10 Hard Rock Music Bands That Avoided The Sophomore Slump
6. Toxicity - System of a Down
There's been an ongoing debate for years whether System of a Down even fits under the nu metal label. Even though they came out around the same time, System were never content with throwing in rap sections in their songs or going on long rambling breakdowns about their troubled childhoods. They did have the same anger though, and they didn't pull any of their punches when it came to injustice.
Throughout most of Toxicity, Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian have a lot to get off their chest, whether it means the way that we treat our planet on songs like ATWA or Science or just the way that we relate to each other like on Aerials and Toxicity. Even when they're spewing out straight statistics at you on Prison Song, it's still infectious as hell, leaving you hanging on every word as Daron's guitar builds sonic walls to close you in.
None of these men had forgotten where they came from though, and the mix of traditional Eastern music into their sound gave them a unique twist, along with sprinkling in bits of humor on songs like Bounce. Although these songs can switch on a dime, you never forget the message in the middle of it. While our society might look fine on the surface, it's certainly far from perfect, and System made us look at those skeletons in our closet right in the eye.