Is this all people want? The same bands over-and-over again, because it gets kinda boring. For example, I love Kind Diamond. She did one. Great. There are many other bands to discover. Why are people so interested in rehash?
@@JasonSmith-lp6wg I’ve been thinking the same, I definitely want more variety, but with all the SOAD reactions I just think at least this song as well is completely necessary
I highly recommend reacting to Lonely Day for a very Daron-centric performance. His voice is amazing in its own right and he takes center stage in that track with Serj on backup.
This is 100% System of a Down's most underrated song. Granted litteraly every song of theirs is on my favorites list, but this one takes the cake for me, it is just phenomenal through and through from the first guitar note to the last ladadadada. It pulls you in in a moment takes you onto an emotional roller coaster throws you around and then spits you out.
Easily top 3 for me as far as their songs are concerned. It has everything I want from them. Soft nuanced sections, fun riffs, heavy transitions, the list goes on.
@@SilentBob731 did you ever once hear it on the radio though? Did you ever once see the video on MTV? Just because it has a video, and was a "single" which as far as I know it wasn't. Does not mean that it was rated high enough. This is 110% their most underrated song. Also just looked, you were correct it was prerelease for mesmerize as a single. They may have other songs that you you and me are just as good if not better, but in terms of critical success this song is unmatched in how underrated it is. If we're talking most underrated by system fans it's a whole different ball game
I love their harmonies in "Radio video", they sound both great and a bit silly, like they used to do in their early days. As much as I appreciate Ariels, Chop Suey and Questions, sometimes I just have to sing BANANA BANANA TERRACOTTA PIE!
You would be correct. This is one of his shining achievments in the band. I think he initially wrote a large chunk of it and showed it to the band for further dialing @@itsalways44420
Buckethead has some songs with the vocalist of Sistem of a Down, I highly recommend them to everyone who likes, they are on the album Buckethead and friends
It’s cool seeing you here Michael, been around since the trailwood days! System of a Down is a great band and I’ve even known that it is you’re favorite band lol. I think my favorite from them is Holy Mountains. Also, looking forward to the new AGP vid❤️
Same here, props to my big bro introduced me so many good bands. SOAD, Lamb of God, Tool, Limp Bizkit, SlipKnot, Linkin Park, Alter Bridge & Creed, Breaking Benjamin, Killswitch Engage, Nirvana (he's a huge fan of it), Oasis, Avenged Sevenfold, Blink 182, Muse, Paramore, and other many amazing bands from my country the list will be endless if I didn't stop here LOL. Even my dad, he also loves musics that are more on the harsh side (Or at least it. was considered that way in his era. I think these bands' genre are called either Classic Rock and/or Glam Metal now), such as Led Zeppelin, Mr. Big, Deep Purple, Scorpions (he's a huge fan of it), Gun & Roses, KISS, Metallica, Megadeth, Alice In Chains, Dream Teather, Rush, etc
There were times when Daron relegated Serj to backing vocal status on Mesmerize and Hypnotize, but overall him taking on a bigger role in the vocals worked well. The two harmonize well together, and as long as Serj has the main role and Daron the complimentary role magic happens. Although Lonely Day is magic too. Also, kudos for Shavo and John for being the unsung heroes that give the other two a solid foundation to strut upon.
He did a Billy Corgan and receive all the revenue for writing credits. IMO that's selfish and a bit scammy but I'm not going to tell anyone how to do their finances
@@franciscoborjaescobarsuare5802 I don't know what you are talking about, Malakian and Tankian both have shared credits on most albums with Malakian and Tankian having equal writing credits on their first album, with Tankian having more on Toxicity (14 to 13), and the same on Steal this Album (16 to 15). On Mezmerize and Hypnotize Malakian takes a lead on writing with 11 to 6 on the former and 12 to 8 on the latter; even Odadijian has 10 writing credits over the 5 albums mentioned. So which of the two primary writers is the one that is supposedly taking all the writing credit?
I don't know how this community got so lucky to have such an enthusiastic curiosity such as yourself to analyze so many different types of songs. Providing so much insight and just general fun! Can't wait to see what's next!
Sad Statue is such a slept on song when I hear people talk about System of a Down. Some stellar harmonies and Daron’s super high singing in the back towards the end still gives me goosebumps
If she did Sad Statue I would pass out fron excitement. My fave song by SOAD and phophetic in many ways. Prison Song would be awesome as well. In the end SOAD could be a year long dive but any we get are all treasures.
As far as harmonies go, i’m surprised nobody is requesting “Lost in Hollywood”.. I think it’s a pretty emotional song. Though it was on the first part of their two-part album, I always kind of felt like they knew they were at the end of their road as a group and was like their final Goodbye.
I am SO STOKED for you to do this one!! This is honestly my favorite SOAD song that isn't super popular- everything about this song makes my spirit soar.
I basically know nothing about music theory or song writing, but I firmly believe that there are certain notes that perfectly hit our individual ears...Serj hits notes that are perfect for my ears. It's hard to explain, but this song moves me too.
Mezmerize/Hypnotize weren't well received when they came out in 2005, but both same year releases contain a lot of gems. Never understood why some bands are knocked for experimenting with an evolution of their material. Sure "War?" and "Sugar" and "Suite-Pee" are killer tracks that set expectations differently for some folks. I just love the joy that we see when Elizabeth or anyone else who sits and listens to a song such as "Question!" for the first time. Isn't that what music should do?
I'd love to see Lonely Day get covered soon to give Daron's voice a spotlight. It's one of their few ones where he sings lead all throughout. Also, it's crazy to think that in the mid 2000's these guys were like, mainstream popular. Such a strange unique band that probably wouldn't see much mainstream airtime today but whose albums consistently hit number 1 upon release. I love SoaD.
I've replayed this song countless times throughout my life and you've allowed me to hear this song in an entirely new capacity, and I appreciate it even more now. The Charismatic Voice is definitely one of my favorite RUclips channels.
this is unironically a “correct” answer. if this is a vocal reaction channel the idea she would do BYOB over that is unimaginable but I just know the horde has convinced her of it. lmaooo saying that in the nice way! more people know the song so it’s getting recommended, it’s just a shame. this song has been in the top 3 for good choices for vocal reactions, but nothing yet. maybe we’ll hear her do holy mountains in 2024 lol because as things are now she’s done A LOT of SOAD and needs to please some other people
"Question!" is written in the key of E minor - a somewhat unusual key for System of a Down, which normally relies heavily on Cm, C#m, and F#m. The song uses five different time signatures (5/4, 9/8, 6/4, 3/4, and 4/4). The acoustic guitar intro and part of the verse is in 9/8, expressed as 3+2+2+2 (This phrasing suggests a hemiola, and is essentially 4/4 with an extra eighth note on beat 1). The verse briefly switches to 3/4 (when Serj sings "Are you dreaming?"). The guitar motif after the acoustic intro is in 5/4. This same section appears throughout the song as well. The chorus is in 6/4. The heavy tremolo-picked section towards the end underneath the vocals is in 4/4. Serj Tankian plays acoustic guitar in the intro and deeper in the background behind lead guitarist Daron Malakian.
@@soullessSiIence Well, there's 3/4 and 6/4... so, there's 6/8 if you choose to write it down that way, I guess. Kind of a moot point, her analysis is technically correct. Edit: Corrected a typo.
Are you kidding? A lot of SOAD songs are in e minor. There’s nothing unusual for them in that key. Maybe you should try to sharpen your listening skills a bit more bruh.
I absolutely love Serjs voice but personally, I don’t think Daron gets enough credit for his vocal contribution; he can scream like a demon yet sing like an angel. I absolutely love his voice and hearing him take lead in System’s “Lonely Day” is just a great example. I also love how Hypnotize & Mesmerize his vocals seem to be more noticeable but definitely can’t forget about his harmony in Chop Suey, I had to listen to just his vocals by themselves and it was angelic. 😇 Lol. Great reaction, you seem to be shaping into a System fan, I hope you get to experience them live like I have! Such an amazing time.
For sure. The fact that Daron can smash out guitar and sing so powerfully is crazy! He often seems to take the highest of highs and the intense screams 🤯
YES!!! I’ve been waiting so long for this one. But let’s not forget about Daron Malakain. Most of the higher vocals and harmonies in this song are him. Serj and Darons voices compliment each other so much, with Serj’s sharp and forward sound and Daron’s clear cut and smooth voice (well, when he’s not taking care of the growls and screams)
Such a great song. I did want to mention that Daron is super responsible for a lot of the vocal portion of SOAD and deserves almost as much attention and analysis during these videos as Serj, especially with the highs and harmonization. Love these regardless, thank you!
"ego brain" and "b.y.o.b" are also great SOAD songs.. These guys deserve to have every single song they let out analyzed by someone as talented and well versed as you are.. Feels good to live long enough to witness this.
The time signatures on this one are wild, they're dealing with conventional ones like 4/4 and 3/4, but also 5/4, 6/4 and 9/8, kinda hard to play but it pays off, truly amazing
@@gunesbulak I think what grabs Elizabeth (self admittedly not having really exposed her attention to heavier music while growing up) isn't just doing her noticeable counting, but when there is a subtle transition that reboots her internal metronome.
For the time signatures, the main riff is in 5/4, the intro riff is in 9/8, the first two choruses are in 3/4, the last chorus is in 4/4, and the verses switch between 9/8 and 6/8.
Holy Mountains is, in my opinion, one of their greatest works. Its a very meaningful song, and Serj does an INCREDIBLE job singing it. (I recommend the studio version)
Hi Elizabeth, another great reaction! I never expected my recommendation to blow-up like that, so I'm really glad you liked it :) One thing I love about the visuals on this video is how the 'stage show' parts juxtaposed with the cinematic sections mirrors the Questions around Life/Death/Dream/Reality. (The bit with the horse riders is a perfect example of this)
Serj does the screams in this one. Daron occasionally will do this section live but, his tonality is different. You can tell when the scream resolves at the end into a clean falsetto at the end. Serj has a very distinct nasal quality to his voice.
Crazy, I honestly thought Daron begins the scream, Serj then harmonised with his own briefly in the middle before Daron drops out of the scream to the clean vocal. Finally finishing with Serj hitting a final harmonised cleaner vocalisation to close. Ultimately creating a cohesive & inversed internalised and externalised expression of sorrow to painful cry. Where both internal & external meet in the middle before inverting and at the end where they become one with both the sorrow & painful cry. Which in turn becomes a whimpered combination of both in a a brief sob of unknowing frustration. At least, that was my interpretation of the first scream anyway. Haunting, beautiful and deeply human in execution of the whole arrangment. As in the instrimental music, lyrics and vocals all combined. All of SOAD have honed their skill and talant to deliver what can only be described by myself as the musical equivalent of Lived Human Experience.
@@soulsurvivor8293 I agree with this, to me it always sounded like Daron started the scream and then dropped off and serj continued , with the end and growl trail at the end is def serj
While I agree, I do think Daron has a voice that's better in moderation. Too much of him gets borderline annoying. It's why I don't like their newer stuff compared to their older stuff. They seem to increase Daron's vocals by a certain percentage every album and it just makes things sound awkward to me. Serj is, and always should be, the voice of System of a Down in their songs, not Daron.
Your face is exactly what I'd expect from someone listening to the SOAD best songs like this one! Goosebumps, amazement and complete eargasm all together.
I enjoy your SOAD breakdowns intensely; I have a few that I consistently listen to, that are really good to sing along to and harmonize with: ATWA, BYOB, and then Lonely Day and Soldier Side are more sad and singing-driven. Lonely Day is my go-to to sing with after a hard day, it's extremely heart-wrenching and emotional. It's a lot different than most SOAD songs. ATWA is also very good, it is extremely emotional and has a TON of Serj's heart put into it. So looking at what you've been enjoying out of them, I'd recommend: -ATWA -Lonely Day -BYOB And adding in 'Old School Hollywood' because it's a bop and ridiculous, I learned the guitar for it.
Lonely day is a freaking fantastic song, definitely should be next on the SOAD list. An ABSOLUTE harmony of vocal and instrumental. Brilliance. And Old School Hollywood is just pure, unadulterated fun. Love them both.
I think that this is the most 'beautiful' song that SOAD has produced - between the raw, extended phrasing in the chorus, or the haunting harmony/melody combinations, or the way that runs in the vocal and melodies move together seamlessly, not to mention the lyrics.... just a phenomenal song. Maybe my favorite song ever from SOAD.
One of the best vocal performances by them is done on an underrated song called Streamline. Unfortunately it doesn't have a music video to react to, but the song and vocals are amazing.
Unfortunately multiple great songs are overlooked just because they are from Steal This Album. Such a shame. But I agree, Streamline is the best of them...
Something that should be noted is that Serj harmonizes with himself in the verses ("are you dreaming?" section) He then harmonizes with Daron for the prechorus ("dreaming the night/dreaming alright" section) and chorus. They both scream/growl in their songs interchangeably, but Serj does all the screams in this particular song. Serj wrote and played the acoustic guitar parts, Daron the electric parts in this song
@@pedroivommartins Serj is screaming (overdubbed, but still him), Daron is sustaining his line ("till we die..."), and seems to distort for about half a second to end with an "eeee-ohhhh" sound
I rarely comment on YT but i need to say. The main thing i love about your videos with SOAD is that i feel this is the closest i could get to experiencing these songs for the first time again. I listen to these songs all the time but seeing your reactions takes me back and reignites emotions for this music that i felt as a young teenager. I can't recommend any other songs, i just hope you make your way through as much System as possible❤️
Mr. Jack is one of my favorites from Steal This Album! The guitar sound is so insanely heavy and the contrast between the whispering and screaming make it extremely powerful
@@guen4413 After reading Serj's book, its funny to finally know what that song is about. It's been one of my favourite SOAD tracks since I first heard it.
Prison Song, Sugar, Forest, BYOB, I-E-A-I-A-I-O, and Jet Pilot are all great songs that are definitely worth the listen. Such wild rides. Really SOAD does not miss with any of their songs.
When I was 14 I always felt left out and misunderstood because no one in my class or friend's circles liked SOAD [I was obssessed with this song in particular], it makes me so happy that it's now so highly appreciated by other people, brings a tear to my eye :')
The only person that I know personally that likes SOAD as much as me is my best friend, every other friend of mine that knows them likes only a few of the most mainstream songs (Aerials, Toxicity..) and I feel that they don't get the true vibe of SOAD...
So many songs. So many harmonies. So many screams. So many time signatures. The whole discography is a treasure. If you ever get back around to Slipknot, Vermillion Parts 1 & 2 are worth a deep dive.
These deep dives are incredible - I saw someone else say that it feels like listening to the song for the first time again, and that's so true. Crazy having it feel so fresh, being a fan for almost 20 years! The energy, interest and insight here is so inspiring!
It is incredible watching someone get the same feelings I have been having about this song for over 15 years. I think this song is an utter masterpeice that is so underappreciated. Thankyou for showing it so much care.
Literally the only band that i can think of that literally EVERY song is an absolute masterpiece. I put their whole discography on shuffle and never skip a song. Cant say that for really any other band, you know pretty typical to prefer maybe a couple albums over others.
