System Of A Down - Mezmerize [Black Vinyl LP]

The first half of System Of A Down's ambitious double-album project, Mezmerize hit shelves on May 17, 2005, and immediately proved the Armenian-American band's commercial and artistic power by debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and topping charts in at least twelve countries. Recorded at The Mansion in Laurel Canyon and Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research in Los Angeles, the album was produced by Rick Rubin and guitarist Daron Malakian, who also shared vocal duties with Serj Tankian throughout the record. This 2018 vinyl reissue on Columbia Records brings the band's fourth studio album back to the format that best captures its explosive dynamics and intricate arrangements.

At just over 36 minutes across 11 tracks, Mezmerize packs relentless intensity into a compact runtime. Grammy-winning lead single "B.Y.O.B." delivers the band's signature blend of political commentary and frenzied metal with Tankian's rapid-fire vocals and Malakian's aggressive guitar work. "Question!" showcases the band's unexpected melodic side with soaring harmonies, while "Radio/Video" displays their ability to shift between soft verses and punishing choruses. The album opens with the brief "Soldier Side (Intro)" and closes with "Lost in Hollywood," Malakian's reflective meditation on fame, bookending a collection that careens between hardcore aggression, alt-metal experimentation, and moments of surprising beauty.

This black vinyl pressing captures the album's hypercharged energy and detailed production, from Tankian's distinctive vocal delivery to the intricate interplay between Malakian's guitars and the rhythm section of bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan. Mixed at Soundtrack Studios in New York and Enterprise Studios in Los Angeles, then mastered by Vlado Meller at Sony Music Studios, the album's sonic assault translates powerfully to vinyl. The LP includes a lyric sleeve and delivers the full scope of the band's most critically acclaimed work.

• Format: Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: "B.Y.O.B.," "Question!," "Radio/Video"
• Pressing details: Single LP with lyric sleeve, 2018 reissue, produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian
• Genre/style: Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal
• UPC: 190758656113

Released six months before its companion album Hypnotize, Mezmerize earned widespread critical acclaim and won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2006 for "B.Y.O.B." This vinyl edition offers a dynamic listening experience that captures System Of A Down at their creative peak.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Soldier Side - Intro
2. B.Y.O.B.
3. Revenga
4. Cigaro
5. Radio / Video
6. This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song

Side B:

1. Violent Pornography
2. Question!
3. Sad Statue
4. Old School Hollywood
5. Lost In Hollywood