I've been into system of a down since "sugar" came out as a single, thier first album is fanatastic and i really recommend it for those who dont get thier new stuff...
THe singing has greatly improved, and the guitaring is little more angular, except on tracks l;ike choped suey, which sound like a track the record lable had a hand in "appropritising" for the mainstream (but i think they get thier revenge by putting "bounce" on the album, who would have thought "pukka pukka pukka pukka..." would sound so good :D), but still a great album.. Lyrically thier still on form, with "deer dance" possibly being the best, or possibly "toxicity"... Very good album, but it sounds more glossy than the first, but then again the first does sound like a demo at some points...
But to be completly honest, I've no idea how they've beomce popular, they used to a very cool band that only i knew abotu in my area... oh well, it's good that they've gained some sucess..
I would definetly recomend them, as a cool alternative to all those metal bands that sadly are in the same old rutt.
Edit: oh yeah, I'm still pissed off about Pappa roach ripping off SOAD's song "spiders", which is a biutiful and strangley spiritual song (but back then Serj wasn't as vocally ambitious as he is now)...
[Edited by educatedfilm on 05-03-2002 at 01:34 PM]