Classical Composer Reacts to Toxicity (System of a Down) | The Daily Doug (Episode 541)

#soad #toxicity
In this edition of #thedailydoug, I'm reacting to music from System of a Down for the fourth time. With the title track to Toxicity, I've now heard multiple songs from this album, and I'm continually impressed with the unique power and sound within the metal genre. This one doesn't disappoint! Enjoy!
Reference Video: • System of a down - Tox...
Daily Doug Merch: www.bonfire.com/store/the-dai...
Catch up on my full album reactions at my Patreon!
JOIN THE NEW EXCLUSIVE DAILY DOUG COMMUNITY!
Patreon: / doughelvering
Instagram: / doug.helvering
Facebook: / helvering
Twitter: / helvering
Vimeo: vimeo.com/user146736659
The Daily Doug Directory: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[@adamp433]

Now that you've done the big 3 tracks from this album, please, do yourself a favor and listen to the full thing. Toxicity as an album is a masterpiece.

[@Spot-t]

I one up this!

[@dezmilad]

Yeeeessssssssss

[@iau]

I love it but there's a lot of filler though

[@Miwna]

Then continue with Steal This Album as it contains a lot more great tracks that didn't fit on Toxicity.

[@craiglindecamp9589]

@@jessetaulbee8825 lol what?!? I listen to prison song all the time

[@dreadpirate88]

I love Dolmayan’s drumming. He always has good drum sounds and he’s very tight and creative.

[@peterbaxter8895]

The way that he changes his timing to suspend and enhance the breaks and flow is so impressive.

[@mattsnider2667]

A severely underrated element of their sound.

[@MW-bs1nb]

the drum fills on the verse parts every 2nd bar are so crazy dope

[@repica68]

Among things that drew me to SOAD is their beats and rhythms. Being from east Europe I recognized eastern and oriental influences in their Armenian heritage

[@AtomizedSound]

I know where they are from but I just hear metal beats and driving rhythms

[@robertakerman3570]

@@repica68 SOAD was once compared to "Eastern". One of them(not Serj) replied "You wouldn't know "Eastern" if it bit You".

[@repica68]

@@robertakerman3570 well it bit me and I cant stop dancing since. Ofc they are not folk band, but bits of eastern are skilfully scattered here and there.

[@robertakerman3570]

@@repica68 If I could dance-I would too. I once met Serj & the Drummer; I've met very few Celebs. Serg is My Fave so far.

[@thenightking7167]

@repica68, respectfully, their music does not have any Oriental influences, as you have suggested. Armenian, Persian, and even Slavic, yes. But not Oriental. This is not a pedantic correction. As you know, these styles are vastly different. 🙂

[@1nattyp]

I have never heard a bad SOAD Song. Saw them twice. Perfection.

[@MeidoInHebun]

Lucky

[@uplynxx7322]

Dolmayan is a drumming ROBOT dude just oozes confidence and flow at the sticks. Its actual insanity

[@schuylerkrizay6192]

his drumming is the crispest cleanest speed chaos ugh

[@tadzagogo]

I was 14 when ''Toxicity'' came out, I envy you for listening to this for the first time.

[@theonlyguills]

I think I was 16. I never stopped listening to them after.

[@FighteroftheNightman]

2001 right? I was 15

[@interesanti9323]

When System of a Down was fairly new, my dad heard the music from my older brother's room. "What is this?" he asked, though he never really liked music, much less metal. "It's... Well, nobody knows WHAT they are..." said my brother. As a classic rock and metal fan, I remember that moment as the day metal had taken a new step. I'm no fan of the genre after the 90's, but Toxicity is a masterpiece of an album and I have the deepest respect for SOAD.

[@WhiskeyShred]

Absolutely, it was one of those records, I remember putting it on and just sitting there listening to the entire album , didn’t skip a song, was completely mesmerised

[@robertakerman3570]

IntereSanti, Also the last four letters are c-i-t-y. Enuf said.

[@OcelotDAD]

Only nu metal band I like. SOAD was a real metal band.

[@13strong]

Why don't you listen to metal after the 90s?

[@jakemertz2660]

No fan of metal after the 90's... but have you listened to Mastodon? :)

[@underwoodvoice9077]

SOAD was/is a sui generis amalgam of four amazing talents, and the whole transcends the sum of the parts; fantastic vocals (both main and harmony), guitars, bass, and drums. I have yet to get tired of them.

[@stoppropaganda2573]

I remember when this CD dropped ... every 5th car was playing it on 11! As in 2001, I still want to open the window and scream "disorder, disorder"! Great albums stay great ...

[@stoppropaganda2573]

​@@jessetaulbee8825 Gaslighting? People loved this CD and I never had to buy it, but eventually did. I daily heard it in public and saw the videos on TV for quite a while. Now I just bring it up on KZbin whenever I want to remember how good it was/is. I'm quite aware of what purposeful propaganda is ...

