ALBUM WORSHIP // System Of A Down - Toxicity

If you're into metal and you don't know who System Of A Down are, where have you been? Like honestly, a genuine question, what have you been doing with your life to not know about them at all? Arguably one of the most important metal bands of the last 20 years, they've released nothing but gold ever since their debut self titled album way back in 1998. Gaining an army of fans on their journey to the very top of the game, they're currently in a hiatus period, occasionally reforming for one off shows at festivals and rare tours. The desire for them to release new material is shared by many, and nobody is really sure whether or not it's actually on it's way or not. Whilst thinking about the possibility of new material, however, I delved into their undeniably strong back catalogue and rediscovered Toxicity. I say rediscovered, it never really went away. That album is arguably their best, and contains a large chunk of their best known and most loved material. You can also say, arguably, that this is the album that made them the band they are today. It was their second album, and it is solid proof that not every band struggles with that stereotypical "difficult second album".

There isn't a bad song on this record. Not one. It's just hard hitter, after hard hitter, after hard hitter. Prison Song right from the off is what I would now refer to as "dumb". I remember the first time I heard it, not being able to predict those opening stabs and being blown away when the riff exploded into my eardrums. Deer Dance is my personal favourite on the record, and favourite System song of all time. That opening riff, man. Seriously. Doesn't matter how old I am. I could be 90 and dependent a zimmerframe. I would launch that zimmer at the nearest unsuspecting person and open that pit up. The softer section in the middle too, and how it builds back into the riff. Perfection. The big opening sludge of X and the ensuing blast beats are impossible to stay still to. This song sits on both ends of the spectrum, featuring frantic paced guitars and drums as well as stripped back and calmer sections. They're masters of the rise and fall, constantly displaying use of dynamics and clever control of the atmosphere in songs. Just before the halfway point of the album, we're presented with Chop Suey. I don't mean that every time you spin this record a Chinese Takeaway turns up at your door with a meal (although I would enjoy that), I just mean that the track Chop Suey is next up. And if you haven't heard it, you're either a corpse or you're deaf. EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS SONG. Even Captain Kale who only listens to underground experimental post-indie (fictional person, possibly fictional genre) knows what this song is. And it's because it's an anthem, without doubt. The verses are just giant hooks. The chorus is a giant hook. The riffs are simple yet powerful, kind of like hooks. The outro is an enormous and unforgettable hook. It's essentially a heavy pop song, and it's possibly their most well known and successful song. Quite rightly so, too.

Bounce starts immediately after, and the first time I heard it I laughed because of how much Serj Tankian says "Pogo". I've literally never heard references to pogo sticks so many times in one song. And the song is infectiously bouncy too, which is probably part of the reason the song got it's name. Science is one of their most well known tracks of this record, and has been covered by numerous bands of varying sizes. Most notably, Periphery have covered it. They've taken songs and completely made them their own before, but this was a straight up cover which signifies to me that they saw no improvements to make. That riff in the chorus, the little ascending and descending pattern at the end of the phrase, is just so catchy. They're so good at making every aspect of a song memorable. Shimmy is the reason I discovered who this band were. It was featured on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, and I remember un-ticking all the other songs on the soundtrack so that just this track would repeat. Despite the vocal instructions I continued to be late for school a lot, but probably because I spent a lot of my early guitaring years trying to learn this infectious track and it's riffs by ear. Toxicity is another mammoth of a track, and is probably the second most well known off this record underneath Chop Suey. Another straight up verse/chorus structure, laden with memorable vocal melodies and simple but enormous guitars, it begins as a relatively slow track until it hits the middle 8 and erupts into a powerhouse of a riff. That riff is reintroduced towards the end of the track, and leaves you both speechless and breathless. The album closer Aerials is popular, too, and is the most musically calm and beautiful track on the record. One of the less heavy tracks on the album, but one of the hardest hitting and anthemic. It's just perfect. The entire album is, in fact. Perfect.

