Building a Solid Heavy Metal Collection: Part 4 of 25

System of a Down is one of the most talented bands I've ever come across. They are brutal yet catchy and overall amazing musicians who have really perfected their craft. Many people regard Toxicity as their best album and I agree that it is fantastic. Blender magazine regarded it as one of the 500 CDs you must own. Rolling Stone ranked it 44 out of the top 100 CDs of the 2000s. It was great at the time, and it holds up but Mesmerize is just a beautiful crescendo of metal. It shows growth as musicians and human beings. I wish I could include Hypnotize since it's technically a double album. The two back to back is like listening to a modern symphony. It plays with your emotions and it makes you think, which is rare for music these days.

Mesmerize opens with a heart-wrenching introduction Soldier Side, which gives you a small dose of the raw emotion that lies ahead. B.Y.O.B. comes in and knocks you right on your tush. It was also the first single released from Mesmerize. I'm glad they released B.Y.O.B. first, they could have easily picked a more radio friendly tune like Radio/Video or Sad Statue. Instead they took one of the fastest and heaviest song on the album and said "Hey, up yours."

Revenga is a sweet track that really reaches deep down in me, and my secret love for Polka music. It's a fun track to sing along with even though it's about getting revenge on a former dishonest lover. The highlight of this track is the ending where the tempo just keeps getting quicker and quicker. It really gives you a chance to really rock out to a Polka beat. Finntroll is pretty infamous for this too.

The final four tracks really tie the entire album together. Question! is the highest point of tension on the album and you can feel the CD start to wind down after that. Sad Statue has a great chorus and really reflects the state of the country at that point in time. Their lyrics have always been politically driven which brings forth the passion behind their music. Mesmerize is as the title suggests a mesmerizing album that pulls you in. It's a quick 33 minutes long so follow it up with Hypnotize and enjoy the beautiful madness that is System of a Down.

Key tracks No.3 - Revenga, No. 8 - Question! and No. 11 - Lost in Hollywood.

Album cover provided by amazon.com.