system of a down "mesmerize" / "hypnotize" POLL

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kinda hard to believe these were released all the way back in two thousand and goddamn five. tough to think of major label rock records released since that are quite this doggedly weird and tonally all over the place. I miss these guys, and it's pretty wild that they've toured a fair bit in the interim and seem to mostly get along but just can't seem to make any more music together. (side question for this poll: are any of the albums Serj or Daron worked on since this came out worth a listen?)

(this poll was inspired by finding both albums separately at value village today; thanks to the fact that the packaging slots together I was able to charge it as one item :/ (which, tbh, is how it should have been released in the first place))

Poll Results

OptionVotes
"B.Y.O.B." 5
"Hypnotize" 4
"Soldier Side - Intro" 2
"Stealing Society" 2
"Question!" 1
"Dreaming" 1
"This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm on This Song" 1
"Vicinity of Obscenity" 1
"U-Fig" 0
"Tentative" 0
"She's Like Heroin" 0
"Lonely Day" 0
"Holy Mountains" 0
"Kill Rock 'n Roll" 0
"Attack" 0
"Lost in Hollywood" 0
"Old School Hollywood" 0
"Sad Statue" 0
"Violent Pornography" 0
"Radio/Video" 0
"Cigaro" 0
"Revenga" 0
"Soldier Side" 0


Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 03:14 (six years ago)

argh, wrong board, currently fixing

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 03:15 (six years ago)

“violent pornography” is a weird song to get stuck in your head every few months and yet this is my life

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 04:12 (six years ago)

“radio/video” i think though i barely remember hypnotize

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 04:13 (six years ago)

hypnotize is by far the better album imho

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 04:35 (six years ago)

v tempted to vote for "Stealing Society" which sounds sort of like a lost Dead Kennedys song and has the best Daron/Serj balance

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 04:46 (six years ago)

hypnotize is by far the better album imho

― Simon H., Friday, March 8, 2019 9:35 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

absolutely impossible to say about an album with “lonely day”

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 09:13 (six years ago)

God I haven't listened to this band in years. Going on memory, I'm tempted to go for Holy Mountains as it's uncharacteristically long and epic iirc

like him hate us? Sure you are. Its in the cool aid. (ultros ultros-ghali), Saturday, 9 March 2019 13:21 (six years ago)

I also preferred Hypnotize despite Lonely Day lol

like him hate us? Sure you are. Its in the cool aid. (ultros ultros-ghali), Saturday, 9 March 2019 13:21 (six years ago)

Yeah that and Vicinity of Obscenity are pretty bad, but the rest of the album kills.

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 13:29 (six years ago)

lol i guess i've always felt alone preferring the crazy pop metal songs w harmonies on the first one

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:11 (six years ago)

“violent pornography” is a weird song to get stuck in your head every few months and yet this is my life

― jolene club remix (BradNelson)

Yes it's a darn catchy chorus.

I think it's Hypnotize or Dreaming for me.

chap, Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:15 (six years ago)

The first instrumental bridge section on Hypnotize with the fast balalaika sounding guitars is thrilling.

chap, Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:16 (six years ago)

i can't answer the question in the op bc 1. hearing daron's voice without serj accompaniment is... no thanks 2. singles from the serj solo records were always super underwhelming

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:17 (six years ago)

Loved the first two SOAD albums, and hated these two because there was so much Daron stuff. Haven't heard them since they were new.

Serj's solo albums are at least worth checking out. Daron's solo material is hot melted garbage.

grawlix (unperson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:30 (six years ago)

if you dropped the "Hollywood" two-fer and the iffy penultimate trio on Hypnotize I reckon you're left with an album roughly on par with the other ones

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 15:57 (six years ago)

feel like i agree with that though iirc i like the gonzoness of "old school hollywood"

i need to revisit these already

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Saturday, 9 March 2019 16:27 (six years ago)

Tony Danza waits in line!

space rock gapdyx = SADPOE (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 9 March 2019 16:37 (six years ago)

I prob gotta go with "Kill Rock and Roll" here but "Revenga" and "This Cocaine" are v tight runner-ups

space rock gapdyx = SADPOE (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 9 March 2019 16:39 (six years ago)

"Lost in Hollywood" is a pretty song actually, it's just sunk by Daron's boring/awful lyrics

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 16:41 (six years ago)

also when he croons lead he sounds a bit like...Trey Parker

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 16:43 (six years ago)

(actually every other song in the great run from "Dreaming" to "Tentative" is a tight runner-up xxp)

space rock gapdyx = SADPOE (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 9 March 2019 17:44 (six years ago)

yeah "Tentative" is a great deep cut, awesome groove, haunting chorus, feels like a lost song from the s/t

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 18:07 (six years ago)

hypnotize is the best song ever for singing along to in the car. i sing it to myself at least weekly when i pick up my kids from school....