[@AldoRacer]

I’d like to recommend maybe an unexpected song. Radio/Video is a great song to demonstrate their dynamics and how versatile they can be

[@Ginger33333]

Absolutely. Radio/Video always manages to keep you on your toes, even when you know every part in minute detail, it always stays fresh somehow.

[@szithaanu9934]

Yeah one of my favourites of theirs. La La La La La La Laa La La La Laa La La La Laa

[@anaisr-p2.085]

​@@szithaanu9934 uhuuuu

[@anaisr-p2.085]

​@@szithaanu9934 😂

[@badekaret]

This album is absolutely beautiful from start to finish. Would love to see you listen to the full album

[@burningdeadman]

Ive watched many of your videos and am so glad a man of your profession and age can see metal music for the talent it has. Many people judge it so fast as garbage noise. Thank you for being amazing Doug and listening to music I never thought would get this appreciation.

[@alexwild1435]

It genuinely makes me cry how good this song is.

[@MrBruinman86]

The thing i've always enjoyed about this band is John Dolmayan's fills and unusual beat patterns on drums. Its a quality of their production that often gets overshadowed by the vocals of Serj and Daron.

[@SoUnholy]

I love his drum work but my god his tracks are so hard to play. Those unusual patterns are hard for the brain to put out.

[@adjmetal]

I highly recommend the song Question! on their Mezmerize album, it's one their most hauting and peculiar songs ever

[@TomTornado]

On my favourite songs of all time, this has a special place on my list 🫶🏼

[@jjj886dfhttgrdvjj7]

So cool that react videos are now done by professionals in the fields of the videos they react to - opens up a whole new way to experience things you like just because, now with some expert color commentary.

[@Spitx]

Imho Serj Tankian is a genius... His solo stuff with orchestra is amazing too

[@pablokatorze8511]

Man, people reacting for frist time to SOAD has become such a thing, I wish someone would have recorded me, my friends or all the people I have introduced to them in the last 20 years. They are one of the most shocking and original banda ever, that is for sure.

[@4oWhat]

you sir got yourself a subscriber, love that you can enjoy all types of music and the way you analyze everything both technical and emotional. Cheers!

[@joblackisback]

This is one of My favourite songs ever. Great review

[@SorooshMhs]

Man, i honestly don’t know of a metal groove as iconic as the chorus of this song. The drums are just killer

[@Scrub_Jake]

First song I learned fully on drums! Legendary 🔥

[@Bawitdabadabangdadang]

I love your reactions man! You might not like some of my favourite songs but I love to see an experts input and how surprised you get at unexpected changes!

[@andysebok5250]

I really enjoy your reviews if metal songs and how you look at the lyrics as well as the music

[@MakoyUnggoy]

Prison Song by System Of A Down is another good shout out although I wish it was a bit longer, that heavy section is just perfect haha

[@locustkllr]

Deer Dance!

[@Miwna]

Forest!

[@floxfloketas8476]

Question!

[@My0wnSavi0r]

@@locustkllr feel like its one of systems most underrated songs.

[@tlpineapple1]

@@My0wnSavi0r I fucking love deer dance, one of my favorites from them both with the political message and the sound.

[@STFUimVIPER]

the ending kills me, i need more of it,

[@abhinandanambastha6977]

If you are enjoying metal so much and want to branch out a bit, I recommend looking at A Rose for the Epona by Eluveitie. It's beautiful, different and incorporates classical violin, mandolin, flute, bagpipes and the hurdy-gurdy as part of the metal sound beautifully.

[@iclesrodrigues]

If I can suggest the next SOAD song to be reacted to, I would recommend Holy Mountains. Is one of the two songs about the Armenian Genocide that they recorded (and for me the best one by far).

[@anaisr-p2.085]

Love it❤

[@kenpace8089]

Highly recommend, 10/10! "haunting presence" with haunting vocals!

[@GalegHelross]

Oh man I wasn't even thinking about the video and was just expecting the next song to start. I played the CD so many times back in 02.

[@jdias51]

You are one of the only guys on KZbin that accurately breaks down the rythem and timing along with truly listening to the words and giving insight I love your videos I would love to see if you could compose and perform a orchestra to play alot of these heavy metal riffs

[@VictorHugo-rj6sy]

Enjoyed this reaction a lot. Thank you

[@chrisrize21]

Very good reaction channel. Love the actual breakdowns

[@p0wertiger]

Try "Hypnotize" from SOAD - that piece has crazy progressions and harmonics

[@TheErazar]

That's cool that SOAD have become a frequent guest on the channel. Nice, Doug!

[@trailrunner919]

My favorite song by these guys...good reaction Dr. Doug!!!

