Mezmerize
by System Of A Down
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: May 17, 2005
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 484 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 423 out of 484
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 484
  3. Negative: 39 out of 484

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  1. declanm
    Jul 1, 2005
    3
    This album doesnt come within a mile of toxicity is so disappointing and as for letting the guitarist sing what where they thinking he cant sing period also this album is wayyyy to commerical to be accepted by real rock fans sell your souls like all the other commerically acceptable bands
  2. SeamusS
    Feb 16, 2006
    3
    It's a tried peice of pretentious crap that smells long after you've experienced it.
  3. GaborA
    Jun 13, 2005
    3
    Like most mainstream rock bands SOAD is listenable song for song. However, songs are so repetative that the albums are indigestable. Even by the end of a single song after hearing that dumb chorusfor the tenth time its too much.
  4. MarcoM
    Nov 15, 2005
    3
    I love system of a down;
  5. MarkM.
    Jul 20, 2005
    2
    System of a Down are an awful band and this latest album is no better, they have no sense of beat and have no idea about anything to do with music other than repetitive chords, pointless lyrics and a bass player that shows is totally unoriginal the only good member is the drummer he is the only one with any talent. I dont know how the offspring and red hot chili peppers can be rated lower System of a Down are an awful band and this latest album is no better, they have no sense of beat and have no idea about anything to do with music other than repetitive chords, pointless lyrics and a bass player that shows is totally unoriginal the only good member is the drummer he is the only one with any talent. I dont know how the offspring and red hot chili peppers can be rated lower than this tripe.… Expand
  6. Rusty
    Aug 7, 2006
    2
    I am a HUGE fan of System of a Down, and couldent wait to get my hands on this cd when it came out.....i was very disapointed, I am giving this album a 2 comparing to the other albums, there were a few good songs on this album, but i think the people who really like this album are more into alternative/popish music, because this is what i thought of the album, probaly some of their worst I am a HUGE fan of System of a Down, and couldent wait to get my hands on this cd when it came out.....i was very disapointed, I am giving this album a 2 comparing to the other albums, there were a few good songs on this album, but i think the people who really like this album are more into alternative/popish music, because this is what i thought of the album, probaly some of their worst songs ever......… Expand
  7. edzilla
    May 24, 2005
    2
    This album sounds completely different from their past efforts and that's not a good thing. It seems production and band chemistry has changed for the worse. Serj has to pretty much split vocal time with Deron 50-50 and the songs seem to be silly without substance, and overproduced. Sadder still, SOAD plans on releasing another CD this fall -"Hypnotize" - when they should have This album sounds completely different from their past efforts and that's not a good thing. It seems production and band chemistry has changed for the worse. Serj has to pretty much split vocal time with Deron 50-50 and the songs seem to be silly without substance, and overproduced. Sadder still, SOAD plans on releasing another CD this fall -"Hypnotize" - when they should have filtered the best tracks for this album then released b-sides sometime in the future.… Expand
  8. OodM
    Sep 20, 2005
    2
    Very ordinary. Cigaro was leaked prior release, BYOB was pre-release single, track one is an intro, radio/video and old school hollywood are utter shite! Which leaves six songs, weak if you ask me.
  9. JeffS
    Jun 17, 2005
    2
    I really dont understand how this band could have garnered such high marks. Absolutely no substance to their music. At the very most their sound is novel at first listen...but nothing more than that.
  10. StephenL.
    Jul 9, 2007
    1
    System of a Down should never, and I repeat, NEVER be compared in any way with Frank Zappa. It's a disgrace to MR. Zappa. And do you really buy the "We have a political opinion and we ain't happy" rhetoric? My dog is more politically active than System of a Down. I gave this album a 1 because, if you're looking for typical mainstream music to tide you over until the System of a Down should never, and I repeat, NEVER be compared in any way with Frank Zappa. It's a disgrace to MR. Zappa. And do you really buy the "We have a political opinion and we ain't happy" rhetoric? My dog is more politically active than System of a Down. I gave this album a 1 because, if you're looking for typical mainstream music to tide you over until the corporate media tell you to like something else, this is it.… Expand
  11. JeffH
    May 25, 2005
    1
    How many metal variations of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody can you come up with? And the propagandist lyrics are even less thought out.
  12. [Anonymous]
    Jun 1, 2005
    1
    So brutally stupid it's almost beyond belief. The love for this band is bewildering.
  13. hollowaxis
    Jun 7, 2005
    1
    the only good thing thatcan be said about this record is that it has some moments that sound musical.but i cannot fathom why this average band gets so much praise.maybe it is because i am not an angry 13 year old who hasnt discovered real music. i am an angry 21 year old, and i like my kicks more intelligent and varied than this mindless crap.
  14. NoelF
    May 21, 2005
    1
    I've never understood SOAD. Their music is PAINFUL to listen to. Musically, it doesn't flow or resemble anything like music.
  15. jj
    May 18, 2006
    1
    This was one of the worst ever and I collect music- this was like a buzzsaw droning in my head. I sold it the next day and got something I could stand to listen to- Alice in Chains, and Saliva. Save your money!
  16. chrisb
    May 25, 2005
    1
    Man this album is awful. This is just as bad as the new Finch album.
  17. AGuy
    May 28, 2005
    1
    I HATE S.O.A.D. because their lead singer sounds so horrible and annoying. The music is good and hard, and the lyrics are pretty reaserched but the singer ruins it completly. I gave it a 1 because B.Y.O.B. is an alright song.
