Toxicity is the second studio album by American heavy metal band System of a Down, and was released on September 4, 2001 through American Recordings and Columbia Records. The album expands dramatically on their already massive 1998 self-titled debut album, by helping to define nu-metal, which was gaining a lot of traction around this time. Toxicity is mainly categorized as alternative metal and nu-metal, but incorporates elements of many different genres such as folk, jazz, and progressive rock. Over 30 songs were recorded, but the band narrowed the number of songs on the album to 14. The album peaked at number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 220,000 copies in its first week of release. It was certified sextuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in July 2022, signifying at least six million copies sold in the United States. I liked this album for many reasons. The different instruments and vibes of each song keeps the listener engaged, while the big energy and unique sound of vocalist Serj Tankian can come off surprising, it’s catchy and holds tons of emphasis. At times Toxicity seemed boring to me, it could be because I’m not that big of a nu-metal fan, but overall it was interesting and had great energy. I would definitely recommend this album.
