10 Great Metal Albums (For People Who Don't Like Metal)

Any one of SOAD’s albums could fit in here, really. Throughout their run they’ve offered a melodic and playful alternative to the more po-faced, macho side of metal, and have even enjoyed some breakthrough success without tempering their approach.

Their 2001 sophomore effort, though, remains pick of the bunch. Toxicity is so varied, deft, and fun, but still crazy heavy and aggressive. Daron Malakian’s guitars shriek and scream, the rhythm section tunes down several steps for a menacing rumble, and Serj Tankian is a frontman like no other, in turn yelping, sort-of-rapping, crooning, and howling.

Intro “Prison Song” is a shocker, with blasts of noise and silence before the urgent, stat-filled lyrics critiquing the USA’s mass incarceration. SOAD are forever misleading their listeners, with highlights like “Aerials” and the title track providing periods of often-lovely music before lurching into pure noise once again.

Tankian can deal with serious matters in the most ludicrous manner imaginable, and vice versa; Toxicity is a wild ride of a record, and SOAD a band that few can come close to.