Toxicity at twenty: Reflecting on System of a Down’s breakthrough moment

When “Toxicity” was released in 2001, it may not have seemed initially destined for greatness.

The alternative metal scene seemed to have peaked, and you wouldn’t have been out of line to assume that a band like System of a Down was simply too late to the party.

Compared to the melodic riffs and glossy production of their contemporaries, System of a Down is a far more punishing, less accessible band. Citing influences such as Slayer and Mr. Bungle, and taking inspiration from middle eastern folk music, System of a Down is not a band built for commercial success.

Their lyrics addressed subjects ranging from Charles Manson to police brutality—a far cry from the typical tone of top 40 music at the time. Yet “Toxicity” ended up having a huge impact on popular music, selling millions of copies and establishing System of a Down as a leading, influential band. Despite all the odds, there was a market for their brand of eclectic, searing protest anthems, and “Toxicity” helped the band to establish an audience that survives to this day.

In many ways, “Toxicity” is a different animal compared to the band’s self-titled debut, released three years prior. Lead singer Serj Tanikan wanted to include more vocal harmonies compared to the band’s previous effort and create catchier melodies. His vocal style runs the gamut from melodic singing to rapping to harsh screaming. The rough growls of bassist and backing vocalist Daron Malakian help to support him on a number of songs.

Musically, the band is hard to pin down. There’s a strong punk rock influence across this album. With extreme metal bands breaking out increasingly sophisticated arrangements and the other members of the Nu Metal crowd adopting seven string guitars and pop production methods, System of a Down took efforts to move back to basics in a number of areas.

The song structures are mostly relatively simplistic, compared to the often more drawn out hard rock being pushed by bands like Staind and Creed at the time. Several of the songs on this album don’t even reach the two minute mark. The tempos across “Toxicity” are usually on the faster end, with “Prison Song” reaching a blistering 198 BPM. “Toxicity” is a strong return to the rebellious feeling that had largely vacated the alternative space by that point. There’s also aspects of the song writing that show off the band’s more avant-garde instincts. Classically influenced electric guitar playing and unorthodox instruments like sitar set this apart from a traditional rock record.

Many of the riffs on “Toxicity” follow the stripped down, syncopated formula popular among nu metal acts of the period, but songs like “Forest” and “Science” use more complicated guitar lines not commonly found during the period. From a musical perspective, it’s hard to place the band in any one camp. Even now, with 20 years of innovation across the heavy metal scene, the band still sticks out.

The most defining characteristic to many listeners may be the lyrical subject. “Prison Song” cites various statistics regarding the American justice system, while a number of tracks allude to the epidemic spread of heroin. “Deer Dance” was inspired by the brutal suppression of protests at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and by police brutality in general. These aren’t vague sentiments and overtures. System of a Down is very direct in confronting the issues they have with the world, and they’re not keen on compromising.

And the band’s anger didn’t come out of nowhere. As Armenians living in the United States, the band has experienced racial harassment throughout their career. Drummer John Dolmayan and vocalist Serj Tanikan spent their early years in Lebanon before being forced to flee civil war. Shavo Odadjian’s family fled the Soviet-aligned government in Armenia when he was five years old. They all had ancestors who perished in the Armenian genocide, and they had all witnessed violence and destutiton first hand.

The band’s bold opinions and harsh tone weren’t met without challenges. “Toxicity” was released just days before 9/11 and its political tone clashed with a nationalistic atmosphere. Yet the album found an audience regardless. Between people scared of an uncertain future and those angry at societal injustices, “Toxicity” resonated with millions.

Both the band and this album have remained popular with a new generation of listeners. Throughout my time in the music scene System of a Down have been one of the most frequently cited influences in all the band’s I’ve met, and they’ve had their impact on me as well. When I first heard this album, it was one of the first metal albums I was familiar with. With many of the issues addressed on the album still ongoing and my own life being wrought with frustrations, I found solace in the righteous anger of “Toxicity.” Over twenty years have passed but the album’s message remains as impactful as ever.