How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Mine was Thanksgiving-y.
Got the new System of a Down album... hooray for sales on new CDs that let you get them for used CD prices.
Right now, all I can really say is that it's definitely a variation on our regularly scheduled SoaD. Until I let it grow on me a bit I don't want to jump to hasty judgements. However, I can say with certainty that Daron's vocals suck since they were prominently featured on Mezmerize, and I've had more than enough time to listen to that to give it a fair review. At best, they work passably, but only in some places. That and seriously, pretty much all Serj does is sing... at least let him keep that spotlight, especially since he does it so much better. In contrast to the previous statement, I admit he does have some pretty decent lyrical abilities (and his guitar skills continue on unquestioned)... even if he does make SoaD's political side a little too abrasively opaque. I liked Serj's more poetic and playful approach, relying more on allusions than being all "RARR! POLITICS!". I mean, it's all good, but that's more what I'd look for in a punk band than in SoaD, or pretty much any other metal band, at that.
Got the new System of a Down album... hooray for sales on new CDs that let you get them for used CD prices.
Right now, all I can really say is that it's definitely a variation on our regularly scheduled SoaD. Until I let it grow on me a bit I don't want to jump to hasty judgements. However, I can say with certainty that Daron's vocals suck since they were prominently featured on Mezmerize, and I've had more than enough time to listen to that to give it a fair review. At best, they work passably, but only in some places. That and seriously, pretty much all Serj does is sing... at least let him keep that spotlight, especially since he does it so much better. In contrast to the previous statement, I admit he does have some pretty decent lyrical abilities (and his guitar skills continue on unquestioned)... even if he does make SoaD's political side a little too abrasively opaque. I liked Serj's more poetic and playful approach, relying more on allusions than being all "RARR! POLITICS!". I mean, it's all good, but that's more what I'd look for in a punk band than in SoaD, or pretty much any other metal band, at that.