MY VIEW
Music: 'Mezmerize' by System of a Down

By Jeremy Castillo
Special to The Advertiser

The Verdict: 5 THE RATINGS 5 — Outstanding: Add it to your collection now. A must-have. 4 — Great: Buy it or rent it — definitely listen to it. 3 — Good: Worth listening to despite some flaws. 2 — Fair: Unless you're a fan of the group or singer, don't bother. 1 — Poor: Save your money (and your ears).

Release: May 17.

Style: Rock.

My take: System of a Down is an Armenian rock quartet that exploded onto the charts in 2001 with its smash hit "Chop Suey!" The popularity of the song propelled sales of the album "Toxicity" into the stratosphere, while the overall album was hailed across the board as an instant rock classic.

The band returns to mainstream radar with "Mezmerize." It is obvious upon listening to the first track, "Soldier Side," that success hasn't dampened the fire behind the band's mission to spotlight the flaws of society.

"B.Y.O.B." is the first single off the album, and it is tearing up the radio with its blistering guitars, angry yet harmonic vocals and lyrics solidity against the war in Iraq, with singer/songwriter Daron Malakian repeatedly screaming, "Why don't presidents fight the war?/Why do they always send the poor?"

Another song of note is "Cigaro," most memorable for lines about certain body parts and functions that we can't print.

While lyrics about an oppressive leader, as well as the title, may hint that the song is talking about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, other lines filled with mock arrogance and cockiness, and once again the title, may be talking about former President Bill Clinton.

What's most interesting about this band is that it challenges you to think when you listen to its music. They don't pour their feelings on to the table for the world to hear, like most other musicians do. In fact, they are like math professors, setting up equations (song lyrics) to which you need to find the answers. Then again, phrases such as "gonorrhea gorgonzola," off the song "Old School Hollywood" feel Red-Hot-Chili-Peppered — that is, some songs have purposely nonsensical lines. (If you've listened to "By the Way," you know what I mean.)

Of course, the instruments backing the lyrics are just as angrily catchy as they ever were, causing the listener to be as spent after listening as the artists were after recording.

When I first heard of them, I didn't like System of a Down much; their music wasn't anything like I'd heard, so I dismissed it as weird. However, after several listens of "Mezmerize," I see the light. While political-protest music isn't exactly my thing, their ambition and talent make for some incredible, infectious music.

In a time where rock music is dominated by this whole acoustic/emo movement, it's reassuring to see that bands such as System, Audioslave and Queens of the Stone Age are keeping real rock music alive.

Get the album. Just do it.

Jeremy Castillo is a student at Windward Community College.

Have a game or CD you want to review? Reach Island Life deputy editor Dave Dondoneau at ddondoneau@honoluluadvertiser.com.