For example, Question, with its changes from soft and calm acoustic passages to screamed, operatic mayhem, ranks among the best songs in System of a Down's very consistent discography, and it also showcases Daron’s ability to play fast, technical riffs.
The songwriting, while definitely made to appeal to a larger amount of people, is still as fantastic as on past albums, and the songs are still as addictive. However, when Daron sings alone, such as on Lost in Hollywood, one can instantly notice all of his flaws as a singer. His voice is not as strong as Serj's, but when they sing together, there is a certain chemistry between the two which makes all of Daron's imperfections nearly invisible. Another change, although not as welcome, is the addition of Daron Malakian's vocals. The mixture of Armenian and more standard metal riffs add diversity to the already eclectic sound of System of a Down. This is most evident on the amusing Radio/Video, which stands among System of a Down's best songs, despite bland and unimaginative lyrics. The most noticeable change is the frequent addition of Armenian melodies. This change is very similar to what was done in the early 1990’s by Metallica, but System of a Down became mainstream without sacrificing anything, unlike Metallica. Serj and company now focus much less on delivering the weirdness and zaniness that made their first album so lovable (but don’t worry, Mesmerize is still a very strange album), and instead opt to have more memorable melodies (which is a good thing).
Mind you, this change isn’t a bad thing-if anybody can write mainstream music well, it’s System of a Down-it’s just that the sound is entirely different. The previously experimental and underground band is now on the radio, playing mainstream music.
Hey man, look at me rocking out, I’m on the radioThis quote, from the song Radio/Video, is a perfect summary of the changes in System of a Down’s sound. Review Summary: System of a Down goes mainstream without losing any of their quality (surprisingly).