Love/Hate: System of a Down

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With System of a Down, it doesn't seem like there's any middle ground. Most people, upon hearing them, either love them or hate them. Do you love System of a Down, or hate them?

― Nickalicious, Monday, 4 November 2002 15:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I have never heard a note of their music. I really don't feel much of a need to.

But I must say, they have more slash fan fiction written about them than any other band I care to think of in recent years...

― kate, Monday, 4 November 2002 15:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Interesting question. I'm actually still torn between hating them and loving them (although it's closer to hating them or tolerating them). On the one hand, I appreciate their sort've strange aesthetic, yet am completely turned off by their guitarist's blindsighted appreciation for Charles Manson. I like the crunch, but hate the lyrics. I like their production, but hate their name.

At the end of the day, though, they're all avowed Killing Joke fans, so how could I completely condemn them?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 4 November 2002 16:24 (twenty-three years ago)

i love them for their jokey fast-paced 'pogo' style numbers (esp. the one about the pogostick and 'Prison Song'), the slower tracks like 'Aerials' seem pretty poor really so 'hate' em for everything else, but i'm proof there is a middle ground as i'm largely indifferent

― blueski, Monday, 4 November 2002 16:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Right on, most people I've come across seem to love 'em or hate 'em, so it's good to see a couple "Idunnos".

For the record, I really like them...they're one of the first bands in a long time whose music gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it.

Wait...did you call "Prison Song" 'jokey'? I'm confused now. :D

― Nickalicious, Monday, 4 November 2002 16:38 (twenty-three years ago)

well i find 'Prison Song' funny tho i guess thats not really intentional...hard to tell tho. i cant take any political messages in SOAD's stuff as seriously as i wouldve with Rage's stuff - perhaps this is unfair but Rage werent lumped into a sub-genre like SOAD were with 'nu-metal' - plus Rage's political stance was far more publicised and distinctive

― blueski, Monday, 4 November 2002 18:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I love "Toxicity". I quite like most of the album ("Aerials" is a little lame at the end of the day - it's the only song that sounds anything like that on the album) but I'd hesitate to say "love". I agree that lyrics are their biggest weakness. The vocals are excellent.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 4 November 2002 20:35 (twenty-three years ago)

No indifference here, just full-on hate. I hate their aesthetic, hate the songwriting, hate the lyrics, hate the production, mix AND mastering, hate their politics, hate their vocals, hate their guitar sound and riffs, hate their rhythm section, hate the gimmicks, hate the make-up, hate the videos, hate the whole fucking LA scene, hate the current state of their label, hate everything they stand for. Thank you very much.

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Make-up?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:17 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.systemofadown.com/images/bio-right.jpg
Or is this their natural skin pattern (which would explain a lot)?

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:30 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd never seen their Mudvayne impersonation!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Anyone who denies the genius of "Sugar" and "Chop Suey" is goshdurned fool, says I!

― Yancey (ystrickler), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:33 (twenty-three years ago)

The first half of "Toxicity" is great.

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought they were the worst thing I'd ever heard first time I saw the "Chop Suey" video. d'oh! They're top ! Not the kind of thing I'd tell friends, hey, there is this great band you should hear.. but striking & interesting & how much rock music is, lately ?

― daria gray (daria gray), Monday, 4 November 2002 23:38 (twenty-three years ago)

The guy in the background of the pic doesn't have any makeup... but he DOES look like he's a member of Eiffel 65..

― Curtis Stephens, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 00:23 (twenty-three years ago)

"Otherwise, the vocals are excellent."

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 01:31 (twenty-three years ago)

And with a "meh..." I disprove your theorem.

― Clarke B., Tuesday, 5 November 2002 02:07 (twenty-three years ago)

db: You mean before the "When I became the sun. . ." part?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 15:32 (twenty-three years ago)

"...hate the current state of their label..."

What, American Recordings? That's one of my favorite labels right now! With an artist roster ranging from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to Johnny Cash to Slayer, they've definitely got balls, to say the least.

― nickalicious, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Balls perhaps, but no focus, a number of terrible, terrible bands (Paloalto, SOAD, American Headcharge, Manmade God, the fucking Jayhawks) and with respect to the past works of Cash and Slayer, some tired and burned out old men.

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 17:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Most of the comments here mention Toxicity which is definitely the "easier" ( can't think of a better word) to listen to.. The first album is fucking excellent, I'm no "expert" and i couldn't write the way some of the people write about music on this board, but I know that listening to them makes you want to jump when your on the bus and shout, "fuckin come on then !!!!!! In particular it's the stop start precision and the kind of eastern sound of the guitars,

― Jimmy B, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 20:48 (twenty-three years ago)

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