"Mezmerize" does its job

System of a Down's latest album, "Mezmerize," does just that. By combining old styles with new styles, political messages with typical rocker topics and metal with harmony, the band creates a varied CD that is sure to catch your attention and have you singing (or screaming) along.

"Mezmerize," like all other System albums, is politically charged. In the first single, "B.Y.O.B." (Bring Your Own Bombs), lead singer Serj Tankian asks "Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?" Other songs sing about the phoniness of Hollywood ("Lost in Hollywood") and television's brainwashing sexual influence ("Violent Pornography").

Continuing a trend that began in "Steal this Album," System of a Down blends in more melodic singing along with its traditional metal screams. The melody is actually singable and the blend of metal with harmony works out extremely well to create memorable songs. "Sad Statue," "B.Y.O.B" and "Old School Hollywood" have this blend, while "Lost in Hollywood" is completely melodic.The best aspect of the CD is how memorable the tracks are. The introductions to each song are very distinct, allowing song identification to be done within the first few notes. In addition, the chorus's to the songs are easy to memorize, allowing you to mouth, sing, or scream the words after only a few plays.

One of the best tracks on the album is "Old School Hollywood," which begins in a slightly techno style. After the introduction, the style switches over to more a traditional System sound. The style constantly switches between styles, including the synthesized "Old school Hollywood baseball" lines, screamed "Tony Danza cuts in line" and melodic "Old school Hollywood baseball/Jack Gilardi's ten feet tall." The track makes you nod your head to the music and is definite worth listening to on repeat for a few hours.

"Mezmerize" also has some songs that are very traditional System, such as "Cigaro" and "This cocaine makes me feel like I'm on this song." The screaming, the intense drumming, the fast lyrics – its all there. While both may please diehard System fans, the tracks are actually a bit disappointing and don't hold up to the quality of the other tracks. The two songs seem formulaic and the lyrics don't cry out for any thought – a rare trait in System songs.

Also unfortunate is the length of the CD - just over 37 minutes. However, this is because "Mezmerize" is actually part of a two-CD set, "Mezmerize/Hypnotize." "Hypnotize" will be released in six months, according to System of a Down's web site. Luckily, the length doesn't affect the high quality of the album, but it does leave the listener begging for more.

If you are new to System, or just starting to listen, "Mezmerize" is an excellent buy. With unique music and thought provoking lyrics, System proves once again that foreigners can rock out just as much as Americans (if not better). Don't wait for the tracks to trickle down to Kazaa or Limewire - run out and get it as soon as possible.