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By JEFF MAKI
Hypnotize is the 2nd part of Mesmerize, System Of A Down's first release of 2005. While in many ways it is a much better release, it still lacks enough quality to gain my total praise and like Mesmerize grows somewhat tiresome after a few listens.
My biggest fault with Mesmerize was that it was just way too out there. The band was just trying to be weird and quirky it seemed and this caused many of the songs on that release to just sound stupid, for better lack of words. On Hypnotize the band seems to take more (if not much) of a serious approach and all in all it makes for a better record. "Dreaming" is perhaps the strongest track with a very memorable chorus, while "Kill Rock N' Roll" has guitarist/singer Daron Malakian doing his best Bon Scott vocals. Many songs fuse together System's traditional sound with elements of punk, and hardcore, making for a stronger and more exciting sound in my opinion. The lead single and title track "Hypnotize" is an eerie duet between Serj and Daron and is a good introduction for the album. "Holy Mountains" infuses some 80s sounding metal and is another strong track. "Vicinity Of Obscenity" is just plain silly. Who the hell wants to hear this kind of crap? Loser fuckin' high school outcasts? Sorry, but I just don't get shit like this. Anyways, at least this kind of material is kept to a minimum on Hypnotize. "She's Like Heroin" is dangerously close on the stupid meter as well, but gets some credit for sounding somewhat like the Butthole Surfers. "Lonely Day"' is actually a beautiful ballad sung by Daron, unlike anything the band has really done before. Don't get me wrong, SOAD sound great and sound very tight as a band but I just think they could do a little better even.
Overall the band has to get some credit for being willing to try just about anything but they should find their sound and stick to it, which they actually do for the most part of this album. If given a choice between System's two releases of 2005 do not hesitate to pick Hypnotize. You'll get a lot more enjoyment from this album.
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