When I first listened in my teens, I didn't really pay much attention to the lyrical content. I obviously listened to the lyrics and learnt them so I could yell them back to the band as part of a crowd, but I never really read into their message or significance until I grew up. The political content and strong messages throughout add a whole other viewpoint to it, and it adds to how impressive it is. No one quite writes lyrics or delivers vocals quite like Serj Tankian. He's truly one of a kind. To say that he puts on a display doesn't really do it justice. He croons, wails and screams his way through the entire album with such character and grace that you wouldn't think this was their second album. And with the music added to the mix? Collectively, Toxicity is flawless. They displayed an insane ability to write catchy and memorable songs that were both commercially sellable and crushingly heavy in perfect balance. It set the bar REALLY high for everyone around at the time and for a horde of bands that followed. An insane number of bands cite this band and this particular album as an influence, myself included. It was an enormous success upon it's release, and is now essential listening for anyone that loves metal.

If you are yet to discover this album, it's never too late. It never stops being good. It never stops being relevant. An absolute classic. A masterpiece.

Prophets Of Rage - Prophets Of Rage

The term "supergroup" is becoming more and more popular in music today. When a collection of established and well known musicians all join together to make what is often music we aren't used to hearing from them, it tantalises our musical taste buds and gets us excited to hear what the chemistry creates. Over the last few years we've seen the likes of Them Crooked Vultures (Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Led Zeppelin), The Damned Things (Every Time I Die, Anthrax, Fall Out Boy), Giraffe Tongue Orchestra (Alice In Chains, Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan) and Hellyeah (Pantera, Mudvayne, Nothingface) to name a few. Recently, a new name has surfaced in the supergroup world. One that is turning heads and creating an awful lot of buzz. And that name is Prophets Of Rage; a musical marriage of metal legends Rage Against The Machine and hip hop pioneers Public Enemy and Cypress Hill. After a few years of shows and festival appearances, they've finally dropped their debut self titled album. Does it live up to the hype?

It's no secret that Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilks are fans of hip hop and rap. I mean, Rage Against The Machine were the first band that really hit the mainstream to blend the two genres, so there was no doubt that this combination of musicians was going to work. Tracks like "Unfuck The World", "Hail To The Chief" and "Who Owns Who" and "Smashit" all sound like they could've been on one of the old Rage albums. They've picked up where they left off. Morello's signature single string riffs are just as meaty and catchy as ever, with Commerford and Wilks backing them up and pushing them even deeper into your ears. Lyrically the songs are just as politically charged as Zack's lyrics were, with attacks at the White House and the government, drones and also lyrics that are directed at law enforcement. Their delivery is powerful and compelling, with Chuck D and B Real demonstrating that they haven't lost their touch in the slightest. "Radical Eyes" sounds like a heavier Public Enemy song, with Chuck D's vocal perfectly blending in with the riffs. "Take Me Higher" is a funk influenced, old school hip hop sounding track, and is probably the most unique sounding song on the record. "Legalize Me" is the only track to feature singing, courtesy of B Real, and is surprisingly catchy. Tom Morello has an ability to write memorable riffs, and with a catchy vocal hook over the top it makes this song difficult to not like. There's a lot of good material here, for sure. But does it hit the mark? Yes and no. I mean don't get me wrong, the album is great and it features everything you'd expect from these guys joining forces; there's just something missing. I remember the first time I heard Audioslave and being completely blown away by how well Rage's music and riffage fitted with the late Chris Cornell's voice, and I was hooked. The first time I heard this, I was impressed, but I wasn't blown away. Maybe it's the Rage Against The Machine fan in me telling me that Zack De La Rocha did it better. There is a lot to love here, and the material translates into a sonic wrecking ball when performed live. It just isn't groundbreaking.

If you loved Public Enemy and Cypress Hill, you'll find something that you love here. If you loved Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, you'll also find something that you love here. Everything that is great about all these artists is included in this album, showing that they clearly haven't slowed down or lost any of their edge. If you're expecting to be blown away, though, you may find yourself slightly disappointed. This album is good, but it isn't reinventing the wheel. It's just setting the wheel back in motion. If that wheel goes anywhere near where you live, though, go and check it out. These guys are insane live. If you can check them out, make sure you do.

