Hypnotize (please keep the flaming out!)
So, for some musical discussion, I present System of a Down's newest album, Hypnotize, 39 minutes of exquisite metal that defies sub-genre classification (aka: no comments from Crushed Hope :p)
I've listened to it 9 times since wednesday when I got it (along with a free t-shirt), and can honestly say it's all good. Not quite the level of Mezmerize, but that album was more of a hit-you-in-the-face-so-hard-you'll-never-forget-it kind of thing... a non stop barrage of metal, with only songs like "Radio/Video" "Question" and "Lost in Hollywood" providing room to breathe (those are probably the best on the album, for that matter).
So- what are your favorite songs on Hypnotize? How would you rank the album against other SOAD releases?
My favorites have to be Attack, Dreaming, the title track, Viscinity of Obscenity, and Soldier Side (such an emotional ending!). While the album doesn't flow quite like Mezmerize, all the songs still run together well, and there are plenty of great vocal melodies to sing along to. There's even more interplay between Daron and Serj's voices on this one, and overall a wider use of sounds and styles in the songs than they've had before. This one is closer to Steal This Album as far as being all over the place, but even more so.
I've noticed Serj sings higher for the most part, and the album is much more treble than bass. Though it sounds great blasted way up, I prefer it on headphones for all the things going on in the songs.
The lyrics, while still random as hell and having both extreme political messages and the usual SOAD obscenities, are better than they have been for a while (probably since Toxicity), and easily better than Mezmerize (which had too few).
Here's how I'd rank the albums now, mind you, all good:
1. Mezmerize
2. Toxicity
3. Hypnotize
4. Steal This Album / Self-Titled.
Go ahead, discuss, but keep politics and metal sub-genres out of it!