iimmmm juuuuust sitttttin iiiin myyyy carrrrr and waaaaiting for my KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDS

etc

serj's voice is just outrageously fun to (try to) imitate

but I can't let Trae do it I got Huerter on my mind (Spottie), Saturday, 9 March 2019 18:47 (six years ago)

Question! is in contention with Hypnotize for my pick here.

but I can't let Trae do it I got Huerter on my mind (Spottie), Saturday, 9 March 2019 18:50 (six years ago)

love the trick they pull on that one's last chorus, speeding up the music but switching the vocals to half-time

Simon H., Saturday, 9 March 2019 19:01 (six years ago)

for sure, they are masters of that. they do it on both of those tracks I think.

but I can't let Trae do it I got Huerter on my mind (Spottie), Saturday, 9 March 2019 19:16 (six years ago)

One of the singles, I never bought either of these unlike Toxicity or Steal This Album. might honestly vote for B.Y.O.B., sorry.

flappy bird, Saturday, 9 March 2019 22:02 (six years ago)

I did go to one of their concerts on this tour, summer 2005. it was my second concert ever. I went for The Mars Volta, and wanted to stay for some of SOAD but my dad wanted to leave.

flappy bird, Saturday, 9 March 2019 22:03 (six years ago)

this fucking terrible band called Bad Acid Trip opened for TMV

flappy bird, Saturday, 9 March 2019 22:03 (six years ago)

All of these songs, and it'll still be 'B.Y.O.B.' in a landslide.

Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Sunday, 10 March 2019 07:47 (six years ago)

when these records came out my mom really responded to "byob" for some reason? she still really likes this band

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 11 March 2019 15:51 (six years ago)

I was really startled when I first heard the club mix for 'b.y.o.b.'

space rock gapdyx = SADPOE (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 12 March 2019 00:06 (six years ago)

the thing that's so annoying to me about Daron promoting himself to co-lead singer or whatever is that his voice is SO well-suited to acting as accompaniment for Serj. I'd even say his backing vocals are some of the best in metal/alt-rock/whatever.

Simon H., Tuesday, 12 March 2019 00:28 (six years ago)

otm

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 12 March 2019 00:55 (six years ago)

I do find it rather endearing that their unwavering commitment to democracy is what has apparently kept them from making any new music. they're all too nice to be tyrants, apparently. it's weirdly wholesome!

Simon H., Tuesday, 12 March 2019 01:42 (six years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:01 (six years ago)

Gonna vote "Hypnotize," what a jam

ebro the letter (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:09 (six years ago)

sticking with "Stealing Society"

Simon H., Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:14 (six years ago)

ok finally got around to these and uh maybe i'm voting for "revenga"???

it's in the making baby
aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:17 (six years ago)

Gonna vote "Hypnotize," what a jam

― ebro the letter (Whiney G. Weingarten), Monday, March 18, 2019 5:09 PM (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this is where i settled

but I can't let Trae do it I got Huerter on my mind (Spottie), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:18 (six years ago)

goddammit "violent pornography" is stuck in my head again

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:28 (six years ago)

the harmonies on "question!" kill me

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:34 (six years ago)

the lyrics of "lost in hollywood" are godawful but i really like the song

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:45 (six years ago)

well i'm glad hypnotize is finally clicking with me... i don't know how many years later, don't tell me

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:48 (six years ago)

"dreaming" is fucking CRAZY

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:51 (six years ago)

John Dolmayan doesn't get namechecked enough but he's doing a little of everything on these albums

Simon H., Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:54 (six years ago)

what was WRONG with me

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:54 (six years ago)

Well tbf it does fall apart near the end. "Soldier Side" is gorgeous though

Simon H., Tuesday, 19 March 2019 01:57 (six years ago)

i guess i just listened to mesmerize way too much when it came out and couldn't absorb any new soad? i remember "dreaming" and "kill rock & roll" but didn't respond to their hooks at all idk why

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:01 (six years ago)

ugh i keep forgetting it's technically mezmerize

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:01 (six years ago)

hm yeah wtf happens to this album after "holy mountains"

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:21 (six years ago)

before that and including was basically toxicity quality and now they're selling ass for heroin banana terracotta pie

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:22 (six years ago)

it's fine i've realized after these last 800 posts that this is still a really good double album

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:23 (six years ago)

It's wild that their totemic Armenian genocide song, presumably so close to their hearts, is followed by....that

Simon H., Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:24 (six years ago)

gonna go with my heart and vote for "dreaming"

jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, 19 March 2019 02:27 (six years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Wednesday, 20 March 2019 00:01 (six years ago)

Intro voters, show thyselves (I really should have just excluded it to cut down on confusion)

Simon H., Wednesday, 20 March 2019 00:06 (six years ago)

Pretty sure I ended up going for Question!

like him hate us? Sure you are. Its in the cool aid. (ultros ultros-ghali), Wednesday, 20 March 2019 00:11 (six years ago)

Anyway what this poll really tells me is that SOAD lost all/most of their cultural cachet, which is really too bad

Simon H., Wednesday, 20 March 2019 00:14 (six years ago)


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