System Of A Down: Daron Malakian (vocals, guitar); Serj Tankian (vocals, keyboards); Shavo Odadjian (bass guitar); John Dolmayan (drums).

Many rock bands talk endlessly about their “sound,” refining a basic formula until it's either perfect or perfectly boring. System of a Down, however, developed a loyal fanbase with the opposite approach–the group mixes genres so freely that describing what their music sounds like is nearly impossible. Sure, SOAD is, at its core, a metal band, but on MEZMERIZE's first two songs alone, vocalist/guita­rist/mastermind Daron Malakian and crew zigzag their way though Beach Boys-like stacked vocal harmonies, Anthrax-esque hardcore thrash, Cameo-style funk, and prog rock of a CARESS OF STEEL-era Rush variety. “Revenga” adds a touch of swooping Freddie Mercury vocal drama to the mix, while “Sad Statue” sports a guitar riff that sounds like a Greek bouzouki. Even sharper, tighter, and more ambitious than System of a Down's previous albums, MEZMERIZE makes for a consistently surprising listen.

What the critics say…

Rolling Stone (No. 975, pp.67–70) – 3.5 stars out of 5 – “[E]verything on MEZMERIZE hits and splits with viciously honed purpose…”
Spin (p.101) – “Moods are muddled even more artfully on MEZMERIZE.” – Grade: B+