Yeah, I'm so glad I decided to dive into their music! This first album was awesome and exceeded my expectations, I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of their discography.
@ARTV You should give her a shout out on your channel. These reviews are great, also super entertaining to see someone react to some of my favorite music for the first time! She definitely deserves more views/ subscribers!
This is a stand out album from the metal scene in the late 90s/early 2000s. The next album Toxicity is every bit as amazing while showing huge progression in song writing from the first album.
I much prefer their first album. It's the perfect mix of SOADian eccentricity with a rawer, darker sound that you didn't really find in Toxicity and then Steal This Album.
"It's so manic and crazy, but, I love it, I absolutely love it" that's S.O.A.D. in a nutshell. When Sugar hit the radio no one knew what to make of it, then the whole album came out and people were blown away. They are masters of organized chaos. Peephole & Spiders are my favorite tracks on this great album. Cannot wait for you to listen "Toxicity" their follow up album to this one (as well as the rest of their discography). Loved this video, your reactions to each track were the same ones I had back in 98. PLEASE keep up the great work!
Masters of organized chaos sums them up perfectly! So much going on but it's somehow not too much, it all works in a funhouse sort of way. Glad you enjoyed the reaction, and I look forward to hearing the rest of SOAD's discography!
SUCH a great record to start with for this band! Most would have told you to start with their second album Toxicity, but going from the beginning just makes it a richer experience.
SOAD is one of those bands, that made all of their Albums entertaining, unique and touching. My personal favorite - Steal This Album! Enjoy your journey 😊
I absolutely loved this reaction! I was nine when I first heard Sugar in a video game and it changed my life. This album is one of my all time favorites, I remember feeling scared listening to it but I couldn't take it out of my Discman. This video unlocked a lot of special memories for me. Also, most of that jazz sound is inspired by Armenian Folk music. The band continues to embrace that style even more on Toxcicity. You should do that album next!
Thanks for watching! I love that jazzy quality to their music, that's really cool that they incorporate Armenian musical elements in their sound. I'm really looking forward to Toxicity!
I love that "LIKAMOTHEFUKA" in the end of Suite-Pee :) By the way, thank you for your reactions, they really make my day(especially when I see a familiar band/album).
Honestly you’ve just earned a subscriber! It’s not every day I see someone start with the first SOAD album. Usually one gets into them by their hits (Chop Suey, etc.) but I think the first album is the hardcore SOAD fans choice and for very good reason. I’m glad there is someone like me that looks at the band beyond just the hits.
Thank you! Honestly I've been living under a rock when it comes to SOAD and their music and had no idea what tracks were considered their hits, so I just picked their first album to start with. It'll be cool to hear their evolution from the beginning through the rest of their discography.
I love how open-minded you are with music. You really know how to appreciate different styles and how to get inside a song and understand all the different components of it. This truly is a wild trip of an album and one of the best debuts of all time. My dream in life is to be able to make a piece of art that’s on the same level as it.
Aw thank you! I really appreciate that. And yes, this album is truly a creative masterpiece. Still one of my favorites out of all the albums I've done videos for here on my channel. As for Freaks and Geeks, I have seen it (multiple times haha), I love that show. Wish there was more than one season. I've gotten the Millie comparison a lot, I can totally see a resemblance.
Based on similarity I'd also recommend the band Mr. Bungle. Mr. Bungle's self-titled album from 1991 was in a lot of ways a template for System of a Down's style. afterwards they did Disco Volante, which took them a bit away from their metal roots and more in the direction of experimental jazz and artsier rock music. then they did California, which is kind of a pop album but with all the wacky experimentation and genre diversity that is part of their signature style.
The lyrics are great. They are really good at putting deep lyrics with broad yet also specific meanings, usually aimed at politics and social structures.
I actually started with Deftones reactions here on my channel and have become a huge fan! I have a playlist called Deftones with all of my reactions if you're interested. I just have Diamond Eyes left to listen to :)
Back in 2001 when i was like 12 years old ive discovered this album and was blown away by the stuff ive heard. Soad self titled opened up the metal floodgates for me
I was a teen when System of a Down's debut came out. I can remember hearing "Sugar" on the radio for the first time, and my mind being blown. There wasn't anything like it on the radio at the time. The combo of hearing "Sugar" and "Push It" by Static-X introduced me to music that was complex, heavy, and musically challenging. So you can say that SOAD was instrumental in my next stage in musical evolution! I'd say it started with Soundgarden, Tool, SOAD, and Static-X!
well there's also Mr. Bungle, Faith No More's wackier and more interesting little brother, who have the same vocalist. i'd say their self-titled album was a major influence for System of a Down.
