Send the Poor, AKA Take on Mezmerize/Hypnotize

 ...Say whaaat? An EXTRA write-up for the month?! Donʼt get the wrong idea, i-itʼs not as if the lucky break happened because of a special occasion or anything... B-Baka. Before coming to Hecuba, I want to give a special shout-out to my elder sibling for introducing me to the troupe that furnished this record. So please welcome Armenian-American quartet System of a Downʼs Mezmerize/Hypnotize! 

Inconsistency meets intrigue -- and modern societyʼs legion of problems. 

*Terracotta pie intensifies*

That which fulfills the function of a double album has the tendency to arouse interest -- whether thatʼs in practice (e.g. Death Gripsʼ The Powers That B) or on paper (Speakerboxxx/The Love Below via OutKast). Throughout history, the model has encouraged artists to throw in extra for a second cylinder, convenient if disc numero uno had either 1) bloated tracklists; 2) the tunes equal a length longer than accepted. The format is good for spinning narratives and also a golden opportunity to explore your artistic side. Although, over the course of my lifespan, I HAVE chanced on examples that were better off pared down to a single CD. Systemʼs fourth (fifth?) LP Mezmerize/Hypnotize was a casualty of the dual approach. 

Launched in 2005, our alternative metal comrades divided the project -- both halves saw the light of day six months separate. Curmudgeons believed such a verdict was reached due to the band (or label) craving an assload of bread; in truth, this wasnʼt the case. System intended on letting their core audience absorb each track individually as opposed to the hits gaining an unfair advantage. A... smart move on their end, and a noteworthy aspect of Mezmerize/Hypnotize next to its Daliesque look adorned with Vartan Malakianʼs (father of Daron) paintings. Not nearly as iconic as the graphics for the groupʼs first two outings, yet nevertheless a lovely sight. 

So, what of the material? System were a distinguished bunch amid their peers for the diverse pool of lyrical topics Serj Tankian (Daron, too, on a smaller scale) tackled; heightened by a drive to remain socially conscious. In regards to the groupʼs sound and direction, smatterings of thrash; punk; hard rock; prog; Middle Eastern folk; and GRINDCORE would be assimilated in an effort to carve a unique identity. They got recognized for their erratic tempo shifts as well, exemplified on the heartrending “Chop Suey!”. Though Mezmerize/Hypnotize maintained a little of what the precursors carried, a rather orthodox rock/metal influence permeated its contents: harder emphasis on acoustics; simpler structures; and less incentive to utilize atypical instruments. In a word, System were portraying a pop release, and the most immediate in their discography. ...Not that it meant a lot.

Mezmerize/Hypnotize was the era in Systemʼs career when Daron had started to take center stage: supplying more lead vocals, penning lyrics to specific tracks alone (“Radio/Video”; “Soldier Side”), and provided bass opposite Shavo Odadjian. Meanwhile Serj played subordinate to Daronʼs superior, a scenario stemmed from creative disputes and a (supposed) growing indifference towards the metal scene. Switching up the status quo in that manner was just one reason Mezmerize/Hypnotize ranks lowest on my SoaD tier list. Daron was effective when drowned out on the mic during the  bandʼs prime, so for him to get involved 110% on vocals AND lyricism led to System preparing their worst numbers: elegiac “Lonely Day” was a wink and a nod away from bullheaded parody. Elsewhere “Old School Hollywood” -- about a celebrity baseball game Daron engaged in -- was misguided in its stab at synth-heavy dance rock, made dire due to the verses featuring a silly vocoder. And if I have to endure that goddamn “Sheʼs Like Heroin” AGAIN...!! To summarize, System never delivered bad material until this cycle. Production was another blemish on an otherwise adequate affair, thanks to the tag team of ‘Loudness War’ criminal Rick Rubin in tandem with Vlado Meller. Subpar audio quality was an issue for System that dated back to their S/T -- the only flaw plaguing that tour de force -- but a severe clipped aesthetic and lack of breathing room really stuck out this time around far as the weaker songwriting and disjointed flow were concerned. Mezmerize/Hypnotize is best heard in the lowest volume -- unless youʼre a card who fetishizes ruptured eardrums. You do you. 

There was an excellent recording underneath all the fluff. Repetitious as the songs were, several included allure, and no shortage of thrilling moments: aggressive stomper “B.Y.O.B.” stored enough urgency and thrashy nutrients to inspire a crowd; progressive gem “Question!” had four oscillating time signatures woven into a melancholic piece touching on the nirvana; “Radio/Video” was a bundle of depressing fun that incorporated polka and reggae motifs; and uncomplicated downtempo cut “Lost in Hollywood” served as a nice conclusion to the Mezmerize half, proving Daron can summon forth genuine, convincing pathos as a singer when he tries. Among Hypnotizeʼs powerhouses was the neglected “Stealing Society,” its vintage rock ʼn roll flavor infectious by default; “Vicinity of Obscenity,” where avant-garde chaos ensued and Dada reigned supreme; and then the sole 5-star composition in the whole saga named “Holy Mountains”... What a journey. Centered around the Armenian Genocide and Mount Araratʼs status as a historic symbol, the track was an epic threnody for the people who died -- those souls now resting at the volcano. If any song in the Mezmerize/Hypnotize period could rival the most formidable songs off the stretch from S/T to Steal This Album!, itʼs “Holy Mountains”. 

It bears repeating: beyond the claustrophobic mix, stronger Daron presence than necessary and track sequencing, Mezmerize/Hypnotize will forever be a disorganized, dense product that had the potential to be a treasure. 15 years later, I can bring myself to revisit at least a couple high points, but System of a Down and STA! are where itʼs at in terms of full-length experiences. While weʼre on the subject, hereʼs a hot take incoming in 3,2,1...

Toxicity is overhyped. Bye-bye!