System of a Down (Album)

System of a Down
System of a Down's studio album
Publication (s)	1998
Label (s)	American Recordings , Columbia
Format (s)	CD, LP
Genre (s)	Alternative metal , nu metal
Title (number)	13
running time	40 min 56 s
occupation	Serj Tankian : vocals , keyboard , guitar Daron Malakian : guitar, vocals Shavo Odadjian : Bass John Dolmayan : drums
production	Rick Rubin , System of a Down
Studio (s)	Sound City Studios, Van Nuys , California
chronology - System of a Down Toxicity (2001)
Single releases September 1998 Sugar February 1999 Spiders

System of a Down is the debut album by the US band of the same name with Armenian roots , released at the end of June 1998 . Stylistically, the music , which is often assigned to Nu- or Alternative Metal , is difficult to grasp, as it is a crossover of various influences.

In 2002 the album, produced by Rick Rubin , went platinum in the USA . Music critics consider System of a Down to be of outstanding importance, and it can be found in various best lists.

background

Basis for the album artwork: the picture of a hand with five fingers outstretched, which the KPD ("List 5") had created for posters for the 1928 Reichstag election.

The album, produced by Rick Rubin , was recorded between November 1997 and March 1998 at Sound City Studios , California . The sound engineer was Sylvia Massy , the mix was done by Dave Sardy . On June 30, 1998, System of a Down was released through American Recordings .

From a total of 26 recorded songs, thirteen were selected for the album. The song PLUCK deals with the Armenian genocide , in which the members of the band of Armenian descent lost relatives and compatriots. The booklet says: “System of a Down would like to dedicate this song to the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide, perpetrated by the Turkish Government in 1915.” ( Eng . : “ System of a Down would like this Dedicate the piece to the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government in 1915. ")

Guitarist Daron Malakian is responsible for the music of all pieces, bassist Shavo Odadjian is featured as co-composer in four songs, while singer Serj Tankian contributed all lyrics and wrote two pieces.

The album cover is based on a picture by John Heartfield , which he made for a poster for the Communist Party of Germany immediately before the Nazi era .

Music genre

Although often assigned to Nu Metal , the band has little in common with its protagonists such as Korn , Slipknot , Deftones or Limp Bizkit . Rather, a crossover of various styles such as alternative , avant-garde , folk , grindcore , hardcore , jazz , pop , prog , punk , rap , rock , ska , swing and thrash can be heard on System of a Down . In this way, come together "what doesn't actually belong together - and still works". Recurring folklore rhythms and melodies break through the ostensible “ metal facade ”. With his debut album, System of a Down laid the foundation for the style mix that was also carried out on later releases, which often relied on severe changes in mood. The joy of experimentation is comparable to that of Mr. Bungle , although System of a Down is more accessible.

Producer Rick Rubin is assigned a decisive role in ensuring that System of a Down does not lose focus; the dynamic range of the album is unusual for its time. In songs like PLUCK , the band lets “carefree, almost happy music and serious issues collide” - “Tankian sings about genocide to the rhythm of the dance ... before the two-part lamentation begins in the chorus”.

Singer Serj Tankian shows a wide range of his skills on the album: "He screams, growls , shouts , screams , eats the microphone, preaches, conjures, and he can also sing clean." Tankian leaves exceptional artist " Mike Patton like a normal ." People look ".

reception

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Albums

System of a Down   US 124 10/02/1999 (33 weeks)

System of a Down was generally positively reviewed internationally. For example, Allmusic awarded four out of five points, while Pitchfork Media spoke of "the most inventive crossover ... recording since Rage Against the Machine's debut" ( eng . : the most original crossover recording since the debut of Rage Against the Machine ) and 7, Awarded 5 out of a maximum of 10 points.

The album is ascribed an enduring importance in the pop culture context. The German Metal Hammer listed System of a Down in its History of Metal as one of the “essential albums of the 1990s”, and in a 2005 survey of Visions readers it was ranked 101st among the “best albums of all time” The list of the “best metal albums of all time” by music journalist Piero Scaruffi is at number 43. In 2015, the online platform laut.de dedicated an article to System of a Down in its “Milestones” section, which is reserved for album classics that “[regardless of] genre classifications… every music fan must have heard”. In 2004, System of a Down was one of the albums that was selected for a re-release in a vinyl- like format as part of the " SPIEGEL Edition".

