Toxicity
by System Of A Down
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 454 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 417 out of 454
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 454
  3. Negative: 26 out of 454

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
view
per page
  1. DME
    Nov 17, 2011
    6
    My only problem with Toxicity is the lyrics being way too repetetive (most noticable in the song "Science")and songs being too short. What really bothered me though, was the almost-unlistenable screaming done in the choruses of some songs. But the instrumentals are amazing and the song's verses do have some great rhythem. It's not terrible, but it's nowhere near perfect.
  2. Magus
    Mar 17, 2012
    6
    After listening to Toxicity (the track), Chop Suey, Forest and Aerials I thought it'd be a good thing to check out the whole album, considering I really liked these songs. However, the first five tracks already gave me the feeling that this ain't the right thing for me. If I would've listened to this 4 years ago I would've liked it more than I did now, back when I preferred heavy metalAfter listening to Toxicity (the track), Chop Suey, Forest and Aerials I thought it'd be a good thing to check out the whole album, considering I really liked these songs. However, the first five tracks already gave me the feeling that this ain't the right thing for me. If I would've listened to this 4 years ago I would've liked it more than I did now, back when I preferred heavy metal adrenaline rushes over meaningful songs. From the first 5 tracks I suppose Needles has its moments and Deer Song isn't all that bad, but Chop Suey is the first song from the album that I can call good. The 5 earlier tracks are just too bumpy to stick, I could listen to them over and over again and I would barely remember anything from them. Same goes for Bounce. Forest is still definitely metal, but has a more serious nature, a bit like Chop Suey. ATWA and Science both started promising, but what supposedly are the climaxes of these songs are mediocre. The tracks are rather good, however, but only because they aren't too much of hyperactive metal songs as songs like Bounce or Shimmy. Psycho is pretty much another adrenaline rush/chillrock mix, and as usual I prefer the chill parts. Aerials, the last track is truly the best from the album, it has quite a lot of symbolism in the lyrics and isn't bumpy or unnecessary hyperactive, truly, everything in this track is optimalized and shows how much SOAD really has as a band, the bass picking is very nice, the guitar riffs are powerful, but don't oppress the vocals. Speaking of which, this track vocally is also the peak of the album.

    Overall, this album could've been way better than it was. No, I am not a metalhead, so maybe that's why I couldn't enjoy this as much as some other people, but I like every music genre as long as it's performed the right way. SOAD is a great band, but Toxicity as an album is just OK. It has its moments, but that's about it, for me it was an album with 4 great songs and a lot of fillers.    … Expand
  3. DaveC
    Jul 27, 2003
    5
    Has the world gone mad? System Of A Down at their very best are mediocre and most of the time juvenile and even childish. Do yourself a favour and listen to Metallica or Tool instead.
  4. JeffR
    Jan 31, 2005
    5
    Didn't like the album at first, but has grown slightly on me in the last couple months. Lyrically, some of the songs are just childish. Musically, some songs are well put together, others are a waste of time. Mediocre. There is better stuff out there.
  5. DemonicAngel
    Nov 5, 2005
    5
    A 5 for production and effort, but System don't really do anything particularly creative in this record. Frankly, the whole politics in music thing automatically puts me off (not because I'm too apolitical to understand, but because I prefer my music to be unbiased by political affiliation). Most of the tracks are repetitive in the extreme, with the good bits sounding A 5 for production and effort, but System don't really do anything particularly creative in this record. Frankly, the whole politics in music thing automatically puts me off (not because I'm too apolitical to understand, but because I prefer my music to be unbiased by political affiliation). Most of the tracks are repetitive in the extreme, with the good bits sounding suspiciously like something that Mr. Bungle would have thought of before they sadly imploded. The fact that there are so many 10 ratings kinda reflects badly on the metal scene in general - and if ANYONE ELSE says "original" or "groundbreaking" I swear I'll punch them. People, there is a whole world of great music out there. Stop being content with the plagiarized crap that MTV spoonfeeds you and use your imaginations.… Expand
  6. GaborA
    Nov 18, 2004
    4
    They have two structures: fast blast with screaming choppy sentences and slowed down guitar with chingly things in backgroud suplemented with attempts at melodic singing. Back and forth it goes in the most repetitive fasion. In terms of lyrics the themes aim high but are crushed by terrible writing resulting in simply a lack of intelligence. Individually songs are interesting but as an They have two structures: fast blast with screaming choppy sentences and slowed down guitar with chingly things in backgroud suplemented with attempts at melodic singing. Back and forth it goes in the most repetitive fasion. In terms of lyrics the themes aim high but are crushed by terrible writing resulting in simply a lack of intelligence. Individually songs are interesting but as an album the flaws become more than obvious primarily the simple structure disguised to seem polyinfluenced.… Collapse
  7. JosephA.
    Apr 19, 2008
    6
    Looking back at 01', a sudden listen to "Sugar" got me on a SoaD rush, as such I borrowed the album from a friend to get back some memories. As I went through the album, I rembered why they called it a sugar rush. As a blazed through the great works of the spoken-word/screams of "Prison Song", the oddly nonsensical yet fitting afterburners of "Jet Song", calculated insanities of Looking back at 01', a sudden listen to "Sugar" got me on a SoaD rush, as such I borrowed the album from a friend to get back some memories. As I went through the album, I rembered why they called it a sugar rush. As a blazed through the great works of the spoken-word/screams of "Prison Song", the oddly nonsensical yet fitting afterburners of "Jet Song", calculated insanities of "Science" and the demented grunts of " Psycho". With the above mentioned songs I thought that the rest of the album would be of the same insanity. Alas, I find myself surrounded in banality rather than insanity with the release. Even an old favorite, "Chop Suey" feels (With no help from the stagnation of modern music called Nu Metal which based it sound off of simmilar sound.) Feels... repetitive. Loud, soft, LOUD, soft, OVERLY LOOOONG LOUD PART! It gets to your head after a few listens of another Rick Rubin Reduction, which lever the sound not raw, but processed. The lyrics are another interesting juxtaposition, with sing-song shrieks of ,"Jet Pilot" and "Bounce" to stereotypical whines of (GASP!) "Toxicity" and "Aerials" are somewhat disconcerning, as if lyrical maturity is being supressed by some unknown prejudice. And since SoaD has been making a rather healthy living, works like "Serjart" and other actual experiments in music, or even metal like mathcore, experimental metal outfits will be shunned in favor of cheap repeats of this album.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Most Discussed Album of 2001
5
#5 Most Shared Album of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. Sonicnet
    60
    When System's at their best, the Los Angeles four-piece evokes most vividly punk politicos the Dead Kennedys.... Yet the band sputters out when the lyrics are awash in vagueness.
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    30
    Toxicity is virtually unlistenable: thrash metal splintered into a million pieces by unnecessary time changes, topped off with excruciatingly theatrical vocals. [Dec 2001, p.118]
  3. L.A. Weekly
    90
    Cast in layers upon layers of aural intricacy, Toxicity charters new frontiers, yet it’s still grinding rock at its most deafening.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »