This Day In Music History: September 4th, 2001 – System Of A Down go bonkers with ‘Toxicity’

One of the strangest albums to ever reach the mainstream, System Of A Down’s 2001 album Toxicity had much more to say than your typical metal band. Their high octane alternative metal/nu-metal sound captured lightning in a bottle, and the subject matter of the band’s lyrics was even more interesting. From tackling mass incarceration and the prison-for-profit business on incendiary album opener “Prison Song” to developing technology and inventions on “Science”, the album eventually went triple platinum.

Led by singles like the title track, Aerials, and “Chop Suey!”, the album eventually led to major tours with the likes of Slipknot – and set the stage for the band’s future albums to reach an even wider audience. And while the band haven’t released a proper album since 2005, there’s no doubt that Toxicity helped fuel the success that System Of A Down currently experiences.