After touring for 3 years in support of their now nearly platinum certified self-titled debut, System Of A Down understandably had a lot to write about... around 40 songs worth to be exact. Once in the studio, the band tracked over 30 songs and of those, these were the 15 they felt would best be suited for this, their sophomore album. To be honest, System are a rarity in today's scene, there a bands that come along, whom you can effortlessly pinpoint their influences and who they sound like, and then there are those who define a sound all their own like Tool, Korn and Primus. With this album, System have firmly established themselves as one of the latter bands, destined to have their sound influence and subsequently be regurgitated by many bands to follow. Describing the music this Los Angeles, CA based act create is by no means an easy task, but if pressed one could justifiably say they're along the lines of a mixture of Mr. Bungle, Bad Brains, Frank Zappa, The Dead Kennedys and Pink Floyd combined with a hearty dose of modern metal.

With his near trademark manic delivery, band frontman Serj Tankian is as animated as ever, lunging between enraged rants and heart wrenching emotion like a terminal schizophrenic on speed. His vocal skills and at times deranged sounding tangents have never been better, while he also exhibits a wealth of maturity through his wider range of tones, the most prevalent of which is his increased usage of captivating drawn out emphatic harmonies that waiver ever so slightly with a delicate, yet dangerous nature. This outing also finds the band increasing the amount of vocal contributions from band guitarist Daron Malakian, allowing them to churn out sullen harmonies in dizzying layers that are at times near hypnotic, especially when coupled with lyrics that range anywhere from irreverent commentary about crazed groupies ("Psycho") and the ideologies of Charles Manson ("ATWA") to drug addiction ("Chop Suey!") and the problems of the current penitentiary system "Prison Song"). In fact, the verbal portion of this disc is as confusing as it is thought provoking and though the lyrics may seem a out there at times, they're also a lot more tangible and interpretive they've ever been in the past. The guitar playing featured here is truly inspiring and contains perhaps an older punk influence mixed with speed metal as lean riffs punish the listener like a gang beating complete with spiked baseball bats. It's heavy, yet also calculated, utilizing entrancing chord progressions and the occasional splash of effects to build up spiraling walls of sound, that both bewilder and soothe at the same time. Meanwhile, the bass playing is aggressive as well, but rather than try to become a separate entity, it concentrates almost wholly upon song progression while adding a plowing low end that keeps the songs focused, while also establishing momentum and stability. On the other hand, the drum work practically oozes energy, taking shape with crisp defined hits and rapid fire snare work that is creatively crafted, using off timed structures that are fiercely intimidating, yet immensely integral to the often hectic pace of which the group lean towards. This album also finds the band broadening their sound through an increased usage of instrumentation, some of which comes courtesy of acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Arto Tuncboyaciyan. As such, with the now occasional subtle touch of everything from ethnic stringed instruments to tribal drumming and chanting, the groups sound is strengthened tenfold, allowing it to catapult to new heights while taking on shades of a somewhat prog rock meets psychedelic flair.

In the music industry there's often been a curse of failure associated with the sophomore album, in fact its often said that you have your whole lifetime to write your first record, but only a few months for your second and though this may be true, System Of A Down have managed to buck the trend completely, leaving their past outing almost dead in the water in comparison. "Toxicity" is an album that draws from nearly everything, yet sounds directly like nothing. It's one of those rare albums that injects excitement back into the scene, causing the listener to voraciously devour whatever comes next. The song writing is brilliant, the musicianship is precise and entirely invigorating and the depth of the material is utterly awe-inspiring, while the band just have that ever rare touch of uniqueness, combined with a certain distinctive quirkiness that just screams talent. The music effortlessly contrasts simplicity with complexity, emotion with insanity and is jam packed with songs that will be enjoyed thoroughly for many years to come. Admittedly, some may see it as avant garde or too artsy or weird, but for those tired of the doldrums of the modern metal scene, "Toxicity" is an album that is as welcome as a rainstorm is over top of a forest fire. Without a doubt it will be album of the year for many and go on to influence countless up and coming musicians, making it an outing that deserves to be in the collection of any fan of heavier music, if not for the admiration of what it is, then for the respect of what it accomplishes. Ladies and gentlemen, its time to build a new mold, because "Toxicity" has just shattered the latest one hopelessly beyond repair, proving once and for all that System Of A Down are definitely here to stay.