This was so fun to watch. I love this song, all the crazy time signatures, emotional depth, and watching somebody discover it with your knowledge base was delightful!!
Long time fan and Patreon supporter here! I appreciate you and this channel so much, and I'm loving this new SOAD phase--I'm sure it's already on your list, but "I-E-A-I-A-I-O" is packed with tongue-twisters, great harmonies, and the chorus is one of your favorite things--an epic diphthong! "Sugar" is also a really playful one I think you'd like. Keep doing you!!
I love how giggly you get whenever you listen to SOAD! It's so much fun seeing how much you enjoy Serj's singing. You definitely need to listen to more of his solo work. "Lie Lie Lie" and "Honking Antelope" are great, there is also one called "Feed Us" which has a studio recorded acoustic version, it was a bonus track, which I absolutely love.
Would love to recommend "Bother" by Stone Sour. That song made me absolutely love Corey Taylor's clean vocals. It has so much depth and meaning to the lyrics, too!
Absolutely KNEW you were going to be excited about this one! Their ability to capture the more extreme emotions, desperation, rage, terror. It's unsurpassed!! BYOB next, please!
My top suggestion for Serj's vocal brilliance and just everything that is SOAD as a whole is "Suggestions" from their first full length album. Way too good.
I just realized why suggestions and question have been in my top 3 fav songs of theirs for so long. Spiritually they just feel similar, like they have this dream like element and they both feel very dramatic but also whimsical in a way. Watching Elizabeth analyze their insane talent is so awesome.
I saw the time signatures kicking your butt at the beginning and was like "good luck" I had to look it up even after listening to it many many times being that it's my favorite of their songs. There's so much going on and it blinds together and flows so well that it's easy to miss which is insane.
Was so glad to see a premiere of this video, this song is definitely one of my favourite by SOAD. Your reaction brings so much joy, I think I'm starting to feel these songs more deeply with your videos, and the analysis is so great!! Thank you for this amazing video, wishing you all the best ❤️
This song is an absolute masterpiece. The time signatures, contrasts, tension, beauty, power…all packed into 4 minutes. That last chorus leading up to the big scream, the way they veer into common 4/4 time with the same melody that was sung over 6/8 in the previous choruses - ferocious and sublime. Just absolutely brilliant, unique music.
Grew up with this, but only through your analysis did I realise how coordinated Serj and Daron's vibrato is. Serj uses it to add emotion while Daron sustains his clear harmonies, but then they switch over to Serj's powerful sustained notes and the harmony takes on the vibrato to keep the emotion and every changing texture. Such an amazing pair of voices, and such skill to play around with each other like they do.
If you haven’t already I would humbly and highly recommend Streamline!!Another great example of Serj’s deeply unique sound spread amongst interjected and distinct sections of “throat fire” and that sweeping, entrancing, float on the wind and sand vocals. Also, m’lady, just as so many others have said - you have absolutely rekindled my LOVE for Serj and SOAD after so many dormant years 🙏🏻💛
I've been listen to this song for ages and it gives me goosebumps listen to it through your reaction. It brought tears to my eyes. The good thing about this is to revisit songs that we love, but didn't have so much depth as teenagers to understand, only to appreciate how cool it is. So happy to rediscover SOAD
Your enthusiasm and honest reactions are so welcomed - experiencing a song for the first time, or rather watching/hearing you experience a song for the first time is like reliving that experience again. A second honeymoon - loving something I already loved and rediscovering it and understanding how and why it affected me the first time is amazing. Thank you. I have always been passionate about music, and have teared up or downright wept with joy on more than one occasion while watching your channel. Now I’m just blathering. Thank you again!!! (And thanks for introducing us to Trybals channel!)
Yet another excellent video! I still hold firm that your next SOAD analysis should be Streamline. It's so emotionally charged, with incredibly dynamic vocal work, and very interesting instrumentation.
Thank you for covering this song! It's one of my personal favorites and your analysis did it justice. I've been a fan of this great band since 2019. Chop Suey, Aerials, Question! and Soldier Side; this quadfecta of songs is responsible for making me a metalhead. I thought it was impossible before, but after 3 years, I'm grateful for this timeless band being in my life. Once again, thank you for covering! Mind breaking down Soldier Side next? It has haunting harmonies from Serj and Daron and is lyrically potent. It's from their Hypnotize album, cheers.
I so foresaw your reaction when you announced you're gonna do my absolut favorite SAOD song. When you started the video and almost immediately began counting, I had to grin so hard that my cheeks hurt 😁. Everybody seems to love arials best. But this song is so intriguing in it's details, for example the clapping when the accoustic guitar sets in after Serjs first phrase and the combination of the two voices. 13 years ago I put it on powerplay and it still gives me shivers. Thank you so much Chris R for recommanding this song. And thank you Elizabeth for another perfect reaction🥰.
I'm with you...while both are masterpieces, Arials has a finality to its sound, whereas Question leaves you yearning; an extra somber, yet powerful, gravitas on a wave.
I’ve been following your SOAD journey since the beginning, and watching you fall in love with their music like I did makes me fall in love with it all over again. I’ve never commented on anything on RUclips but I would regret not telling you to check out Streamline by them next. The rhythm, harmony, and of course Serj’s voice are all amazingly breathtaking. Hopefully you see this, and I look forward to it
*Count Dooku* : "I've been looking forward to this!" Thanks for breaking this one down. *Almost no one analyzes or reacts to this song, and even then they don't really do anything except rock out to it. Question (heh), Is Leprous going to make a return to the channel someday?
Soldier Side and Holy Mountains are so great at showcasing the incredible vocal symbiosis Serj and Daron have on track. You should definitely check them out.
I am thankful that you have taken a liking to SOAD. I won a couple of their albums and like a couple of songs, but I had never really paid close attention to them until watching your videos. I had always interpreted their music as undisciplined and chaotic, but your videos have really made me aware of how talented they are, and how complex and disciplined their music actually is. I've been listening to them obsessively for a couple of weeks now. I have gained an entirely new level of appreciation for them, and they are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.
I'm so grateful you did this one! This is one of my favourite songs of all time, and seeing you hear these things for the first time emulates the excitement I experienced discovering all these amazing bands back in the day.
For another short, wild ride, try Suggestions on their first album. Serj doing Serj things for 2.5 minutes. Singing, screaming, goofy falsetto, a quick ululation. It's intense and fun, and then it's over. Thanks for all the great content!
If anyone here knows, “Dreaming” is a vocal masterpiece and is a must review, it’s probably harmony-wise their most complicated piece and I’m really curious how you’d react, there’s nothing else like it!
Thank you for your words .. i have none and I'm just crying, because I'm so overwhelmed and my brain just stops working and my heart blows up and becomes tears when I hear their powerful harmonies, phythms and lyrics. My love for SOAD music is so profound and I have no right words to describe it because I always fall into the feeling and I fly away ... And now I found you
This has been my favourite SOAD song since I was a teenager. Always thought the guitar was so beautiful and mixed with the heavier bits so perfectly, let alone to vocals. Love this song even now! Thank you for doing so many awesome videos xxx
I know I'm super late, but far as SoaD goes, this is my all-time favorite....there's something about it that I can't place. Some kind of fantasy/mystery about it. Anyway, so glad to see you finally got to it!
Great song, a beautiful woman, excellent analysis! Mrs. Elizabeth, as always, you are magnificent, temperamental and highly professional! Thank you very much for your videos!
As a drummer, Question! has always been one of my favorite SOAD songs to play along to. And, my standard 2 requests for this genre: 1. Alexisonfire - This Could Be Anywhere in the World 2. The Mars Volta - Anything from their first album, De-Loused in the Comatorium Thanks, as always, for your amazing analysis!
