggling the role of lead singer with Serj Tankian. It is undeniable that Malakian is a crucial member of the band, perhaps the most vital to the creation of their music. As well as playing guitar and co-producing the album, he wrote all of Mesmerize’s lyrics, along with Tankian, and was the sole composer of all but one of the songs (‘Question!’, a Tankian co-write). However, it is also undeniable that he is a much weaker singer than the established lead vocalist, a fact that makes his vastly increased presence on this album somewhat unwelcome. Tankian has one of the most alluring voices in metal, going from frenzied shrieks to commanding, quasi-operatic belts often within the same track. By contrast, Malakian sounds tolerably wimpy at best and downright irritating at worst, making the listener wish he would stick to his commendable strengths.

This is not to say that Malakian’s vocal efforts spoil the album entirely. On the contrary, there are times when he fits the song perfectly and even enhances it. The finest example of this is ‘Lost In Hollywood’, the sublime album closer. Over the course of five emotionally potent minutes, Malakian spins an age-old, thoroughly grim tale: bright-eyed wannabe starlets arriving in Tinseltown full of hope and ambition, only to be spat out by the industry and reduced to selling themselves on the street. Malakian’s vocal delivery brilliantly serves the song’s bitter, defeated tone, and when Tankian joins him at the end, it makes for one of the most beautiful, heartrending moments in their discography.

There are other elements of Mezmerize that initially seem like weaknesses but prove to be a credit to the album, and the lyrics are one of them. I previously mentioned ‘Cigaro’: it is one of the most enjoyable songs on the record, and it contains a thoughtful message about egotistical, superficial pride and its destructive effect on politics and the world at large. However, if one were to look at the lyrics in isolation, they would likely be mystified at my insistence that this band is a cut above their childish, posturing nu metal peers. Yet, that is the brilliance of their songwriting: cloaking sharp, resonant meaning in songs that initially seem irreverent and ridiculous. System of a Down have always been a political band, and this album is no different. Most notably, the lead single, ‘B.Y.O.B.’ (‘Bring Your Own Bombs’), is a furious critique of the Iraq War. It is clear that beneath the half-crazed veneer of absurdity, System is a band with an important message to send.

Despite the extremely high bar set by the rest of their catalogue, I firmly believe Mezmerize is System of a Down’s best album. The typical pick would be their sophomore effort Toxicity, an indisputable classic. It is an album I deeply love, with undoubtedly the best singles of their career, and I completely understand people who believe it is their opus. With that said, Toxicity is eight minutes longer, and while that may not seem like much, it allows time for a few songs I could really do without (‘Science’ and ‘Psycho’ being the main offenders). Mezmerize, on the other hand, runs at a filler-devoid 36 minutes, so while Toxicity’s highs are on par (maybe even a little higher), Mezmerize edges it out on account of being a far tighter listening experience.

Mezmerize is actually the first half of a double album: its companion record, Hypnotize, was released on the 22nd of November 2005. As I write, Hypnotize is System’s final studio album, and like all their other work, it has many strengths: I consider its eighth song, ‘Holy Mountains’, to be the best the band has ever released. System of a Down’s almost twenty-year hiatus is a result of creative and political differences between the members, and while the band still perform together and released a double A-side single in 2020 to raise money for the Armenia Fund, it is uncertain whether Hypnotize will ever receive a full-length follow-up. Comeback albums are often of dubious quality, but even if System of a Down defied the expectations for aging bands and put out another great record, I doubt it would top Mezmerize. It stands out, even against several other phenomenal albums, as the finest achievement of one of the greatest bands of all time.

Originally published in edition 10 of the Wallace Times, 9/10/25.