Toxicity
by System Of A Down
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 454 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 417 out of 454
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 454
  3. Negative: 26 out of 454

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  1. danielm
    Dec 21, 2004
    10
    excellent choice of songs
  2. MikeM
    Dec 18, 2004
    9
    Could not dissagree more with Uncut's review that Toxcity is "Toxicity is virtually unlistenable". It is the exact opposite. Once you throw it in your CD player the passion of Serj's voice inspires you while he harmonizes with Shavo (a big change from their debute) while the hard riffs and drum beats make you want to jump off the walls and throw your lamp across the room. System Could not dissagree more with Uncut's review that Toxcity is "Toxicity is virtually unlistenable". It is the exact opposite. Once you throw it in your CD player the passion of Serj's voice inspires you while he harmonizes with Shavo (a big change from their debute) while the hard riffs and drum beats make you want to jump off the walls and throw your lamp across the room. System is metal, System is punk, and when they mix it up with that dab of middle eastern sitar, System rocks the listener's ears hard. You can listen to this CD the entire way through without skipping a track. It is very well produced and has great lyrics too. … Expand
  3. GaborA
    Nov 18, 2004
    4
    They have two structures: fast blast with screaming choppy sentences and slowed down guitar with chingly things in backgroud suplemented with attempts at melodic singing. Back and forth it goes in the most repetitive fasion. In terms of lyrics the themes aim high but are crushed by terrible writing resulting in simply a lack of intelligence. Individually songs are interesting but as an They have two structures: fast blast with screaming choppy sentences and slowed down guitar with chingly things in backgroud suplemented with attempts at melodic singing. Back and forth it goes in the most repetitive fasion. In terms of lyrics the themes aim high but are crushed by terrible writing resulting in simply a lack of intelligence. Individually songs are interesting but as an album the flaws become more than obvious primarily the simple structure disguised to seem polyinfluenced.… Expand
  4. EvanK
    Oct 9, 2004
    10
    This album is the best System of a down has ever put forth, Forest is my favorite, but Toxicity, Arials, and Chopsuey are up there too.
  5. IAMMADONTHISBAND!!AaronAllen
    Oct 1, 2004
    10
    this is absolutely brilliant! i picked up this album just for 'Aeriels' but got totally surprised by how great all of the other songs are! 'prison song' 'needles' and 'ATWA' are amazing but my fave is the unmissable 'Forest'. S.O.A.D i salute u
  6. LukeB
    Aug 31, 2004
    10
    this is one song you never get tired of hearing it over and over
  7. DanielM
    Aug 30, 2004
    9
    I picked this album up about a week after it's release, all because of only listening to "Chop Suey" once, and after I popped it into my CD player, it didn't leave for weeks, this album can be summed up in one word, Beutiful.
  8. NathanS
    Aug 27, 2004
    10
    Toxicity best song everr!
  9. JohnR
    Aug 24, 2004
    9
    This is a really good album, but I didn't quite follow what they were talking about in that song 'Jet Pilot' I like nearly every song on here but they could be a little more direct with some of their messages. -Peace/Rock Out!
  10. VakilyZ
    Jul 27, 2004
    0
    This album blows!! Anyone who takes this band seriously should be shot and flayed!! Rage Against the Machine will always be better than this crap!!
  11. TomM
    Jul 26, 2004
    10
    This album kicks ass!!! Brilliant acoustics, transitions, and rhythms track after track.
  12. AndrewM.
    Jul 13, 2004
    10
    My favorite bands are probably Radiohead and Modest Mouse, but System of a Down is really something different. I really really like this cd. It is very chaotic and unrestrained by boundaries that hold other albums (such as following a predictable music pattern)
  13. BrettC
    May 27, 2004
    10
    this album is nothin but head banging awesomeness
  14. allieB
    May 24, 2004
    10
    umm i'm not quite sure wat's wrong with the people at "Uncut" but unless you're really close minded and have no general taste in music SOAD kicks ass. and so does this album. enough said.
