System Of A Down – Hypnotize (2005)

January 12, 2025

In my eyes, Hypnotize is the only real “missed step” in the original SOAD run. And, it’s not like they came out with a stinker of an album, it’s just Hypnotize struggles to live up to the gargantuan heights achieved by it’s sister release, Mezmerize. It has the exact same production (it may even be the same session, if I’m not mistaken?) and some excellent individual songs, but fails to function on the same level in regards to being a cohesive whole. Without wanting to harp on, Mezmerize is absolutely stellar start to finish, whereas Hypnotize is far from that. After such an incredible first part, this second part felt like a bit of an afterthought to me.

Despite this, there are some brilliant songs here worth mentioning; the single “Lonely Day” is a fantastic song (even if some of Daron’s vocals talents are a touch questionable haha), as is the title track and the closing “Soldier Side”, which expands on the motif introduced an album before.

A strange off-note to end on, but SOAD have always been anything but typical, I guess.