  18. Raymond
    May 29, 2005
    1
    BYOB is possibly the worst song of all time - rivalled only by the rest of the tracks on this album. Random political ranting does NOT make an album good - combine this with dull, uninspired music and suddenly people are calling it a masterpiece? Great music always makes you *feel* something. This only leaves you wondering "was that it?".
  19. PeterM
    Nov 22, 2005
    1
    There is no questioning this is their best work!
  20. jakepissoff
    May 20, 2005
    0
    i never thought id see the day that system of a down comes out with a shitty cd....ive been into system since their jaw-dropping debut....i was there when they did something unbelievable and actually followed it up amasingly....but this is just horrible....too much deron's shitty voice....too poppy not hard at all anymore....they just barely hang on to some of their old syle with i never thought id see the day that system of a down comes out with a shitty cd....ive been into system since their jaw-dropping debut....i was there when they did something unbelievable and actually followed it up amasingly....but this is just horrible....too much deron's shitty voice....too poppy not hard at all anymore....they just barely hang on to some of their old syle with byob, cigaro, and this cocain....but i think that the songs that really kill system of a down are the last 2 songs...."old school hollywood baseball?!?!?" that is not system at all....to all of you new school system fans, i hope your all happy that you killed possibly the greatest and most original bands ever.… Expand
  21. AATCHB
    May 23, 2005
    0
    This is the last time I'm on this site. Can't believe my eyes, how can this kiddy-band get 90% ?!?
  22. Jared
    May 27, 2005
    0
    This is seriously the worst band of all time.
  23. JohnP
    Jun 1, 2005
    0
    This sounds like a cross between the Faces of Death Orchestra as conducted by Kip Winger and Don Rickels. When my dog was castrated he made sounds similar to noise I heard on this record. Repeated spins prove that, in fact, castrated dogs were part of the recording process. How cool! How utterly groundbreaking! The best album of all time!
  24. KatherineW
    Jun 7, 2005
    0
    System of a down and the people who like them make my head hurt. I like hardcore music... but this is not even music. I really have never understood how people could actually like these guys?!?!?!?! BYOB or whatever that song is called is dreadful. I cant listen to the whole thing and i cant imagine the rest of the cd being good what so ever... i have only heard a few songs but they were System of a down and the people who like them make my head hurt. I like hardcore music... but this is not even music. I really have never understood how people could actually like these guys?!?!?!?! BYOB or whatever that song is called is dreadful. I cant listen to the whole thing and i cant imagine the rest of the cd being good what so ever... i have only heard a few songs but they were horrible. and what ever you other people say... toxicity was also NOT a good song... i think that this is a joke band whose joke got misunderstood and people took them as serious.… Expand
  25. benjid
    Jan 16, 2006
    0
    different doesnt mean good......and this album is wierd (in a bad way) and is so far from good i am shocked
  26. Zonko
    Jun 14, 2005
    0
    It's just plain boring, they're selling out to all this anti-america shit, and just sound plain boring.
  27. MikeW
    Jun 27, 2005
    0
    I agree with the kid who says Fugazi are truer to hardcore than this MTV-ready, bullshit frat boy rock. Whoever says Fugazi have no claim to hardcore better check their fucking history. While Fugazi transcends hardcore by mixing various musical genres to create their distinct music, they were founded by some of the pioneers of the 80's hardcore and straight-edge movement. Their I agree with the kid who says Fugazi are truer to hardcore than this MTV-ready, bullshit frat boy rock. Whoever says Fugazi have no claim to hardcore better check their fucking history. While Fugazi transcends hardcore by mixing various musical genres to create their distinct music, they were founded by some of the pioneers of the 80's hardcore and straight-edge movement. Their influence, combined with those of predecessor bands Rites of Spring and Minor Threat, can be heard in just about every screamo and hardcore band that ever existed. This poser band is dogshit, the other kid was right to name drop, and those so-called hardcore bands you listen to wouldn't exist without people like Ian McKaye.… Expand
  28. AlexFR
    Jan 17, 2006
    0
    Horrible new age bullcrap. They jump the liberal bandwagon, and write bad lyrics to go with it. The repetitive power chords tend to hurt my ears.
  29. MChapman
    Jun 16, 2005
    0
    Seriously I thought toxicity was a bad song, that is until I heard BYOB... how do shite bands like this get airplay and good hardcore bands like Fugazi get passed over? The rest of the album sucks the big one too. Do the world a favor and stop listening to radio. It's also completely absurd that these idiots get pissed off about corporate america when they are signed by Sony Music, Seriously I thought toxicity was a bad song, that is until I heard BYOB... how do shite bands like this get airplay and good hardcore bands like Fugazi get passed over? The rest of the album sucks the big one too. Do the world a favor and stop listening to radio. It's also completely absurd that these idiots get pissed off about corporate america when they are signed by Sony Music, part of one of the most disgusting industires (music).… Expand

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best Album of 2005
5
#5 Most Discussed Album of 2005
12
#12 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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. E! Online
    91
    You'll be left wondering why other bands aren't so daring.
    Read full review
  2. AllMusic
    90
    Mezmerize doesn't fail to be unique.
    Read full review
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    It's heavy and hooky. [20 May 2005, p.73]
See all critic reviews »