If you haven't heard Serj singing the Rains of Castamere, it's definitely worth a watch. Dripping with emotion and really shows off his incredible range.
Practically my favorite song off the album this is on, I love it so much. Great analysis, you've quickly become one of my favorite reactors since finding you today. You've also reinvigorated a new love for SOAD even though I still actively listen to them, so, kudos
For more Mike Patton, Mr. Bungle performing "Travolta (Quote Unquote) And Doo Wop" live at the bizarre festival 2000 has to be the most vocal techniques I've seen him combine into a single performance. This video seems like the perfect vocalist reaction video and from what I can tell it seems like somehow nobody has done an analysis of it yet.
One thing to pay attention to with SOAD, something that always really stood out to me, is the way they use Serj's & Daron's voices almost interchangeably. While Daron's voice is notably higher pitched than Serj's, in different songs, different parts of songs, they'll go back and forth with the high and low harmonies - Daron will go high in one song/section and Serj will go low, and in another song/section, Serj will take the higher harmony and Daron will take the lower. They really use this as a tool quite masterfully to change the feel & texture of their music, add more variety to their work without changing any of the pieces. I was in choir all throughout my time in school, apart of a really talented boys choir(we went to competitions and won a bunch of stuff lol), and I grew up listening to a TON of grunge. Alice In Chains was always a favorite because doing either of their harmonies is ALWAYS fun. Needless to say, when SOAD hit it big and I started hearing them, all those years listening to AIC(and other grunge era band) harmonies instantly made me fall in love with System's music - and what all they do with harmonies(not to mention their unique writing in general, I always thought of it as like "progressive radio metal") just opened up my mind to another level of singing, song writing, and just how flexible vocals can really be! Truly one of a kind group!
Well I’ve fallen hard for your analysis of this song. I liked it before, now I’m in bittersweet love with it. Thank you for your insight, you raw emotional reactions and everything you do on your amazing channel!
I've always taken this music video as an exploration of death and loss. The child at the beginning killing the bird is an act that many could gloss over, but I've always liked to imagine SOAD is exploring the pain behind the loss of any kind of life. The bird in red could be humanized as the woman in red and how there is a love behind that life. That the loss of this life has effect on others. It shows that there could be a whole story behind even the smallest of deaths; a loss of joy and what could have been more life too (the baby at the end). The scream of desperation could also be a frustration and anger at the loss. The fact that the video cuts between the man screaming and Serj screaming could be a sign of Serj also experiencing this frustration over the death; grounding this analogous experience we just witnessed into the reality of the real world.
Or the red bird, the woman in red, and the baby at the end are all the same spirit. (Reincarnation) which life was the most precious? They are all the same.
Absolutely love these SOAD analyses, they make me appreciate one of my favorite bands of all time in an even more profound way. I'm certain that just about every other song in their catalogue has been requested/recommended to you in the comments at this point, and I imagine BYOB or Hypnotize would be the logical next choices (and I eagerly look forward to that). But if I could make a request for a "deeper cut" SOAD song that has rather simple/nonsensical lyrics but really enjoyable and shockingly varied vocal performances, it would be "Radio/Video." I think you'll really like it! Thanks for making these fantastic videos!
I love how you FEEL the music In your SOUL”! I see it in your face… I love to see how knowledgeable you are ! You truly understand and appreciate the art of making music!
That shook me at 13:50. I've never heard someone embrace the break in their scream that much. Usually vocalists want a pure scream (if that's a thing) and the voice crack would be a retake but he owned it
The fact that we're not pushing radio/video is just wild to me. Vocally that song is beyond amazing
100%
La-la-la lalalalaaa lalalalaaaa lalalalaaaa
La-la-la lalalalaaa lalalalaaa lalalalaaaa
Agreed. Hope she sees this and reacts to it.
Just thinking the same
I think because most people on here are just casual fans.
Not to mention how culturally diverse radio/video is!
The next SOAD song HAS to be B.Y.O.B. crazy screams. Great Melodie’s. Incredibly catchy
Up up up!!!
So much yes!! Chaotic energy, great tunes, amazing harmonies, overall just the perfect song to analyze next
Is this all people want? The same bands over-and-over again, because it gets kinda boring. For example, I love Kind Diamond. She did one. Great. There are many other bands to discover. Why are people so interested in rehash?
Kirk's been saying this for months now, but I gotta listen to the comments! He said to couple it that week with "War Pigs".
@@JasonSmith-lp6wg I’ve been thinking the same, I definitely want more variety, but with all the SOAD reactions I just think at least this song as well is completely necessary
I highly recommend reacting to Lonely Day for a very Daron-centric performance. His voice is amazing in its own right and he takes center stage in that track with Serj on backup.
Personally I prefer lost in Hollywood for Daron-centric songs but I love that one too.
Second Lonely Day!!
Would rather she chooses something from Scars on Broadway! Daron is so good on those albums.
@@endercrafter5104 lost in hollywood is one of the most beautiful soad songs out there
I love Lonely Day.
This is 100% System of a Down's most underrated song. Granted litteraly every song of theirs is on my favorites list, but this one takes the cake for me, it is just phenomenal through and through from the first guitar note to the last ladadadada. It pulls you in in a moment takes you onto an emotional roller coaster throws you around and then spits you out.
What about Forest, no one ever talks about that song but I love how it is constructed as well as the subject of it
Dude, I love this tune but it was a single with a video. In no way is it their most underrated song.
Easily top 3 for me as far as their songs are concerned. It has everything I want from them. Soft nuanced sections, fun riffs, heavy transitions, the list goes on.
@@SilentBob731 did you ever once hear it on the radio though? Did you ever once see the video on MTV? Just because it has a video, and was a "single" which as far as I know it wasn't. Does not mean that it was rated high enough. This is 110% their most underrated song. Also just looked, you were correct it was prerelease for mesmerize as a single.
They may have other songs that you you and me are just as good if not better, but in terms of critical success this song is unmatched in how underrated it is. If we're talking most underrated by system fans it's a whole different ball game
@@wolfinthesno Yup, heard it on Edge102 out of Toronto and saw the video many times on MuchMusic.
I love their harmonies in "Radio video", they sound both great and a bit silly, like they used to do in their early days. As much as I appreciate Ariels, Chop Suey and Questions, sometimes I just have to sing BANANA BANANA TERRACOTTA PIE!
"Is there a perfect way of holding your baby? RRRREEEEEAAAAAH"
Eat all the the grass that you want, accidents happen in the dark.
System has some legendary lyrics lol
Are The Kombucha mushroom people still sitting around all day? :-/
Chic 'N' Stu like the whole song
I really want Vicinity of Obscenity too 😆😌👌
Listened to this song a million times and just now realized how awesome Shavo's bass line is when the lyrics start.
those slides do magic
One of the most unique bassists and basslines iver ever heard perfect encapsulates the mystical, but mysterious aspect. Beautiful
im almost positive he took the lead on all but the vocals on this tune. Shavo's a MONSTER, and one of the reasons i picked up bass in the first place
You would be correct. This is one of his shining achievments in the band. I think he initially wrote a large chunk of it and showed it to the band for further dialing
@@itsalways44420
SOAD has been my favorite band since 2000 and I never knew about the dream Shavo had. Amazing insight
Buckethead has some songs with the vocalist of Sistem of a Down, I highly recommend them to everyone who likes, they are on the album Buckethead and friends
They were my favourite band through most of the 2000's and are still Top 5 today.
Just brilliant musicians all around.
It’s cool seeing you here Michael, been around since the trailwood days! System of a Down is a great band and I’ve even known that it is you’re favorite band lol. I think my favorite from them is Holy Mountains. Also, looking forward to the new AGP vid❤️
Sound engineering and vocal processing synths are at play. The belting it's either humanly impossible or just plain otherworldly
Same here, props to my big bro introduced me so many good bands.
