It seems hard to believe there was ever a time when rock fans were starved of gigs and new releases. But post-grunge things weren’t too clever for your average metal fan. The late nineties were like a barren desert with only mavericks like Jonathan Davis’ Korn forging ahead towards what became nu-metal. I’ve never liked that term but one band stood out with their debut release around this period and that was System of a Down.  

Sadly the time wasn’t quite right for them but, as the twentieth century turned inevitably into the twenty-first, the timing became perfect for the band’s second album ‘Toxicity’. Released early September, 2001 it went straight to the top of the American charts…just in time for the tragedy of the Twin Towers terrorist attack on September the 11^th.  

Now no one is saying that other’s misfortune was SOAD’s gain. On the contrary as the group were (and still remain) controversial. But what I am saying is that the crazy times we lived in back then (and still are come to think of it) are perfectly embodied by the content of ‘Toxicity’. Clearly America’s (and the western world’s) state of paranoia meant that there was an above average interest in SOAD’s work. The iconic single ‘Chop Suey’ really put the cat amongst the pigeons and I suppose there was almost something spookily prophetic about the release of ‘Toxicity’. 

Recorded at Cello Studios in Hollywood, California (the band hail from Glendale, California) and produced by Rick Rubin ‘Toxicity’ has gone on to become a bit of a monster. With multi-platinum sales the band clearly struck a nerve. In many ways it is a typical Rubin production job with dry sounding guitars and vocals augmented by the intense singing of Serj Tankian and the total nutter that is guitarist Daron Malakian, who also doubles on vocals occasionally.  

However Rubin excelled himself by creating a humongous arse tearing overall sound that hovers vicariously close to thrash whilst still keeping the band’s signature sound. (Listen to ‘Psycho’ as a good example with System showing a healthy nod towards their Armenian roots in-between all the mayhem.) 

In fact their Armenian heritage is one of the big factors in SOAD’s maverick approach. It gives them an edge and some er, interesting twists and turns both musically and lyrically as on the intense but wacky ‘Jet Pilot’. ‘Bounce’ is one of the weirdest songs ever recorded and so is ‘Shimmy’ come to think of it! 

So that’s all well and good then. But why, I hear, is this an influential album? Well to be honest ‘Toxicity’ was probably the album that got me thinking about rock music seriously again. At last here was a band capable of creating new, vibrant heavy guitar based music that was neither derivative nor stale and was lyrically challenging. It showed there was a future for rock and, like a beacon, it has paved the way for its return to former glories. 

You see what’s so beautiful about ‘Toxicity’ is that such an eccentric piece of work should reach out to the masses. Timing is part of its success but with genius like opener ‘Prison Song’ and then ‘Needles’, the aforementioned ‘Chop Suey’, the title track and the album's stunning tour de force ‘Aerials’ you realise that we probably won’t see the like of ‘Toxicity’ again. It’s a one off and remains as arguably the only classic rock album of the 21^st century so far. 

Let us know your views on Toxicity

Track Listing

Prison Song
Needles
Deer Dance
Jet Pilot
X
Chop Suey
Bounce
Forest
ATWA
Science
Shimmy
Toxicity
Psycho
Aerials

Line Up

Daron Malakian - Guitars/Vocals
Serj Tankian - Vocals/Keyboards
Shavo Odadjian - Bass
John Dolmayan - Drums