System of a Down (album)

This article is about the debut album by System of a Down. For other albums by the band, see System of a Down discography.

System of a Down is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on June 30, 1998, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 2000. After the success of the band's following album, Toxicity (2001), System of a Down was certified platinum and has since gone double platinum.^[4][5]

System of a Down
Studio album by System of a Down
Released	June 30, 1998 (1998-06-30)
Studio	Sound City (Van Nuys) The Mansion (Hollywood)
Genre	Nu metal[1][2] alternative metal[3]
Length	40:36
Label	American Columbia
Producer	Rick Rubin System of a Down
System of a Down chronology
System of a Down (1998) Toxicity (2001)
Singles from System of a Down
"Sugar" Released: May 24, 1998 "Spiders" Released: February 10, 1999

Composition

The album is generally considered nu metal and alternative metal, both of which would become staples for the band. Lyrical themes throughout the album vary, with many songs following a theme of being anti-war, but also has topics of genocide, religion, and brainwashing. "Suite-Pee" is a criticism of pedophilia within the Catholic Church and religious extremism.^[6] "Sugar" is about the world's population's over use and reliance on drugs and other substances, as well as the predatory state of media like the news.^[7] "Soil" is, according to guitarist Daron Malakian at a Lowlands show, "about death, and friends that die, and life that dies". "Mind" talks about government mind control, specifically mentioning CIA brainwashing in the album's liner notes. "P.L.U.C.K." is a song dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide, and is meant to be a criticism and denouncing of the Turkish Government.

Artwork

John Heartfield's poster inspired the album cover for the album.

The cover artwork is from a 1928 anti-fascist poster designed by visual artist John Heartfield for the Communist Party of Germany.^[4] The text on the original poster translates as: "A hand has 5 fingers! With these 5 grab the enemy!"^[8] This slogan inspired part of the text contained on the back of the album: "The hand has five fingers, capable and powerful, with the ability to destroy as well as create". Later, it is written in bold letters: "Open your eyes, open your mouths, close your hands and make a fist" (used later by Serj Tankian in the song "Uneducated Democracy"). The artwork also bears a close resemblance to the cover of George Harrison's album Living in the Material World.^[9]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Chronicles of Chaos	8/10[10]
Drowned in Sound	10/10[11]
Kerrang!	[12]
Pitchfork	7.5/10[13]
Q	[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[15]

System of a Down received acclaim from music critics.^[16] Q called it "an excellent starting point for this most curious band".^[14]

The album is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[17] Loudwire included the album in its list of The Best Metal Debut Albums, at number 22.^[18]

Track listing

Original release

All lyrics written by Serj Tankian, except where noted. All music written by Daron Malakian, except where noted.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Suite-Pee"			2:31
2.	"Know"		Shavo Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian	2:56
3.	"Sugar"		Odadjian, Malakian	2:33
4.	"Suggestions"			2:44
5.	"Spiders"			3:35
6.	"DDevil"		Odadjian, Malakian	1:43
7.	"Soil"			3:25
8.	"War?"			2:40
9.	"Mind"		Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian	6:16
10.	"Peephole"			4:06
11.	"CUBErt"	Tankian, Malakian		1:50
12.	"Darts"			2:42
13.	"P.L.U.C.K." (Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers)			3:33
Total length:				40:36

Japanese edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
14.	"Marmalade"	3:02
15.	"Störagéd"	1:19
Total length:		44:57

Limited edition bonus CD

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Sugar" (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999)	Odadjian, Malakian	2:27
2.	"War?" (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999)		2:48
3.	"Suite-Pee" (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999)		2:58
4.	"Know" (Live from Irving Plaza, New York, Jan 19, 1999)	Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian	3:04
Total length:			13:17

• An early version of "X" from Toxicity was originally recorded for this album.^[19] The songs "Honey" and "Temper" from Demo Tape 2 were also recorded for this album but ultimately did not make the cut. The re-recorded versions of these songs have yet to surface anywhere.^[20]

Personnel

System of a Down

• Serj Tankian – vocals, keyboards, samples
• Daron Malakian – guitars, backing vocals
• Shavo Odadjian – bass
• John Dolmayan – drums

Production

• Produced by Rick Rubin with System of a Down
• Mixed by D. Sardy
• Engineered by Sylvia Massy
• Engineer/assistant engineer: Greg Fidelman
• Additional recording/finishing touches: D. Sardy
• Assistant engineers: Sam Storey, Nick Raskulinecz
• Assistant mixdown engineers: James Saez, Greg Gordon, Andy Haller
• Second assistant mixdown engineer: Bryan Davis
• Extra piano by Rick Rubin
• Photography: Anthony Artiaga
• Cover art: John Heartfield
• Art direction: Frank Harkins & System of a Down
• A&R direction: Dino Paredes, Sam Wick
• Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, California
• Vocals and additional recordings at Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research, Hollywood, California
• Mixed at Record Plant Studios, Hollywood, California & Hollywood Sound, California
• Mastered by Vlado Meller at Sony Studios, New York City

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 48 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 68 UK Albums (OCC)[23] 103 US Billboard 200[24] 124 US Top Heatseekers (Billboard)[25] 1 Chart (2002–2022) Peak position Scottish Albums (OCC)[26] 75 UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[27] 16 US Billboard 200[28] 113 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[29] 17 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[30] 9 US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[31] 7 US Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[32] 19

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[33] 180 Canadian Alternative Albums (Billboard)[34] 58 Canadian Metal Albums (Billboard)[35] 28

Certifications

Certifications for System of a Down

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[36]	Platinum	40,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[37]	Gold	50,000^
Italy (FIMI)[38] sales since 2009	Gold	25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[39]	Gold	100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[5]	2× Platinum	2,000,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.