Great reactions to every song. Its awesome to see you go through a whole album instead of just the "hits" The way you can analyze all the different music i would love for you to react to some " cypress hill" or "the psycho realm" 90s hip hop
Yeah, I find that doing a whole album as opposed to a single track makes for a more interesting and well-rounded listening experience, at least for me anyway. I'll definitely check out Cypress Hill and The Psycho Realm, thanks for the suggestions :)
AFAIC the Mesmerize/Hypnotize double album is a serious contender. But although I have a soft spot for their debut album, I can't really say one is better than the other. Two very different atmospheres, with different qualities... they're both great in their own unique way. Toxicity is just overrated, lol.
Seeing somebody listen to this wonderful album for the first time just makes me really happy, this was an excellent reaction! I'm usually not a big fan of reaction videos , or atleast the way they are usually executed, but this was great! Can't wait to see you react to the rest of their discography , you earned a new sub! Keep it up!
Whelp, here's another album that I had to listen to before watching your video because I hadn't heard this album before. I have heard a bunch of SOAD's singles and the Toxicity album in full but hadn't taken the time to listen to any of their other music. Man is this album good. It's so manic and all over the place but it ends up working. Since you liked this album I think you will really like Toxicity.
Love your videos! Your reviews are well done & descriptive. While my music tastes are a bit different from yours, you always introduce me to new styles! Hope you keep them coming.
There are two tracks that were exclusive to the album's Japanese edition and were released later in the "Lonely Day" and "Sugar" singles: "Marmalade" and "Störagéd", respectively.
I got the album not long after hit the store shelves and it blew me away and it was kind of fun watching somebody else experience it for the first time and how amazing this album is. A masterpiece that has kept me entertained for years
I forgot how good Cubert was lol. And loving you channel. So insightful and really put things into words I cannot. Great work thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks, I appreciate that! I just love music and I'm glad these little videos that I make are resonating with people that share that passion for music :)
This along with White Pony were coming of age albums of mine. SOAD grabs your attention and forces you onto the ride. Really worth looking into the Lyrics of "WAR" and "Pluck" as they speak to their main political talking point: recognition of the Armenian genocide.
SOAD is TIMELESS! My first album from them was actually Hypnotize and Mezmerize, and in those albums there is definitely a lot more hard melody to appreciate. God bless!
I think you'll find a deeper appreciation for the album when you look into the lyrics and history of the band. Some goofy lyrics and theatrical delivery did little to water down the potent message they push through their lyrics. Serjs writing is often a highpoint for System of a Down tracks
I'm glad you loved it and hope you'll react to the others, if you like the vocal harnonies on that last one, you won't be disappointed, that's what made most of their sound later on
First time watching one of your videos, but I have to say how impressed I am with the depth of reflection and awareness to what you’re listening to, as well as open-mindedness. Def subbed during this vid
fun fact: "Spiders" was in soundtrack for the movie "Scream 3" - only appeared for something like 2 seconds, but definitely made some Scream fans check out System. and this song totally makes sense in the movie, because it has more of that haunting feel than heavy feel and it's just amazing!
I suggest you check out "Storaged Melodies" album on youtube. It's more of a compilation of their older releases, covers & demos, but you can definitely notice their evolution and origins there. There are bunch of great and interesting songs on it as well. It's a hidden gem.
One of the absolute greatest albums ever. A literal masterpiece. I like everything from these guys, but this is hands down their best. I think everyone should listen to this album at least twice. I'm not sure you can really appreciate it the first listen, it's just so much.
It definitely is a lot coming at you on the first listen, I agree. So much experimentation and quirky sounds they play around with. A must listen for sure.
Great stuff!!! This was definitely a welcome surprise! SOAD is an awesome band with some wacky deep cuts. Love listening to the way you digest music! You definitely have respect for musical nuance, and you dissect things pretty intelligently! Subbing for more
I think you had the same reaction as Rick Rubin (their producer) when seeing them for the first time. Quoting Rick "I remember watching the show and laughed the entire time, but in a good way. They were so over the top and extreme" Can´t wait for your next SOADs reaction video, I enjoyed so much this one :D
Someone else shared a link to that interview in the comments! It's very true though, this first soad album just had me smiling the whole time. So extremely entertaining!
I've been wanting someone to react to this entire album and before anything else for years. It's just how many of us first started out. We had just the one album and it was marvelous.
I've been binging on music reactions on youtube recently, and I have to say, this feels like a lot more genuine of a reaction than a lot of creators are putting out there. Curious to know what you normally listen to, and your musical background.