SOAD, Lamb of God, Tool, Limp Bizkit, SlipKnot, Linkin Park, Alter Bridge & Creed, Breaking Benjamin, Killswitch Engage, Nirvana (he's a huge fan of it), Oasis, Avenged Sevenfold, Blink 182, Muse, Paramore, and other many amazing bands from my country the list will be endless if I didn't stop here LOL.
Even my dad, he also loves musics that are more on the harsh side (Or at least it. was considered that way in his era. I think these bands' genre are called either Classic Rock and/or Glam Metal now), such as Led Zeppelin, Mr. Big, Deep Purple, Scorpions (he's a huge fan of it), Gun & Roses, KISS, Metallica, Megadeth, Alice In Chains, Dream Teather, Rush, etc
There were times when Daron relegated Serj to backing vocal status on Mesmerize and Hypnotize, but overall him taking on a bigger role in the vocals worked well. The two harmonize well together, and as long as Serj has the main role and Daron the complimentary role magic happens. Although Lonely Day is magic too.
Also, kudos for Shavo and John for being the unsung heroes that give the other two a solid foundation to strut upon.
He did a Billy Corgan and receive all the revenue for writing credits. IMO that's selfish and a bit scammy but I'm not going to tell anyone how to do their finances
@@franciscoborjaescobarsuare5802 who are you referring to?
@@franciscoborjaescobarsuare5802 I don't know what you are talking about, Malakian and Tankian both have shared credits on most albums with Malakian and Tankian having equal writing credits on their first album, with Tankian having more on Toxicity (14 to 13), and the same on Steal this Album (16 to 15). On Mezmerize and Hypnotize Malakian takes a lead on writing with 11 to 6 on the former and 12 to 8 on the latter; even Odadijian has 10 writing credits over the 5 albums mentioned.
So which of the two primary writers is the one that is supposedly taking all the writing credit?
Daron doesn't get enough love.
Very well said.
How are we all not recommending Radio/Video???????
ego brain/streamline?
Still looking for this
I don't know how this community got so lucky to have such an enthusiastic curiosity such as yourself to analyze so many different types of songs. Providing so much insight and just general fun! Can't wait to see what's next!
Sad Statue is such a slept on song when I hear people talk about System of a Down. Some stellar harmonies and Daron’s super high singing in the back towards the end still gives me goosebumps
If she did Sad Statue I would pass out fron excitement. My fave song by SOAD and phophetic in many ways. Prison Song would be awesome as well. In the end SOAD could be a year long dive but any we get are all treasures.
Love that song
radio video would also be fun.. or old soad. like PLUCK or soil
also Cigaro 😅
Deer Dance and Sad Statue are my two favourites
As far as harmonies go, i’m surprised nobody is requesting “Lost in Hollywood”.. I think it’s a pretty emotional song.
Though it was on the first part of their two-part album, I always kind of felt like they knew they were at the end of their road as a group and was like their final Goodbye.
I agree with you man, it's one of their best songs
Facts dude. I've been suggesting this one for a while but everyone keeps screaming BYOB 🤡
Theres no way she can do it with some of its lyrics
@@The_Absolute_Dog what about the lyrics? Are you referring to "fag"? It's talking about cigarettes.
@@The_Absolute_Dog why you say that?
I am SO STOKED for you to do this one!!
This is honestly my favorite SOAD song that isn't super popular- everything about this song makes my spirit soar.
I basically know nothing about music theory or song writing, but I firmly believe that there are certain notes that perfectly hit our individual ears...Serj hits notes that are perfect for my ears. It's hard to explain, but this song moves me too.
@@angelaaltman864 I feel ya!
I always thought so too, but I'm pretty sure I saw this on MTV when I was a kid. First time hearing them and instantly fell in love :)
Mezmerize/Hypnotize weren't well received when they came out in 2005, but both same year releases contain a lot of gems. Never understood why some bands are knocked for experimenting with an evolution of their material. Sure "War?" and "Sugar" and "Suite-Pee" are killer tracks that set expectations differently for some folks. I just love the joy that we see when Elizabeth or anyone else who sits and listens to a song such as "Question!" for the first time. Isn't that what music should do?
@@angelaaltman864 Same brother, same.
I'd love to see Lonely Day get covered soon to give Daron's voice a spotlight. It's one of their few ones where he sings lead all throughout.
Also, it's crazy to think that in the mid 2000's these guys were like, mainstream popular. Such a strange unique band that probably wouldn't see much mainstream airtime today but whose albums consistently hit number 1 upon release. I love SoaD.
A very much needed reaction.
OH god yeah SOAD was like THEE band in the early 2000. They where the reason i went to my first concert lol
Could also be good to see a reaction to something like "They Say" or "Kill Each Other/Live Forever" both by Scars on Broadway.
If she wants to hear daron's vocals she should go directly to scars on broadway ! So many great songs !
I want to see analysis on Daron’s vocals so badly. :(
I love that you unknowingly pretty much nailed the "lalalalalalalalala" from BYOB before hearing it haha
I've replayed this song countless times throughout my life and you've allowed me to hear this song in an entirely new capacity, and I appreciate it even more now. The Charismatic Voice is definitely one of my favorite RUclips channels.
Next SOAD song should be Holy Mountains!!!!!!!!!!!! Deeply symbolic and meaningful for this band
this is unironically a “correct” answer. if this is a vocal reaction channel the idea she would do BYOB over that is unimaginable but I just know the horde has convinced her of it. lmaooo saying that in the nice way! more people know the song so it’s getting recommended, it’s just a shame. this song has been in the top 3 for good choices for vocal reactions, but nothing yet. maybe we’ll hear her do holy mountains in 2024 lol because as things are now she’s done A LOT of SOAD and needs to please some other people
She should do the live version from Yerevan 2015. The emotions on the faces of the crowd are stunning.
Underrated song
@@jeffreycherep8264 agree!!!
Yes yes yes a million times yes ❤
"Question!" is written in the key of E minor - a somewhat unusual key for System of a Down, which normally relies heavily on Cm, C#m, and F#m. The song uses five different time signatures (5/4, 9/8, 6/4, 3/4, and 4/4). The acoustic guitar intro and part of the verse is in 9/8, expressed as 3+2+2+2 (This phrasing suggests a hemiola, and is essentially 4/4 with an extra eighth note on beat 1). The verse briefly switches to 3/4 (when Serj sings "Are you dreaming?"). The guitar motif after the acoustic intro is in 5/4. This same section appears throughout the song as well. The chorus is in 6/4. The heavy tremolo-picked section towards the end underneath the vocals is in 4/4. Serj Tankian plays acoustic guitar in the intro and deeper in the background behind lead guitarist Daron Malakian.
No 6/8? I'm pretty sure there's a section with a clear 6/8 Waltz feel
@@soullessSiIence Well, there's 3/4 and 6/4... so, there's 6/8 if you choose to write it down that way, I guess. Kind of a moot point, her analysis is technically correct.
Edit: Corrected a typo.
this is so fascinating to read. wish i could understand a thing! :D
Are you kidding? A lot of SOAD songs are in e minor. There’s nothing unusual for them in that key. Maybe you should try to sharpen your listening skills a bit more bruh.
@@joejackson9986 name one other song please…
You don’t know shit clearly
I absolutely love Serjs voice but personally, I don’t think Daron gets enough credit for his vocal contribution; he can scream like a demon yet sing like an angel. I absolutely love his voice and hearing him take lead in System’s “Lonely Day” is just a great example. I also love how Hypnotize & Mesmerize his vocals seem to be more noticeable but definitely can’t forget about his harmony in Chop Suey, I had to listen to just his vocals by themselves and it was angelic. 😇 Lol. Great reaction, you seem to be shaping into a System fan, I hope you get to experience them live like I have! Such an amazing time.
