System Of A Down  by System Of A Down

The self-titled debut album of System of a Down, released on June 30, 1998, became one of the most explosive entries into the metal scene of the late '90s. The production was undertaken by Rick Rubin along with the band, after first signing them to his label, American Recordings. The recordings took place at Sound City studios in Van Nuys and at The Mansion in Hollywood between November 1997 and March 1998.

The album stands out for its chaotic and experimental sound, combining alternative metal and nu-metal with influences from Armenian traditional music, thrash metal, punk, and jazz. The lyrics by Serj Tankian are heavily politicized, touching on subjects such as the Armenian Genocide (in the track "P.L.U.C.K."), war, religion, and mind control. The tracks Sugar and Spiders stood out, gaining considerable publicity from MTV. The cover design with the hand is based on an anti-fascist poster from 1932 by the artist John Heartfield.

Although it initially had a moderate commercial performance, the success of their next album, Toxicity, skyrocketed the sales of their debut. It went gold in 2000 and is now double platinum in the USA.