Musical Dissection: System of a Down~
System of a Down:
I got into them about five years back; my boy Preach had done an AMV to their song Spiders. I’d heard their songs on the radio a few times, but never really had any inclination to check them out. I like to consider myself really discriminating when it comes to my choices in music, and I often hold judgement until I’ve heard multiple songs from any particular band before commiting to buy an album.
I’d really heard Spiders and Sugar after watching Preach’s AMV, and suddenly, I was hooked. Toxicity came out, and I went down to Independent Records and listened to the album. I was feeling vaguely rebellious and anti-government; I was on a jag, godammit, and I wanted to find out more. Fear Factory started that vibe, System of a down did it more intelligently. A interesting and pleasing blend of harsh and mellow, aggressive and smooth, melodic (and yet somewhat symphonic) and cacophanic noise. Some of the subjects are fucking, living, drugs, and other shit, but there’s a strong anti-government element to their shit.
Bring your own Beer (latest Track) Is an exact example of this particular mix of pleasing and rough mix. Like sandpaper and silk, tearing at your ears, adding salve, then doing it again. You can’t ignore it. The pain in your ears is a pain of love.
Their concerts are suitably loud, wild, and aggressive. You can’t help but want to get in there and express yourself as violently as you can.
Nothing conciousness-expanding here; it goes deeper and stays longer; it plays on the emotions, and plays them well.