• Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: May 17, 2005
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 484 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 39 out of 484

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Dec 9, 2011
    6
    I just didnt like this album. Its nothing like the System of old and IMO they changed for the worst. They are far too mainstream now and this is just a generic album.
  2. Jan 6, 2016
    6
    Mezmerize is hugely inconsistent. There's a handful of great songs, a handful of decent songs and a handful of bad songs. Thanks to the great songs, though, it stays decent-ish; but still underwhelming, mostly because of there being too much Daron Malakian.

    65/100.
  3. Jul 11, 2015
    6
    Some people this isn't heavy enough, and not as good as their other previous albums (my personal favourite is "Steal This Album!"). While that stands true, Mezmerize definitely provides a good listen, however not as original or awesome as its predecessors. One of the worst parts of this album is Daron Malakian's singing, which he does on almost all tracks. His voice is nothing compared toSome people this isn't heavy enough, and not as good as their other previous albums (my personal favourite is "Steal This Album!"). While that stands true, Mezmerize definitely provides a good listen, however not as original or awesome as its predecessors. One of the worst parts of this album is Daron Malakian's singing, which he does on almost all tracks. His voice is nothing compared to Tankian's, whose voice shifts and changes from growling to extremely theatrical vocals, whereas Malakian's sounds like someone whining. Overall, SOAD seems to have changed their musical direction more towards hard rock and poppish kind of rock than metal.

    Best song(s): Question! (most original, anyway, what with the million time changes), B.Y.O.B