Scars on Broadway all Daron
@@LuisDiaz-pr5zx Of course! I enjoyed their first album but when Serj and Daron work together, it’s just magic. 🎶 🔥
For sure. The fact that Daron can smash out guitar and sing so powerfully is crazy! He often seems to take the highest of highs and the intense screams 🤯
spot on. SOAD wouldn't be anywhere near as vocally unique without his contributions.
Yeah his vocals are brilliant and nothing worse than weak backing vocals and harmonies. And definitely doesn't get enough credit.
YES!!! I’ve been waiting so long for this one. But let’s not forget about Daron Malakain. Most of the higher vocals and harmonies in this song are him. Serj and Darons voices compliment each other so much, with Serj’s sharp and forward sound and Daron’s clear cut and smooth voice (well, when he’s not taking care of the growls and screams)
Such a great song. I did want to mention that Daron is super responsible for a lot of the vocal portion of SOAD and deserves almost as much attention and analysis during these videos as Serj, especially with the highs and harmonization. Love these regardless, thank you!
Not to mention he writes the overwhelming majority of the lyrics and a good deal of the musical arrangement
"ego brain" and "b.y.o.b" are also great SOAD songs.. These guys deserve to have every single song they let out analyzed by someone as talented and well versed as you are.. Feels good to live long enough to witness this.
Ego Brain is one of the most underrated songs. Fun fact, they have never played it live.
Ego brain is one of my all time favorite songs.
I used to love ego brain...forgot about that one! Thanks for the reminder....going to listen to it now!
The time signatures on this one are wild, they're dealing with conventional ones like 4/4 and 3/4, but also 5/4, 6/4 and 9/8, kinda hard to play but it pays off, truly amazing
Just 5/8,6/8 and4/4
@@gunesbulak I think what grabs Elizabeth (self admittedly not having really exposed her attention to heavier music while growing up) isn't just doing her noticeable counting, but when there is a subtle transition that reboots her internal metronome.
@@gunesbulak 9/16 too
@@gunesbulak the verse is in some form of 9. 9/8 or 9/16. I guess you could write in 5 alternating with 4 but at that point why not just write it in 9
@@chikuthoth don't think about subdivisions, and bpm is not solid in the music. That's why we have too much different opinions to talk about
For the time signatures, the main riff is in 5/4, the intro riff is in 9/8, the first two choruses are in 3/4, the last chorus is in 4/4, and the verses switch between 9/8 and 6/8.
I'm proud to say I counted 9 correctly 🤣 working with my drummer is paying off 🤘🏼
Holy Mountains is, in my opinion, one of their greatest works. Its a very meaningful song, and Serj does an INCREDIBLE job singing it. (I recommend the studio version)
One of the more powerful for sure.
So glad I'm not the only one who thinks this is a major stand-out. That and "full" version of Soldier Side bring me to tears.
Absolutely.
Couldn't agree more. Holy Mountains is one of their best.
That song is POWERFUL.
5/4, 9/8, 6/4, 3/4 and 4/4 for time signatures. Absolutely insane and awesome how they blended it all to sound so beautiful!
DREAMING is one you HAVE to do. You will love it. The crossover vocals and independent waves over harmonics is beautiful!
so happy you listened to some of the comments! B.Y.O.B. is another one that i wholeheartedly recommend.
Hi Elizabeth, another great reaction! I never expected my recommendation to blow-up like that, so I'm really glad you liked it :) One thing I love about the visuals on this video is how the 'stage show' parts juxtaposed with the cinematic sections mirrors the Questions around Life/Death/Dream/Reality. (The bit with the horse riders is a perfect example of this)
Serj does the screams in this one. Daron occasionally will do this section live but, his tonality is different. You can tell when the scream resolves at the end into a clean falsetto at the end. Serj has a very distinct nasal quality to his voice.
🧐
Crazy, I honestly thought Daron begins the scream, Serj then harmonised with his own briefly in the middle before Daron drops out of the scream to the clean vocal. Finally finishing with Serj hitting a final harmonised cleaner vocalisation to close.
Ultimately creating a cohesive & inversed internalised and externalised expression of sorrow to painful cry.
Where both internal & external meet in the middle before inverting and at the end where they become one with both the sorrow & painful cry. Which in turn becomes a whimpered combination of both in a a brief sob of unknowing frustration.
At least, that was my interpretation of the first scream anyway.
Haunting, beautiful and deeply human in execution of the whole arrangment. As in the instrimental music, lyrics and vocals all combined.
All of SOAD have honed their skill and talant to deliver what can only be described by myself as the musical equivalent of Lived Human Experience.
@@soulsurvivor8293 I agree with this, to me it always sounded like Daron started the scream and then dropped off and serj continued , with the end and growl trail at the end is def serj
Both Daron and Serj were born to sing, separately and together. Their natural raw voices are amazing 🖤🖤🖤
While I agree, I do think Daron has a voice that's better in moderation. Too much of him gets borderline annoying. It's why I don't like their newer stuff compared to their older stuff. They seem to increase Daron's vocals by a certain percentage every album and it just makes things sound awkward to me. Serj is, and always should be, the voice of System of a Down in their songs, not Daron.
Love these walks back through SOAD songs, reminds me just how unique they are and how awesome some of their hits are
Definitely nothing like them. They are so clean and tight. Everything in unison. Beautiful rests.
Your face is exactly what I'd expect from someone listening to the SOAD best songs like this one! Goosebumps, amazement and complete eargasm all together.
This is my all time favorite System of a Down song, and I'm so happy you covered it!
I enjoy your SOAD breakdowns intensely; I have a few that I consistently listen to, that are really good to sing along to and harmonize with:
ATWA, BYOB, and then Lonely Day and Soldier Side are more sad and singing-driven. Lonely Day is my go-to to sing with after a hard day, it's extremely heart-wrenching and emotional. It's a lot different than most SOAD songs. ATWA is also very good, it is extremely emotional and has a TON of Serj's heart put into it. So looking at what you've been enjoying out of them, I'd recommend:
-ATWA
-Lonely Day
-BYOB
And adding in 'Old School Hollywood' because it's a bop and ridiculous, I learned the guitar for it.
Lonely day is a freaking fantastic song, definitely should be next on the SOAD list. An ABSOLUTE harmony of vocal and instrumental. Brilliance.
And Old School Hollywood is just pure, unadulterated fun. Love them both.
BYOB would be a fun one because of how much it switches things up within the song
I second this, also with lonely day and soldier side you hear the backup vocalist (sorry I don’t know his name) take a more prominent role.
I think that this is the most 'beautiful' song that SOAD has produced - between the raw, extended phrasing in the chorus, or the haunting harmony/melody combinations, or the way that runs in the vocal and melodies move together seamlessly, not to mention the lyrics.... just a phenomenal song. Maybe my favorite song ever from SOAD.
Totally agree, this one just itch’s my brain in the right way.
Listen to ego brain if you think this is something you'll love that one
One of the best vocal performances by them is done on an underrated song called Streamline. Unfortunately it doesn't have a music video to react to, but the song and vocals are amazing.
ruclips.net/video/AiChzM1JEkY/видео.html
This right here
Confirmed
Streamline is my favourite song by them. Coincidentally that song is also in 5/4 xD
Unfortunately multiple great songs are overlooked just because they are from Steal This Album. Such a shame. But I agree, Streamline is the best of them...
Something that should be noted is that Serj harmonizes with himself in the verses ("are you dreaming?" section)
He then harmonizes with Daron for the prechorus ("dreaming the night/dreaming alright" section) and chorus.
