What's up freaks? T-Bone here ready for my latest installment of the infamous pick of the month. Once again, this decision was the hardest one yet since there was some great competition this month with the likes of Slipknot's "Iowa" and American Head Charge's "The Art of War". However, I went with my gut for something a little different and one that lived up to its sophomore debut and beyond. I picked System Of A Down's 'Toxicity'.

First of all, lots of bands often rush into the studio shortly after the debut of their first CD and produce something horrible. They all get caught up with what's being played on the radio or MTV (MTV went to crap once they stopped airing Headbangers Ball!) and change their style and lose their focus. They need to start taking notes from the likes of bands like Pantera, Fear Factory, Slipknot, & System of A Down.

System of A Down went to the studio and recorded around a total of 32 songs. From there, they picked 14 of the best songs that they could have. That way, the fans got the cream of the crop and fans won't have to wait an additional 3 years to hear new material. Other songs could easily be released in the near future on soundtracks & videogames and maybe the third System of A Down disc?? We'll leave that up to them.

Almost after three years of waiting, fans got their hands on "Toxicity" after being teased with a lot of new material. For instance, System Of A Down did a cover of "Metro" by Berlin featured on the Dracula 2000 Soundtrack as well as Serj appearing on "Straight Up," a dedication to Lynn Straight of Snot. "Chop Suey" the first radio single, also hit radio stations with full force a couple weeks before the release and which had fans yearning for more.

I got to hand it to System of A Down. They came out and did their own thing keeping the true identity of the band and perhaps gaining fans by their newest material. Look out Rage Against the Machine, you're not the only political band turning heads and making statements anymore. Songs such as "Prison Song," "Deer Dance," "X," "Science," and the title track "Toxicity" will make people think and see things in a different light.

"Prison Song" mainly deals with how drugs have become easily available for all the kids and that the government system wastes no time throwing these people in the prison system, meanwhile our tax money is being used to pay for secret wars around the world and used to rig elections. Did you get all that?

"Deer Dance" is about protests and how they can become ugly. The chorus line is one of my favorites on the disc. "Pushing little children, with their fully automatics, they like to push the weak around." Other lines in the song include, "Battalions of Riot police, with rubber bullet kisses, baton courtesy, service with a smile." I thought this was appropriate since I was there when LAPD and the fire marshal shut down the free System of A Down show on Labor Day. Yes, I was there in thick of the madness as I watched in horror as "So called S.O.A.D. fans" destroyed their equipment and soundboards. The band did not deserve that at all! They tried to put on a free show for you and that's how you repay them? Makes me angry.

Back to the album, the music is heavier and thicker this time around, as well as using more melodic verses and making breakdown's a little bit longer. In the end, you get the result of an amazing CD. Serj Tankian's vocal style is unlike anybody out there, which gives the band plenty of opportunity to push the envelope. Serj can pretty much do anything with his voice. We hear everything from singing, screaming, screeching like a girl (sorry Serj, don't know how else to describe it), whining, and preaching. The formula is unique and it works.

System Of A Down also have off the wall, weird and corky songs that are in words, just plain fun to listen to. Song's like "Bounce" stand out in my mind about a Pogo stick and bouncing up and down. A great song, trust me. Others songs such as, "Needles," "Shimmy," and "Psycho" all carry the lighter side of the band. Some lyrics say, "Pull the tape worm out of your ass, HEY," and "I think me, I want a house and a wife. I want to shimmy, shimmy, shimmy through the break of dawn, yeah." You get my drift.

Another aspect that works really well is allowing Daron Malakian to sing alongside with Serj. The end result is something great. Their two contrasting styles work amazingly well together. One of the slower but better songs on the disc would have to be "ATWA," where the pair sings together. Daron is also featured doing back-ups, and sometimes singing a line of his own. I think they should continue to do this.

I would have to say that my two favorite songs on this disc are "Chop Suey" and "Forest." One of my favorite breakdowns is included in the song "Forest" where it is a mix of melodic and punishing guitars that play off of each other. Well I think that's all I have to say, until next time. Later dirt heads, hoped you enjoyed it.