[@FUBAR_87]

The drums are the best part of this song

[@Boomaroo96]

Seriously. I'm typically not one to focus in on drumming, but its so damn good here.

[@texas_man_the_legend]

"You, what do you own the world? How do you own disorder?" One of my favorite lines of all time. It has more meaning to me the older I get.

[@JDWDMC]

it's 6/8 at the start. Then it goes to 4/4 in the bridge, but the drummer is playing a triplet feel. At the end it's 4/4

[@martinlatour9311]

Your analysis is always super insightful. Love your reaction vids

[@TheSyncos]

"Question" or "Holy Mountains" should absolutely be next. Phenomenal tracks from their later (2005) albums.

[@robertblackwell8611]

Iron Maiden - Brighter than a thousand suns

[@jamesodell9339]

"What does that mean?!" Exactly me hearing this in my early teens :D

[@aldomacias361]

It's awesome to watch someone who knows what they're talking about react to your favorite song, awesome reaction.

[@ShadoCroc]

Dear Doug, your passion for music is inspiring.

[@ifkekanrunning4768]

One of the best, and one of their heaviest! Great!

[@jakemertz2660]

It's a darkly wonderful journey to listen thru their whole discography... at the end of the day I think my favorite is Steal This Album but I mean they really produced a catalog of truly awesome sound and ideas I don't think they've released a single dud track

[@dklaus4889]

Spiders from their first album is also wonderful.

[@darrylhewes2376]

If your doing another track from this album.. I would recommend Dear Dance.. lyrics will give you something to talk about. Also a track that jumps in terms of riffs .

[@cherb23]

First time seeing your videos and i think nobody will ever explain these songs better than you are one of the few people who knows that they are talking about.

[@drewbacca1981]

You should really check out Spiders or Sugar from SOADs first album. Amazing songs!

[@zippymacadoo6336]

SUGAHHHHHHHH!

[@johananhchicome6350]

I loved the video, a great critics. It will be so fabulous that you could hear the song 'Ego brain' from their 3rd album 'steal this album' is a very powerful song. The lyrics are very strong. Bless.🖖

[@IRanOutOfPhrases]

Love tuning in to Doug's videos, but still hoping he'll cover the band Ghost one of these days. A band where I feel like the composition of their songs is what makes them so great.

[@Asgairsson]

Interesting background with the flapped uo icons. Dark side of the moon, in the court of the Crimson King and the Liverpool guys in London of course :-) amazing.

[@mikesgotthespins5894]

Wow great stuff! I just discovered your channel and subbed you up, thanks for sharing all the reactions to killer tunes, Peace!

[@Sciambolanja]

You deserve a lot more subscribers, kudos to your professional analysis

[@forformgamer]

I've been fortunate to see many great bands live, but when it comes to energy System is really different. Something primal comes out when you see them live :)

[@leandrolapa8461]

Hello, Doug. I have always interpreted the last phrase, "when I become the Sun", as a mystical/spiritual reference, which is quite external to the rest of the lyrics. Great video, greetings!

[@grisznik]

So envious you get to hear this for the first time... Have you heard of a band called Kaipa? They have some cool tunes with English lyrics

[@pabloj1789]

You really got it, great analysis

[@cecilkeebler4254]

Getting it in on this one. Man, this song is hype.

[@sergiosouza7523]

The reaction in the end was fenomenal

[@alexbeardsley751]

my little sister told me about System of a Down. I still have her old cd's...and I won't ever give them back

[@MarkArandjus]

Yeah, Serj is certainly a unique metal vocalist, very recognizable and unusual in delivery, I think it's in-part the Armenian heritage that brings a different flavor to it.

[@cocraspu6516]

this song, is awesome. Awesome

[@Lnch4ALion]

love as energy

[@mauroborin941]

The cover in the background makes me thinking (and hoping) you're about to start reacting to King Crimson! Finally!

[@samstrolia]

Absolutely LOVE System of a Down

[@simond1574]

You should definitely check out Science. Great lyrics and has some more Armenian influences. Or go for Questions

[@charlesmayberry2825]

what gets me is as you're going over the ideas at the end, you touched on a lot of what I get from the song, another expansion on that could be they are in LA, you've got Hollywood right there, which definitely the influence of Hollywood has a global impact "You, what do you own the world? How do you own disorder, disorder? Now, somewhere between the sacred silence, sacred silence and sleep Somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep Disorder, disorder, disorder" could also refer to that influence and the disorders that are associated it, drug disorders, eating disorders, as you mentioned mental disorder, I believe they are touching on all aspects of the idea of toxicity.