They both scream/growl in their songs interchangeably, but Serj does all the screams in this particular song.
Serj wrote and played the acoustic guitar parts, Daron the electric parts in this song
Even the scream at 15:40 ? I can hear them both screaming, but I still can't decide who goes "louder"
@@pedroivommartins Serj is screaming (overdubbed, but still him), Daron is sustaining his line ("till we die..."), and seems to distort for about half a second to end with an "eeee-ohhhh" sound
I rarely comment on YT but i need to say. The main thing i love about your videos with SOAD is that i feel this is the closest i could get to experiencing these songs for the first time again. I listen to these songs all the time but seeing your reactions takes me back and reignites emotions for this music that i felt as a young teenager. I can't recommend any other songs, i just hope you make your way through as much System as possible❤️
"Ego Brain" or "Mr. Jack" are a couple of hidden gems in SOADs astounding catalog. Be safe everyone and much love!
Mr. Jack is one of my favorites from Steal This Album! The guitar sound is so insanely heavy and the contrast between the whispering and screaming make it extremely powerful
Mr. Jack is my go to SOAD song.
@@guen4413 After reading Serj's book, its funny to finally know what that song is about. It's been one of my favourite SOAD tracks since I first heard it.
Prison Song, Sugar, Forest, BYOB, I-E-A-I-A-I-O, and Jet Pilot are all great songs that are definitely worth the listen. Such wild rides. Really SOAD does not miss with any of their songs.
Agree, "Psycho" too.
Lets say all of the songs from steal this album!
@@arcaneTR People don't talk enough about Steal this Album!
Or Violent Pornography.... One of the best.
With SOAD, it's always been easier for me to list the songs I don't particularly like than the ones I love 😂
When I was 14 I always felt left out and misunderstood because no one in my class or friend's circles liked SOAD [I was obssessed with this song in particular], it makes me so happy that it's now so highly appreciated by other people, brings a tear to my eye :')
Don't mind them, probably reggaeton/trap listeners by now 🤭
You're so sweet :)
The only person that I know personally that likes SOAD as much as me is my best friend, every other friend of mine that knows them likes only a few of the most mainstream songs (Aerials, Toxicity..) and I feel that they don't get the true vibe of SOAD...
Absolutely awesome vid! The next thing is to get Serj for an interview 🤘🏻
So many songs. So many harmonies. So many screams. So many time signatures. The whole discography is a treasure. If you ever get back around to Slipknot, Vermillion Parts 1 & 2 are worth a deep dive.
Oh yeah... that would be a good one. And I completely agree with your analysis of SOAD.
YES! Two Vermilions in a row!
I hope she goes through a lot more of both. Slipknot has some surprising range.
Here we go, with the slipknot sh-t... I wonder why people like that garbage.
@@Ozzull If you don't like them, you don't have to listen to them. Moving on.
These deep dives are incredible - I saw someone else say that it feels like listening to the song for the first time again, and that's so true. Crazy having it feel so fresh, being a fan for almost 20 years! The energy, interest and insight here is so inspiring!
It is incredible watching someone get the same feelings I have been having about this song for over 15 years. I think this song is an utter masterpeice that is so underappreciated. Thankyou for showing it so much care.
Literally the only band that i can think of that literally EVERY song is an absolute masterpiece. I put their whole discography on shuffle and never skip a song. Cant say that for really any other band, you know pretty typical to prefer maybe a couple albums over others.
The only other band like this imo are Tool.
Sure we only got five albums, but damn were they freaking fantastic ones.
@@vitaemecha yeah even masters of a genre like Metallica have "eh" material.
TooL and SOAD never bore.
100%
Absolutely right
I skip few song only when not in the right mood
This was so fun to watch. I love this song, all the crazy time signatures, emotional depth, and watching somebody discover it with your knowledge base was delightful!!
Cannot stress how much I LOVE the bass in the verses! Especially those flairs on “are you.. are you dreaming?” 🖤🖤
Sublime
Long time fan and Patreon supporter here! I appreciate you and this channel so much, and I'm loving this new SOAD phase--I'm sure it's already on your list, but "I-E-A-I-A-I-O" is packed with tongue-twisters, great harmonies, and the chorus is one of your favorite things--an epic diphthong! "Sugar" is also a really playful one I think you'd like. Keep doing you!!
Absolutely agree
I seriously reccomned Hypnotize, Lonely Day, Needles, I-E-A-I-A-I-O, and Forest, they're all beautifully made and their lyrics are just so emotional
I love how giggly you get whenever you listen to SOAD! It's so much fun seeing how much you enjoy Serj's singing. You definitely need to listen to more of his solo work. "Lie Lie Lie" and "Honking Antelope" are great, there is also one called "Feed Us" which has a studio recorded acoustic version, it was a bonus track, which I absolutely love.
Great picks, also "The Charade"!
2nd for the “Honking Antelope” suggestion
Empty Walls was such a great album. Got to see Serj on that tour. So good!
Would love to recommend "Bother" by Stone Sour. That song made me absolutely love Corey Taylor's clean vocals. It has so much depth and meaning to the lyrics, too!
omg, i love you so much, you are awesome, thank you for this!
Absolutely KNEW you were going to be excited about this one! Their ability to capture the more extreme emotions, desperation, rage, terror. It's unsurpassed!! BYOB next, please!
My top suggestion for Serj's vocal brilliance and just everything that is SOAD as a whole is "Suggestions" from their first full length album. Way too good.
based
I just realized why suggestions and question have been in my top 3 fav songs of theirs for so long. Spiritually they just feel similar, like they have this dream like element and they both feel very dramatic but also whimsical in a way. Watching Elizabeth analyze their insane talent is so awesome.
I love the way you analize the SOAD songs. I suscribe for more music (not only SOAD, of course). Greetings from Spain
I saw the time signatures kicking your butt at the beginning and was like "good luck" I had to look it up even after listening to it many many times being that it's my favorite of their songs. There's so much going on and it blinds together and flows so well that it's easy to miss which is insane.
Was so glad to see a premiere of this video, this song is definitely one of my favourite by SOAD. Your reaction brings so much joy, I think I'm starting to feel these songs more deeply with your videos, and the analysis is so great!! Thank you for this amazing video, wishing you all the best ❤️
This song is an absolute masterpiece. The time signatures, contrasts, tension, beauty, power…all packed into 4 minutes. That last chorus leading up to the big scream, the way they veer into common 4/4 time with the same melody that was sung over 6/8 in the previous choruses - ferocious and sublime. Just absolutely brilliant, unique music.
Grew up with this, but only through your analysis did I realise how coordinated Serj and Daron's vibrato is. Serj uses it to add emotion while Daron sustains his clear harmonies, but then they switch over to Serj's powerful sustained notes and the harmony takes on the vibrato to keep the emotion and every changing texture. Such an amazing pair of voices, and such skill to play around with each other like they do.
If you want to do an analysis of SOAD's Daron Malakian do Lonely Day, he heads that one with Serj on backing vocals.
Lost in Hollywood is also great.
Totally agree. When I need to recenter myself, Lonely Day does it for me!
@@andchi2000 Lost in Hollywood is an absolutely beautiful song indeed
If you haven’t already I would humbly and highly recommend Streamline!!Another great example of Serj’s deeply unique sound spread amongst interjected and distinct sections of “throat fire” and that sweeping, entrancing, float on the wind and sand vocals.
Also, m’lady, just as so many others have said - you have absolutely rekindled my LOVE for Serj and SOAD after so many dormant years 🙏🏻💛
Streamline is fucking dope! Everyone always quotes the same sheep song song title but most haven't really listened to their music in full.
