Having bought this album a couple of days after its release, I figured I'd let the hype (debuted at number 1 on the BillBoard chart) and expectation (close to three years since Steal This Album! was "released") die down a little and have a few listens before writing about it.
They can go from straight up hard rock to thrash to metal infused folk within the same song before you can say "genre bending". They also combine influences of Eastern European folk, punk, ska and kitsch (Knight Rider theme anyone? Check out I-E-A-I-A-I-O) with their unique brand of metal. You could, maybe, hum a riff ... if you're lucky.
So why am I humming a previously un-hummable band's song? Because its downright catchy. Its melodic and memorable and has a great hook. No, dear reader, System of a Down have not sold out. They have mastered their art.
The song which I have been humming is called B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bombs). If you haven't heard it yet you might soon given it's been nominated for a Grammy. The chorus is downright infectious, to the point of being poppy, although I doubt we'll be seeing any Idol hopefuls performing that as part of their auditions.
Don't get me wrong, this album is anything but poppy. It's still a typical System of a Down album in that it defies definition or classification. Take for example the above mentioned track. It starts off sounding like early Metallica and then the chorus kicks in ("Everybody's going to the party, have a good time. Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine") and you could almost dance to it. And then "Blast off. It's party time" and you're suddenly into what sounds like Slayer's Reign in Blood. What the?
All the while vocalist Serj Tankian and guitarist / vocalist Daron Malakian are either trading verses or harmonizing on the chorus. Its an effective one-two sucker punch that works through most of the songs on this album and is a change from previous albums when Tankian carried the bulk of the vocal duties. Malakian sings a whole lot more on this and brings a raspy, squeaky, manic contrast to
Tankian's dramatic, sometimes operatic delivery. Their collaboration brings an element of fun to this album and the listener is always second guessing as to which one of the vocalists will go on one of their trademark tangents.