SYSTEM OF A DOWN: HYPNOTIZE

SCORE: 98/100



System of a Down's 5th studio album manages to be considered their weakest body of work while still garnering widespread acclaim from both the fans of the band and critics alike. Songs like 'Attack', 'She's Like Heroin', and 'Lonely Day' continue some of the trends brought to their style by their last album while making a project that sounds drastically different from their previous entries.

'Hypnotize' has the same beautiful and sometime jarring chaos of their previous albums, with songs containing seemingly ridiculous lyrics at times and instrumental/vocal tracks that come together splendidly, the album comes together into another deeply cohesive and impressive project for the band.

It feels deeply similar to its companion album 'Hypnotize' in particular, showcasing the fact that the band can put together a consistent "series" of albums that continue the same sound patterns and stylistic elements to make two albums that fit together like puzzle pieces. They're difficult albums to put against one another due to how similar they both are, but 'Hypnotize' manages to bring the same amount of charm and wildness to the table as their previous body of work.

Having this as what would later be considered your "worst" or (more appropriately) "weakest" album is an incredibly impressive feat for the band that shows off their masterclass and ear for their music very well. Some of the songs on the album aren't as memorable as their other work - but the entirety of the album comes together delightfully into yet another impressive, daring, bold, and entertaining project that is constantly and consistently pushing the envelope on what can be done within a metal album.

The songs switch between fast-paced madness and slower moods from time to time; everything comes together in an incredibly impressive and enjoyable way that brings the album up to sheer greatness. It has everything a System album SHOULD have and more, with plenty of the songs having heavy replay value and the album as a whole being a great time from the front all the way to the back.

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