    Worst song: Old School Hollywood (needs no explanation, absolute crap)
    Expand
  4. Mar 15, 2016
    5
    The worst System Of A Down album! Songs like This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song are just awful! Hypnotize was very good and I can't belive it is the second half of Mezmerize... The best song here is Lost In Hollywood.
  5. DavidL
    May 28, 2005
    5
    Even more random and less mature then "Steal This Album!", less frantic then "Toxicity", less surprisng then "System Of A Down", "Mezmerize" is the most banal album System Of A Down has came up with, so far. There's nothing intriguing, thrilling or innovative in "Mezmerize", just good production and intense performances that, here, are not supported by coherent songwritting.
  6. GinoM
    Jun 10, 2005
    4
    Would you people not. I am so very sick of S.O.A.D. talk. Particularily talk of the band in a serious light. Fact of the matter is "System of a down is a cheesey pop rendering of experimental metal with an overdose of political angst of which rests in plain sight. Shut it.
  7. Katie
    Jun 6, 2005
    5
    !!S.O.A.D.!! What Happened!?! Toxicity was SOO much better musically and lyrically. I think Daron needs to back off on vocals a lot. This 50-50 thing they've got goin isn't working out. I hope they find themselves again before they put out another album like this. I Love S.O.A.D. but this album is just heartbreaking to listen to.. I'll give them a 5 because I love them, but !!S.O.A.D.!! What Happened!?! Toxicity was SOO much better musically and lyrically. I think Daron needs to back off on vocals a lot. This 50-50 thing they've got goin isn't working out. I hope they find themselves again before they put out another album like this. I Love S.O.A.D. but this album is just heartbreaking to listen to.. I'll give them a 5 because I love them, but if they were any other band I'd give this album a 1 or 2. Collapse
  8. Peterf
    Aug 4, 2006
    5
    whats happened to these guys?! i mean y have they change so awkwardly. Old school hollywood would ha to be the wrost song ive ever heard. Old school hollywood baseball? what a load of crap! Darron has now stuffed the band completely, can't believe this got a higher mark than toxicity and their first album. This is their worse album and it hursts to say that being a big S.O.A.D fan.
  9. Gnarles
    May 18, 2005
    6
    Mezmerize contains all of the things we love about System Of A Down, but somehow the album just doesn't impress as it should. In fact, it's not even as good as Steal This Album, which was nothing but "throwaways". A significant problem is the sound, which is weirdly hollow and pro-tooled for a Rick Rubin production; the guitars are mixed way too high and the drums too low. It Mezmerize contains all of the things we love about System Of A Down, but somehow the album just doesn't impress as it should. In fact, it's not even as good as Steal This Album, which was nothing but "throwaways". A significant problem is the sound, which is weirdly hollow and pro-tooled for a Rick Rubin production; the guitars are mixed way too high and the drums too low. It just lacks "bang". Another nag is that Daron Malakian takes up a lot more lead vocals on this outing, and he doesn't have a very compelling voice, to put it as nicely as possible. Finally, for this being only the first official System album in 4 years, it shows alarmingly little growth, instead relying on the same old System tricks, which were once dazzling but are now too familiar to be totally effective. There are great moments on Mezmerize, and few bands these days can produce the same thrill as a System song that truly coalesces in all the right ways. But here's hoping that this fall's sequel album, Hyponotize, thrillingly completes a story with a mildly uninspired beginning. Expand
  10. PhilipR.
    May 21, 2005
    6
    Not bad, but definetly not good. The first two were way better. Even the collection of B-side and other rarities was a better record. Why? Cause the guitarist should play guitar and stop trying to sing or scream. Frustrating really. Some song still are good though. And the lyrics are way poorer than on the first two. Not a bad cd, but disapointing from such a great band.
  11. CoReY
    Jun 1, 2005
    5
    I just don't understand..i liked toxicity..but i can't even listen this one from beggining to end...
  12. JonK
    Jun 21, 2005
    5
    Who cares if it's good or bad? These idiots strongly support the release of Charles Manson, a major whacko responsible for a whole bunch of whackos who cut the baby out of a nine-month pregnant woman and then stabbed her to death about 30 times. Sure, give them your money.
  13. EiffelLast
    Jun 28, 2005
    6
    I've always been a SOAD fan but I must say I was a little disapointed by this album. It's too poppy ! I like them when they're frantic, when the melodies and textures of their songs change unexpectably, when the chorus are filled with guitars (more than one, please !) and when Serj sings alone (although I don't mind a little Daron every now and then). Except for a few I've always been a SOAD fan but I must say I was a little disapointed by this album. It's too poppy ! I like them when they're frantic, when the melodies and textures of their songs change unexpectably, when the chorus are filled with guitars (more than one, please !) and when Serj sings alone (although I don't mind a little Daron every now and then). Except for a few great songs (BYOB, Cigaro, This cocaïne...), the album is not great. Some parts of songs are real good though (Revenga would be a great song if it were not of the chorus; the same is true for some part od Old Statue, Old School Hollywood sounds great despite the keyborad and I enjoy Violent Pornography, but again the chorus is not so good), but all in all, I don't think the album deserves all the praise it received. Certainly not a classic. Expand
  14. I.Lynch
    Mar 26, 2006
    5
    Its not a bad album, but i think they try to force their opinions on people a bit too much. Toxcicity is much better.
  15. MarkM
    May 27, 2005
    5
    I have no idea where this high rating came from. I mean there are maybe 3 memorable songs on this album. Toxicity is soo much better than this album. SOAD fans will enjoy this album, but it is def not as good as its rating suggests.
  16. JonathanP
    May 27, 2005
    5
    I cant score this a 0, because I haven't heard it all.. but any album that spawns BYOB deserves some major slagging. It's honestly the worst track I've ever heard on the radio. Dreadful.
  17. ChrisJ
    Jun 12, 2006
    5
    This is System of a Down's worst album to date, by far. The songs are not creative, and little musical talent is shown. Lyrics to many of the songs are pointless and contrived.
  18. Dec 7, 2021
    5
    both toxicity and steal this album are among the greatest albums of all time in my opinion. in these two albums, SOAD shows us their own music style tht was created by themselves by adding eastern european influences to metal. but this album simply destroys everything they built in the previous two recordings by being just a generic metal album. this album was made by SOAD, but in myboth toxicity and steal this album are among the greatest albums of all time in my opinion. in these two albums, SOAD shows us their own music style tht was created by themselves by adding eastern european influences to metal. but this album simply destroys everything they built in the previous two recordings by being just a generic metal album. this album was made by SOAD, but in my sincere opinion, it doesn't represent them. Expand
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. You'll be left wondering why other bands aren't so daring.
  2. Mezmerize doesn't fail to be unique.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    It's heavy and hooky. [20 May 2005, p.73]