helterskelter.ca

SYSTEM OF A DOWN
1998 - System Of A Down.
2001 - Toxicity.
way more Helter Skelter.

June 30, 1998 - 2023: 25 years of: System Of A Down.

The game was about to change ...one more time.

Los Angeles, Ground Zero for hardrock, hiphop and worldwide entertainment. During the twisted post-Seattle era, the dust never had time to settle. Following scene-shapers BODY COUNT, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and KORN ...the harden alternativemetal scene was about to get it's ass served on a sugar-platter. This entire system is going down.

The dirty tone soils the scene, as "Suite-Pee" bounces around and bodyslams the competition into a pulp. Growls and rapid-jabs keeps the hype up, as also demonstrated on "Know"', the stampede of "DDevil" and the metal-burst of "War ?". Jumpmetal is now a thang !

The bohemian vibe of "Peephole" is a party of it's own while the signature saccharine-filled hyperactive "Sugar" secured the band into the hierarchy of the ever blooming altmetal scene. Thank you again FAITH NO MORE for initially kicking our asses.

Once in a blue-moon, some left-field band fucks the standards and sets new guidelines for the future. Rock guru Rick Rubin produced, RIAA-certified 2x Platinum and ...nümetal ? ...why not, they don't care about your shitty labels. In sweaty Summer 1998, SYSTEM OF A DOWN were mofos on a mission.

Another rock-revolution has begun, the game would morph again as the world would get plucked, a week before 9/11: 2001's Toxicity CD.

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Sugar = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vBGOrI6yBk
Spiders = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqZNMvIEHhs
System Of A Down = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLoygPzMqyA&list=OLAK5uy_lp66bshuy1phaV1b0XUFAYLkNbdrZLSyo
Interview in Japan in 1999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5EkWJTF0bA
Live in Seattle in 1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN-zmoabMCo

September 4, 2001 - 2021: 20 years of: Toxicity.

"They're trying to build a prison."

Through the swamp of rapmetal wannabes and nümetal un-metals of the end of the millennium, a new vulgar display of power arises from the ashes of Los Angeles ...look up, look down, a new regime, a new system !

A solid left-punch was thrown with 1998's self-titled Rick Rubin produced exhibition and now the gloves come off for the finishing knuckle knock-out ...SYSTEM OF A DOWN is a total game-changer !

The opening cut "Prison Song" punches and stops, and devastates everything above sea-level. After the breakdown, this rough metal and funk pizzazz is oh so beautiful. The punk-grind-funk "Bounce" is a clever mix of NAPALM DEATH and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS ...yes its that wide opened !

The moshpit gets rowdier, literally as "Deer Dance" features, once again, strong lyrical content this time directly aimed toward toxic-city's own L.A.P.D.: "Pushing little children with their fully-automatics, they like to push the weak around". History repeats itself. The club-favorite "Chop Suey" is a an attempt to crack the mainstream with some multi-layered rock / metal / jazz, while the thrashmetal set-up of "Jet Pilot" and "Forest" provides some extra-crunch.

Social, relentless and definitely not sugar-coated, in a pre-9/11 world, they yell the truth, besides RIAA-certified 6x Platinum units sold can't be denied. Politics aside and armed with loud-mouths, the SoCal hardcorepunk mindset is alive and well with these lovely Armenian boys.

Welcome to the deer dance.

*
Chop Suey ! = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvFpBOe8eY
Toxicity = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iywaBOMvYLI
Toxicity = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjYOdTl7nxM&list=PLFfDTu7b6FEBXlDz18cghi4zCcBVUN4Um
Interview in 2001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35VosO2-Ag
Live in Lowlands in 2001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwl4DfdtkSw