SOAD hypnotize/mesmerize

[aramism]

i am a huge SOAD fan and the first cd is one of my top 3 favorite albums ever and i've always been a huge self titled/toxicity fan and kind of dismissed the last 3 albums.

steal this album still is kind of so so with only a few songs i like the rest just throwaways to me. i've had mesmerize/hypnotize sine theyu came out but never got into them. the last month, i listen to them about 4 hours a day. holy shit they are so good. there are one or two off songs but the rest are dynamite. i think it's their most mature songwriting and i love the vocal harmonies between daron and serj. i'd put them up there with the alice in chains and even beatles of the world as far as great vocal duos. in case you feel otherwise spend a night listening to these cds back to back on headphones and i promise you it won't disappoint.

oh and the production/mix ain't too shabby either. god bless andy wallace!

 

[MetalJonesy]

i think with the latest releases they are repeating similar tunes and arrangements, but yeah still two killer albums and some great songs on each.

took me ages to get into them when my mate lent me toxicity, then a few months later i had another listen and loved it, they have such a great vibe live, especially at the festivals in the uk were i saw em back in '03

i also really like darons 'scars on broadway' project and serj's 'elect the dead' album

 

[aramism]

i literally cant stop listening. on cans, earbuds, in the car, at the studio.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Dude.

Every System album is killer. I can't get enough. Truly one of the best bands ever. So unique it's frightening. I really hope they all get back together and collaborate soon. I like their solo stuff though.

 

[HandsOfDespair]

Now that is strange haha, yesterday I listened to toxicity and it was maybe 1 year or more since I listened to it. Fucking great album. I LOVE the guitar tone, anyone knows what was their setup for the guitars on this album?

Theirs songs are so catchy and unique. Really good band. I really love Serj's voice, but can't stand Daron voice, so unfortunately I didn't really like hypnotize/mezmerize.

 

[MetalJonesy]

back then i think daron was pretty much allways on dual recs, plexi too i think and his ibanez or gibson

 

[MetalJonesy]

 

[aramism]

i'm pretty sure first two albums were dual recs with gibson les pauls and sgs/stock pickups and i think the first album was the ibanez. not that sure of the guitars used but the amps i remember reading back in the day that's what they were. stock rectos. later i think he got a little crazier with plexis and all sorts of boutique amps.

 

[wishtheend]

Steal this Album was mainly just a b-sides compliation, I really don't see it as an actual album. I love their first two CDs, but didn't like how Serj became pushed to the background moreso on the later two. I like Darron's song writing, not really a fan of his vocals.

Their drummer is fucking ace though!

 

[GarethSE]

Steal this Album was mainly just a b-sides compliation, I really don't see it as an actual album. I love their first two CDs, but didn't like how Serj became pushed to the background moreso on the later two. I like Darron's song writing, not really a fan of his vocals.

Their drummer is fucking ace though!

Yeah, if Serj was the main vocalist on Mezmerize and Hypnotize I would have rated them MUCH, much higher.

Their Self Titled is one of the best albums ever though, and anyone who disagrees with me is WRONG.

 

[Sickan]

Their Self Titled is one of the best albums ever though, and anyone who disagrees with me is WRONG.

+1 brother.

First three albums are amazing, I'm not a fan of Mesmerize and Hypnotize.

 

[MetalJonesy]

man youve just launched me into an epic SOAD listening sesh!!!!

oh and the john dolmayan signatrue vic firth sticks are great drum sticks, my faves, like a mix of a 5a and 5b they are the nicest sticks ive ever used!

 

[FIXXXER]

SOAD is so fucking awesome!

 

[xMannequiNx]

I like their old stuff, but serj changed his voice for the last 2 and I hated it...

 

[jrt12]

i remember when i first heard chop suey, it blew me away. when i got the toxicity album, i was taken aback cuz i hadnt heard anything else like it. i made myself give it a chance and ended up loving it. at the time, my friends thought i was weird... now theyre practically a household name. anyways, i agree, i think their songwriting evolved so well over the next few albums. but i'm not a big fan of their solo stuff

 

[aramism]

well like i said, as someone who's been a fan 10+years i was a bit indifferent to mesmerize/hypnotize but then it just kind of hit me recently and i got it. really give mermerize a chance. songs 4-10 are really good. start with those.

 

[Aaron Smith]

I remember seeing ads with Daron laying across a couple Marshall Mode Four rigs, then going to Guitar Center to try out the Mode Four, only to discover it sounded completely awful. I doubt it was involved in any of the recordings, haha...

 

[aramism]

I remember seeing ads with Daron laying across a couple Marshall Mode Four rigs, then going to Guitar Center to try out the Mode Four, only to discover it sounded completely awful. I doubt it was involved in any of the recordings, haha...

yeah straight cash move there

 

[AudioGeekZine]

the bootleg of Toxicity was better.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I remember seeing ads with Daron laying across a couple Marshall Mode Four rigs, then going to Guitar Center to try out the Mode Four, only to discover it sounded completely awful. I doubt it was involved in any of the recordings, haha...

He might've used them live for like...a month