  15. AndrewF
    Apr 18, 2004
    10
    A piece of musical brilliance. 'Toxicity' is a wonderful piece of work, and manages to combine poignant political messages with dadaist rants. The quick changes in tempo and dynamics suggest schizophrenia, but the album comes together through it's message of the increasingly mechanized world we live in. The album starts with a bang with the hard-hitting "Prison Song" A piece of musical brilliance. 'Toxicity' is a wonderful piece of work, and manages to combine poignant political messages with dadaist rants. The quick changes in tempo and dynamics suggest schizophrenia, but the album comes together through it's message of the increasingly mechanized world we live in. The album starts with a bang with the hard-hitting "Prison Song" that's sure to get any alternative club going on. The short pieces are widely misunderstood- to many, as "Bounce" seems to be utterly pointless. In a sense, that is the intent- System of a Down has always had Dadaist tendanices (Dada is a art and literary form that tries to be as out-there as possible; the Dadaists see the world as going nowhere, and through their 'meaningless' art are actually commenting on the nihilistic attitudes of culture and society), and "Bounce" hits the point very well- so Serj has a pogo stick eh? Every song is a keeper, and none should be skipped to get the full meaning of the album. Ignore the critics. I always find music critics to be useless and quite brain-dead any way. They tend to rate on how an album SHOULD be, not what it IS; they enjoy the safe side of music, and are sure to condemn any artist that even remotely uses shock tactics (i.e. Marilyn Manson, who is actually one of the best lyricists of all time, surpassing many of the Grammy winners of past years) to get their message, no matter how true, how fresh, how brilliant, across. 'Toxicity' is f***ing brilliance.… Expand
  16. rianr
    Apr 17, 2004
    10
    it is great and has alot of great sounding songs that are actually worth listening to
  17. Thedevilissolovely
    Feb 13, 2004
    10
    Dave E! please understand that system of a down are not childish but very political. they are also one hell of a band SOAD RULE
  18. JimmyW
    Oct 20, 2003
    10
    all of the songs are freaking sweet except for areials
  19. MattiasL
    Oct 6, 2003
    10
    System Of A Down rules this unholy world!!
  20. imoc
    Sep 23, 2003
    10
    i love system of a down and diz album ... but i cant find any of their concertz???
  21. fanny
    Sep 9, 2003
    8
    it's my fave band but denifintely not my fave cd of theirs, s.o.a.d self titled was much better but this one still kicks ass
  22. liord
    Aug 29, 2003
    10
    this album is really great!!! i loved the cd very much! i hope system will bring us more albums like this one
  23. RyanR
    Aug 25, 2003
    9
    Great album. Haven't listend to Steal This Album or the original but this got me hooked. My complaints are that some of the songs seem to have no point (like Pogo). And others are done and over with so fast I could cry. I know, quick review but, rants aside, this is a kick ass album.
  24. DaveC
    Jul 27, 2003
    5
    Has the world gone mad? System Of A Down at their very best are mediocre and most of the time juvenile and even childish. Do yourself a favour and listen to Metallica or Tool instead.
  25. Ashm
    Mar 20, 2003
    10
    This cd kicks huge ass and if u dont like it yer retarded
  26. IanS
    Mar 2, 2003
    10
    Best album I have ever heard...buy it, you'll love it. I did
  27. hestont
    Dec 18, 2002
    10
    this is an excellant album
  28. PulahkC
    Nov 9, 2002
    10
    SYSTEM OF A DOWN is no doubt one of the best bands ever. All the songs on the album have great instrumentals and brilliant messages! God bless these Armenians! P.S.: "aomb.k", you brain-dead goof, this is a site aboutSystem Of A Down, not Tool or Dream Theater!
  29. SlashJ.
    Sep 13, 2002
    10
    GREAT CD , this cd was a masterpiece and surely to god one of the best cds of the year
  30. Insanesuperstar340
    Sep 10, 2002
    10
    It is awsome all of the songs on toxicity rule.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Most Discussed Album of 2001
5
#5 Most Shared Album of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. Sonicnet
    60
    When System's at their best, the Los Angeles four-piece evokes most vividly punk politicos the Dead Kennedys.... Yet the band sputters out when the lyrics are awash in vagueness.
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    30
    Toxicity is virtually unlistenable: thrash metal splintered into a million pieces by unnecessary time changes, topped off with excruciatingly theatrical vocals. [Dec 2001, p.118]
  3. L.A. Weekly
    90
    Cast in layers upon layers of aural intricacy, Toxicity charters new frontiers, yet it’s still grinding rock at its most deafening.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »