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List Price: $7.99 | | Label: Sony
Salesrank: 3299
Released: June 30, 1998 |
| Our Price: $4.37 |
| Used Price: $2.31 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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System of a Down Track Listing:
1. Suite-Pee
2. Know
3. Sugar
4. Suggestions
5. Spiders
6. Ddevil
7. Soil
8. War?
9. Mind
10. Peephole
11. Cubert
12. Darts
13. P.L.U.C.K. (Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers)
Editorial Review:
No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating: PA
Release Date: 30-JUN-1998
Description of System of a Down:
This debut by the L.A.-based quartet is a hybrid of explosive rap-metal, politically incendiary lyrics, and wide-ranging cultural influences. The members are of Armenian descent, but their diverse stylistic background transcends easy cultural labeling. Singer Serj Tankian's throaty roar competes with any mosh-pit rocker around, but his real trademark is his emotional wail and refreshingly melodic singing, especially on songs such as "Spiders" and the condemnatory "P.L.U.C.K." Guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian, and drummer John Dolmayan lock in tight on the capricious arrangements of "Know," "Ddevil," and "CUBErt." Their musical diversity runs wonderfully wild on "Sugar" and "Suggestions" with dizzying shifts of style and intensity. The tracks "Peephole" and "War?" reveal the band at perhaps its eclectic best, with vaguely Eastern European-sounding guitar riffs, passionate battle cries, and samples provided by legendary hip-hop producer Rick Rubin. --Mark McCleerey
System of a Down Reviews:
Return to Teenage Years 
2009-09-11 - I was an avid listener of this SOAD debut back when I was in High School. Now, as I return to the album, I can still get a kick out of this kick*** music. Everything from Serj's energetic vocals to Daron's awesome guitar melodies really stand out. The songs "Spiders," "P.L.U.C.K.," "Know," and of course "SUGAR" are some of my all-time favorites. Thanks, SOAD, for creating this great first album.
Grade: A
SOAD blows your mind
2009-06-26 - You must own this album!!!!! If you love metal and hate the government, buy this freakin' album. A classic, easily
dayum
2008-11-01 - ive had this album for years, and i never get sick of it. im not usually into this kind of stuff... harder stuff. but this... this is just plain GOOD! if you like System and youve never heard this, do yourself a HUGE favor and pick this up. NOW! imo, its their best...
Less melodic, more psychotic 
2008-08-12 - 3 1/2
A solid attack sucker punch of flavored, offbeat hardcore came with the Armenian-american groups debut combining relentless hostility, eccentrically powerful vocals, melodic transcendence, and a dash of old-world flavor to boot. It's no wonder the band immediately stood out in a genre all but known for it's generic torment. Not all of the album works properly; the songs eventually tend to bleed together, at worst into a type of pummeling oddball metal gimmickry, but a distinct mark upon their craft hinted at an important career to come.
Definitely not a typical metal band debut 
2008-07-26 - In the age of the new millenium, there were many metal bands whose metal was extremely downcast and anarchistic, but very few of them really distinguished themselves. System of a Down was one band than set themselves apart from the crowd--they clearly had a political leftist fury, but they had a sense of humor too.
"Sugar," System of a Down's first single, was just plain weird. It alternates between a swing drum beat and a heavy guitar burst, and Serj is singing about oppression, but in quirky monologues about kicking his girl in the "Ooh! Baby! She's okay!" I have to admit that I really passed this single off as a cheesy 90s comedy song, but gradually I loved listening to them.
System of a Down has a Middle Eastern-style to them as well, with very characteristic chord progressions. The guitarists were incredible for making heavy metal sound far different than it ever sounded.
Whether Serj is yelping weird lyrics in "Ddevil" or screaming in "Suite-Pee," he really showed that metal had so many dimensions. In "P.L.U.C.K." Serj Tankian shows off his maddening anger at genocide, screaming "Die! Why?!? Walk Down! Walk Down!".
And the drummer really knows how to set the band in different beat rhythms, sometimes playing in a seven beat rhythm, then switching back to four beats. He sure knows how to slide in those speedy drum rolls and offbeat rhythms.
This debut shows that System of a Down clearly makes a half-anarchist, half-hilarious lineup of songs so entertaining. Clearly System of a Down is going to be remembered for being one the craziest, but most eclectic metal bands around.