The album is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die as well as in Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die .

After only 3,000 CDs sold in the first week of its release in mid-1998, System of a Down entered the Billboard 200 for the first time in October 1999 and reached its highest ranking in April of the following year, almost two years after its first release, at 124th place. In February 2002 the debut work was awarded platinum status for one million units sold in the wake of the great success of the follow-up album Toxicity (2001) in the USA .

The third track on the album, Sugar , remains the band's most frequently performed live song to this day.

Sales figures and awards

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Italy (FIMI)	gold	25,000
Canada (MC)	gold	50,000
United States (RIAA)	platinum	1,000,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	gold	100,000

The sales figures given are based solely on the number of units sold according to the certification.

Title list and editions

There are 13 tracks on the album with a total playing time of just over 40 minutes. The track listing is as follows:

1. Suite Pee - 2:32
2. Know - 2:56
3. Sugar - 2:35
4. Suggestions - 2:45
5. Spiders - 3:36
6. DDevil - 1:43
7. Soil - 3:25
8. Was? - 2:40
9. Min - 6:16
10. Peephole - 4:04
11. CUBErt - 1:49
12. Darts - 2:41
13. PLUCK (Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers) - 3:38

The Japanese edition of the album contains the pieces Marmalade and Störagéd as bonus tracks , and a limited version with four live recordings of a concert played in 1999 in New York's Irving Plaza was released on a second bonus CD.

Bonus tracks from the Japanese edition of the album

14. Marmalade - 3:00
15. Störagéd - 1:19

The bonus CD of the limited tour edition contains four live tracks

1. Sugar (live) - 2:28
2. Was? (live) - 2:48
3. Suite-Pee (live) - 2:59
4. Know (live) - 3:05

Web links

• System of a Down at Discogs (English)
• System of a Down at MusicBrainz (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ faz.net: Metal band System of a Down - Why We Should All Shout , April 23, 2015 , accessed June 28, 2015.
2. ^ ^{A b} Matthias Weckmann: System of a Down - System of a Down , Metal Hammer, September 1998 edition, p. 98.
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} laut.de: System Of A Down - System Of A Down , June 25, 2015 , accessed on June 26, 2015.
4. ↑ ^{a b c} allmusic.com: AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine , accessed June 26, 2015.
5. ↑ ^{a b c} pitchforkmedia.com: System of a Down - System of a Down ( Memento June 4, 2004 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on June 26, 2015.
6. ↑ Charts US
7. ^ Metal Hammer: History of Metal: The 1990s , April 2011.
8. ↑ VISIONS: 150 plates for eternity , issue # 150, 2005, list available online in indiepedia.de , accessed on June 28, 2015.
9. ↑ scaruffi.com: Best heavy-metal albums of all times , accessed June 26, 2015.
10. ↑ discogs.com: System Of A Down - System Of A Down (CD, Album, Repress, SPIEGEL Edition) , accessed on June 28, 2015.
11. ↑ Acclaimed Music: System of a Down ( Memento of the original from April 5, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 26, 2015. 
12. ↑ billboard.com: Chart Update: System Of A Down Debuts At No. 1 , September 13, 2001 , accessed June 28, 2015.
13. ^ Billboard Magazine: Billboard 200 , October 2, 1999, p. 121.
14. ^ Billboard Magazine: Billboard 200 , April 8, 2000, p. 87.
15. ↑ riaa.com: RIAA gold / platinum award database: System of a Down , accessed June 27, 2015.
16. ↑ Award in Italy
17. ↑ Award in Canada
18. ↑ Distinction in the United States
19. ↑ Award in the United Kingdom
20. ↑ discogs.com: System Of A Down - System Of A Down (CD, album, Japan) , accessed December 8, 2010.
21. ↑ discogs.com: System Of A Down - System Of A Down (CD, Enhanced, Limited Edition) , accessed December 8, 2010.