Thank you, I appreciate that! I don't have any musical background in terms of technical knowledge, I just have always loved listening to music and listen to music A LOT, haha. I listen to really anything, my taste changes all the time. I'm definitely drawn to a lot of weird/avant garde stuff (Bjork, fka twigs, Crystal Castles, etc), artists that kind of push the envelope with developing new sounds and genres. Also cinematic/atmospheric stuff (I love listening to movie soundtracks). Stuff with a lot of industrial elements for sure too (Nine Inch Nails is certainly a favorite!) And obviously lately metal music has really been catching my ear, pretty apparent with the content on my channel :)
@@mollyesanborn do you listen to My Morning Jacket? As I’m watching your vids they stand out as something you may enjoy, especially their album Z which starts with a groovy deep bass line you’d love. I would also suggest St Vincent self titled if you haven’t listened.
No, never heard of My Morning Jacket before. I have heard some of St Vincent's stuff, although I wouldn't say I'm all that familiar with her entire discography. I'll have to give both of them a thorough listen.
Nice video! I highly recommend the album Elect the Dead by Serj Tankian, the vocalist of System of a Down, his voice is extremely different from that of this album
Oh fricking god. You already like their first album, i don't even know how much you'll love toxicity and mezmerize. You're an SoaD fan already, i can't wait for the other reactions i hope they're coming soon :)
Have you even been recommended the band "Hail the Sun"? I would really love to see you do reaction for one of their albums! The Wake album specifically. But any of them! If you enjoy the dark, heavy, but also super dynamic, energetic, unpredictable, jazzy, funky, and so much more. Amazing lyrics too!
Spiders is easily my fav track here. And also the ending of "Sugar", it's so intense... I can't wait for you to react to Prison Song on their next album :D
@@mollyesanborn You'll see, then. The reason why I love Sugar's ending (the "No light/No music" part that you featured on your video) is the same reason why I love Prison Song's bridge. They explore similar ideas in terms of structure and it's the best! ^_^
Funny that you just mentioned The Mars Volta. I've already left you a comment in the other video for Mesmerize or hypnotize whichever one it was but Mars Volta opened up for them. Thanks for bringing that up now I think I'm going to have to listen to a little more Mars Volta
React to Serj Tankian's solo project. He is the lead singer and has so many good songs on his solo career. There is actually one entire studio album that he also recorded live in an acoustic version with an orchestra. Its called Elect the dead. Pretty good.
I beg of you to check out an album called Them Crooked Vultures, it's a self titled, they're a Rock supergroup composed by Josh Homme (lead singer/guitarrist for Queens of The Stone Age), Dave Grohl (drummer for Nirvana and vocalist/guitarrist for Foo Fighters) and John Paul Jones (bassist and keyboardist for Led Zeppelin) They have only one album out, released in 2009! I'm suggesting this because i think this album is a one of a kind, it's the kind of album you don't get everyday, it's an album you should listen at least once in your life ♥ Also, i'm glad you liked SOAD, hoping you'll do the rest of their albuns, SOAD is too a one of a kind thing
I think SOAD does not have any bad albums or bad songs, but this album is to this day, the only one i love so much. The hand on the cover, the analog tape cracks, those distorted growls, insane and maddening vocals, emotional intensity, grossy production and pummeling sound. This album is just distorted avalanche in the best way possible. The other albums are lacking the chaos for me and the creepy factor. The reason why Soil has that amount of intensity is cause it is about their friend, who killed himself. I always bursts with tears when Serj is yelling the outro.
Nice you are listen to SOAD! Now that you have listened more of this band I recommend you to go back and listen to the Deftones song Mein from the Saturday Night Wrist album and hear those vocals !
Thanks, I really appreciate that! I try to stay as open minded as possible with music, as there is so much diversity and crossover between genres out there.
You didn't mention that their songs and they in general are influenced by Middle eastern music. Guess you haven't heard much of it to recognize the sound. Definitely looking forward to your reaction to Toxicity (their best album in my opinion, Serj's voice was peak in Toxicity).
True, I fully admit that I'm not very familiar with Middle eastern music. It's so cool that they infuse it in their sound though. I am looking forward to Toxicity!
Not really middle eastern... it's Armenian Music influences.. Armenia is in the easternmost parts of Europe... alongside Georgia and Azerbaijan, it isn't really Middle Eastern, because they're basically south of Russia...
@@livedandletdie you can find elements of Armanian (mesmerize intro and solo, Arial ) Persian and middle East, ( psycho especially solo, the last course of sugar, ) Russian (peephole, Marmalade, raido video, science) and Greek Atawa, lonely day.. in their works.
I feel like Sugar is that track we don't even know why but we all know it's our favorite. It's amazing how that song just stands apart from all of their library of work while at the same time being a perfect example of what SOAD is and sounds like.
@@mollyesanborn Haha! :) to be honest, I go off the rails sometimes 😅. At least I know I'm not the only one! Besides, your music stuff is great also and I'm fine with that content. 😁😁