D.S

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Stray From The Path - Only Death Is Real

Stray From The Path are an absolute force to be reckoned with. Always have been, always will be. Their albums are punishing, their live show is unrelenting, and their message is powerful and passionate. I say this with some level of bias, as I've been a fan of Stray ever since Make Your Own History back in 2009, and they quickly became one of my favourite bands. For those that are yet to discover these guys, they display a Rage Against The Machine style delivery with a modern twist. Breakdowns and chugs a plenty, both musical and vocal hooks, they're a mixture of everything that's good about the genre and ram it down your throats without giving you a chance to chew. Today, they released their new album Only Death Is Real, and I felt compelled to review it. I just had to.

Right from the off, they set the tone for the entire album on opener "The Opening Move". They pack everything that follows into 1:30. Choppy guitar stabs that develop into a giant wall of riff, heavy and technical drums, Drew's trademark distressed angry vocals, changes of feel, changes of pace. If you like the first track, you will love everything that follows. The shrieks of the guitars married with the sludgy bass in "Loudest In The Room", the Tom Morello styled riffing, strong political message and a headbang approved breakdown in single "Goodnight Alt Right", the single string riff groove of "Plead The Fifth". Every track possesses something different, but doesn't stray from the formula (no pun intended, but I'll roll with it) in any way.

There were a number of nice surprises I came across during this album. The first being the track "They Always Take The Guru". The track begins with a breakneck speed drum fill, and immediately floods into a runaway train of riffs and vocals. It keeps pulling out punches the entire way through, surprising you with more riffs when you don't think there could be room for anymore, gradually getting heavier and heavier until it climaxes with a lyric that made me think. Is this track a nod to Tom Searle, the late Architects guitarist? The final lyric of the song is "Now you're gone with the wind, everything is still. I'll stay here forever, to watch what you've built." I then went back and listened for a second time, and noticed lyrics such as "You don't know what you've got til it's gone" and "It's nights like these that remind me that we are all temporary". Stray From The Path are good friends of Architects, so it wouldn't surprise me if at all if this song is a tribute to him. And what a tribute.

Another surprise were the guest vocalists on the record. The first that you come across is Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die) on "Strange Fiction", which was a nice surprise for me personally as he's the vocalist of my favourite band. He nails it, by the way, but what else would you expect from Keith? He's one of the best vocalists in the game. His delivery is unique and unmistakable, and it compliments the outro of this track perfectly. The next guest spot comes from Bryan Garris (Knocked Loose) on "All Day and Night", and this one is a little marmite in my opinion. Bryan's vocals are very love or hate, his high pitched angry delivery isn't to everyone's taste, but if you've ever listened to Knocked Loose, it works. The section of this song that has Bryans vocals is very similar to a Knocked Loose track. The guitars are chuggy and thick, the pace slows right down, the drums are being smashed with such force, and I think it's great. The pit potential for it insane, I can see the dust clouds at festivals already. The final guest vocal comes from Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks) on single "The House Always Wins". This is the one that feels the most out of place, but it isn't a complete surprise. It's no secret that the band have a love for hip hop, you can hear it in how the lyrics are delivered, and they had rapper Cody B. Ware guest on their previous album Subliminal Criminals. The track Cody guested on had a more hip hop vibe to it, stripped down and had more of a focus on drums and bass, whereas this track is a more no holds barred, full frontal assault. Vinnie's section is lyrically powerful, and has a very strong political message, but it just doesn't sit right in my ears. No doubt I'll learn to love it, but initially it's just not for me. But the track itself is great. A full on aural assault, and lyrically aims its crosshair directly the White House and the current president of the United States. All 10 tracks on this album possess some form of political message, and it's one of the things that makes Stray stand out from the crowd. They know what their views are, they're passionate about them, and they aren't trying to push their views on you. They just want you to listen.

All in all, this album is another corker to add to their catalogue. Would I say it's better than their previous album? No. Would I say it comes close? Yes. Very close. I think that Stray From The Path have completely found their formula and they're consistently releasing banger after banger. If you love Rage Against The Machine and also bands like The Chariot, Every Time I Die and Norma Jean, give this album a spin. If you can get into this album, you'll more than likely get into everything else they've done. Grab it on iTunes, listen to it on Spotify, go and grab a copy from HMV or something. Whatever you do, don't sleep on this album. I don't think these guys are going to be playing intimate venues for much longer.

D.S

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