[@temporalmilieu]

their song Sugar is very swinging :D

[@karwashblark7499]

I always thought it was "when I became the sun, I shone like faith into man's hearts." To me I always thought about spreading awareness of the toxicity to other people, helping them to see the light. Like a Plato's Cave type thing,

[@howardcohen2767]

Hi Doug, thanks for another great video. If you are in the mood for suggestions, how about Keith Jarrett, the Koln concert. You could pick any part. It is all amazing.

[@mightylink]

Awesome reaction

[@tobiasschwenk9211]

Great one!

[@Michael-cv5wk]

Probably the best sounding drums I've ever heard!

[@joangelmartinez]

great video, if you liked that one, you definitely should check ''question'' from the ''mesmerize'' album, that one is pretty intense.

[@zippymacadoo6336]

I am loving all of the new people appreciating my favorite music. I love "Bounce." It's wonderfully odd 😁

[@mickjagger6443]

one of the few names to be remembered after 300 years

[@courtneywallace871]

My favorite song of theirs.

[@shadowamigo9506]

i dont know how he can do the hand movement with SOAD song but it looks awesome lol

[@hago66]

One of my fav SOAD songs is Spiders. They have such a great sound. Shame they ain't an official band anymore.(unless something changed?) Serj Tankian has done some solo work too and I recommend checking that out.

[@jazzochannel]

I've been listening to that album since it came out. It's cute to try an analyze lyrics that are non-nonsensical or poetic or convoluted in nature, however, the song will hit you differently when you listen to it at an age of 13 compared to how it hits when you are 35 (speaking for myself). It will mean different things to different individuals too. And this is the beauty of vague lyrics. Radiohead comes to mind with idiotique, spinning plates, wolf at the door. The lyrics are an expression of the author's observations and feelings at the time of making the song. Feelings are ambiguous. It makes little sense to pin point exactly what the message of a song is, though admittedly it is fun, and we try to make sense of things and strive for meaning. Even if the author of certain lyrics, insisted that they mean this or that specific thing, it would not matter. Someone who does not speak the language can still listen to the song and derive a meaning from it - which is IMO equally valid to what you think the song means.

[@couchpotato1757]

I would highly recommend listening to the last two songs in their album Mezmerize, Old School Hollywood and Lost in Hollywood, they are both really great songs and my personal favourites from the album.

[@richdemanowski2575]

Love your reactions to metal music. SOAD is a staple, I've been an Iron Maiden fan for many, many moons, and have recently come to love a relatively new band out of Italy called Frozen Crown. Check out their track titled "Neverending". I think you'll like it.

[@dorn0531]

Thanks for the suggestion. I’m a fellow Maiden fan & never heard of Frozen Crown. Checking them out next

[@ThePHATPHUC]

Shout out to Rick Rubin for producing this amazing album!

[@shredofmalarchi]

Radio/Video from Mezmerize is their special gem. I promise.

[@martinpascual3558]

Absolutely love your breakdowns and explanations of the musicality being used. I think you would really love to get into some of the Ren catalog. I would suggest Hi Ren, The tale of Jenny and Screech (full) and his band The Big Push - I shot the sheriff/road to zion/hip-hop. Some masterful guitar work and phenomenal story telling.

[@dorn0531]

Seconding Hi Ren. I would love to see Doug’s reaction

[@ShadowStryker0818]

Here's some suggestions for S.O.A.D songs you should react to next: Holy Mountains, Lonely Day, Soldier Side, and Sad Statue.

[@thomasbelanger8715]

Look at you... now a true Metalhead :-D

[@slt2438]

I always like when someone hears SODs big tracks as a introduction then comes across Lonely Day for the curveball - SOD- Lonely Day. Definitely worth a reaction

[@johnaa007]

I love them

[@claytondenton2385]

The last line most likely to my understanding is to do with eastern meditation and the form of enlightenment we can reach. In an astrology way, we all have animals or symbols of what we are, but we all can reach the stage of the Pheonix. One who can take the bad from the world and recycle it to neutral or positive energy The ones who reach this stage shines so bright it's shown in the darkest and deepest places of the heart, the mind, and soul.

[@BringingPsycheBacktoPsychiatry]

I just love hemiola whenever I hear it.

[@danieldryden542]

This song is great but my Favorite song on this is "Forest".

[@oscarcalero9164]

Me encanta como disfrutas de la música genial 😂

[@kevinkowal7340]

I see it as the "Toxicity" of the socioeconomic system manifesting as disorders in people.

[@mikkasatanael]

i like that you try to come up with what the lyrics mean, you're a smart and wise man=) and i find it sad that most comments - coming from fans - won't help - so far i've read that serj and jon are great, but we're all already aware of that i'm also sad that personnally i just don't have a clue about what the song is about...

[@ryanagee3038]

Become the sun and shine!

[@mattswan90]

If you love this, when are you going to do Empty Walls live version? It's incredible, and I'm sure you'd love it!