This
MUH LADY 🎩🤏
I've been listen to this song for ages and it gives me goosebumps listen to it through your reaction. It brought tears to my eyes. The good thing about this is to revisit songs that we love, but didn't have so much depth as teenagers to understand, only to appreciate how cool it is. So happy to rediscover SOAD
This is probably my favorite SOAD song, I'm surprised I don't see more people mention it
7:43 Serj actually does have a background in opera and is a huge classical music nerd, so those influences aren’t an accident!
Your enthusiasm and honest reactions are so welcomed - experiencing a song for the first time, or rather watching/hearing you experience a song for the first time is like reliving that experience again. A second honeymoon - loving something I already loved and rediscovering it and understanding how and why it affected me the first time is amazing. Thank you. I have always been passionate about music, and have teared up or downright wept with joy on more than one occasion while watching your channel. Now I’m just blathering. Thank you again!!! (And thanks for introducing us to Trybals channel!)
Yet another excellent video!
I still hold firm that your next SOAD analysis should be Streamline. It's so emotionally charged, with incredibly dynamic vocal work, and very interesting instrumentation.
Listening to you enthralled with SOAD is just a delight. These reactions are amazing, and your technical insights are great too!
Thank you for covering this song! It's one of my personal favorites and your analysis did it justice.
I've been a fan of this great band since 2019. Chop Suey, Aerials, Question! and Soldier Side; this quadfecta of songs is responsible for making me a metalhead. I thought it was impossible before, but after 3 years, I'm grateful for this timeless band being in my life.
Once again, thank you for covering! Mind breaking down Soldier Side next? It has haunting harmonies from Serj and Daron and is lyrically potent. It's from their Hypnotize album, cheers.
I so foresaw your reaction when you announced you're gonna do my absolut favorite SAOD song. When you started the video and almost immediately began counting, I had to grin so hard that my cheeks hurt 😁. Everybody seems to love arials best. But this song is so intriguing in it's details, for example the clapping when the accoustic guitar sets in after Serjs first phrase and the combination of the two voices. 13 years ago I put it on powerplay and it still gives me shivers. Thank you so much Chris R for recommanding this song. And thank you Elizabeth for another perfect reaction🥰.
I'm with you...while both are masterpieces, Arials has a finality to its sound, whereas Question leaves you yearning; an extra somber, yet powerful, gravitas on a wave.
I’ve been following your SOAD journey since the beginning, and watching you fall in love with their music like I did makes me fall in love with it all over again. I’ve never commented on anything on RUclips but I would regret not telling you to check out Streamline by them next. The rhythm, harmony, and of course Serj’s voice are all amazingly breathtaking. Hopefully you see this, and I look forward to it
*Count Dooku* : "I've been looking forward to this!"
Thanks for breaking this one down. *Almost no one analyzes or reacts to this song, and even then they don't really do anything except rock out to it.
Question (heh), Is Leprous going to make a return to the channel someday?
Soldier Side and Holy Mountains are so great at showcasing the incredible vocal symbiosis Serj and Daron have on track. You should definitely check them out.
I am thankful that you have taken a liking to SOAD. I won a couple of their albums and like a couple of songs, but I had never really paid close attention to them until watching your videos. I had always interpreted their music as undisciplined and chaotic, but your videos have really made me aware of how talented they are, and how complex and disciplined their music actually is. I've been listening to them obsessively for a couple of weeks now. I have gained an entirely new level of appreciation for them, and they are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.
I'm so grateful you did this one! This is one of my favourite songs of all time, and seeing you hear these things for the first time emulates the excitement I experienced discovering all these amazing bands back in the day.
Back to the SOAD ocean... Take a deep breath, Elizabeth, and then we'll begin this deep dive 🎶🤿🎶
For another short, wild ride, try Suggestions on their first album. Serj doing Serj things for 2.5 minutes. Singing, screaming, goofy falsetto, a quick ululation. It's intense and fun, and then it's over. Thanks for all the great content!
couldn't agree more. such a cool track. do it! :D
This is the song I recommend everyone to get to know what soad is capable of.
If anyone here knows, “Dreaming” is a vocal masterpiece and is a must review, it’s probably harmony-wise their most complicated piece and I’m really curious how you’d react, there’s nothing else like it!
This ^^^^
Agreed
Dreaming is definitely one of my top 10 SOAD songs, it’s legendary
Soil, P.L.U.C.K, Lost In Holywood, Sad Statue, Dreaming, Holy Mountains, ATWA, Forest, I-E-A-I-A-I-O and Mr.Jack are their best work
Thank you for your words .. i have none and I'm just crying, because I'm so overwhelmed and my brain just stops working and my heart blows up and becomes tears when I hear their powerful harmonies, phythms and lyrics. My love for SOAD music is so profound and I have no right words to describe it because I always fall into the feeling and I fly away ... And now I found you
This has been my favourite SOAD song since I was a teenager. Always thought the guitar was so beautiful and mixed with the heavier bits so perfectly, let alone to vocals. Love this song even now! Thank you for doing so many awesome videos xxx
I know I'm super late, but far as SoaD goes, this is my all-time favorite....there's something about it that I can't place. Some kind of fantasy/mystery about it. Anyway, so glad to see you finally got to it!
Great song, a beautiful woman, excellent analysis! Mrs. Elizabeth, as always, you are magnificent, temperamental and highly professional! Thank you very much for your videos!
As a drummer, Question! has always been one of my favorite SOAD songs to play along to.
And, my standard 2 requests for this genre:
1. Alexisonfire - This Could Be Anywhere in the World
2. The Mars Volta - Anything from their first album, De-Loused in the Comatorium
Thanks, as always, for your amazing analysis!
If you haven't heard Serj singing the Rains of Castamere, it's definitely worth a watch. Dripping with emotion and really shows off his incredible range.
That moment of shock at the end made my day. You're always a wonder to watch.
Mr Jack is another amazing track really show both Serj and Daron vocal range and harmony
SOAD is by far one of my favorite bands of all time and I wish I could have seen them live.
Practically my favorite song off the album this is on, I love it so much. Great analysis, you've quickly become one of my favorite reactors since finding you today. You've also reinvigorated a new love for SOAD even though I still actively listen to them, so, kudos
Passenger by Deftones is mostly sung by Maynard James Keenan and his performance is so beautiful and mysterious
It's probably the best song about giving road head
for the best SOAD harmonies, i HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest Ego-Brain. The entire song is him and Daron harmonizing.
Absolutely! Imho one of their finest songs!!
Hell yes!
Love your analysis SO MUCH with SOAD! Helps me understand why the music is great.
For more Mike Patton, Mr. Bungle performing "Travolta (Quote Unquote) And Doo Wop" live at the bizarre festival 2000 has to be the most vocal techniques I've seen him combine into a single performance. This video seems like the perfect vocalist reaction video and from what I can tell it seems like somehow nobody has done an analysis of it yet.
More Mr Bungle indeed.
One thing to pay attention to with SOAD, something that always really stood out to me, is the way they use Serj's & Daron's voices almost interchangeably. While Daron's voice is notably higher pitched than Serj's, in different songs, different parts of songs, they'll go back and forth with the high and low harmonies - Daron will go high in one song/section and Serj will go low, and in another song/section, Serj will take the higher harmony and Daron will take the lower. They really use this as a tool quite masterfully to change the feel & texture of their music, add more variety to their work without changing any of the pieces.
I was in choir all throughout my time in school, apart of a really talented boys choir(we went to competitions and won a bunch of stuff lol), and I grew up listening to a TON of grunge. Alice In Chains was always a favorite because doing either of their harmonies is ALWAYS fun. Needless to say, when SOAD hit it big and I started hearing them, all those years listening to AIC(and other grunge era band) harmonies instantly made me fall in love with System's music - and what all they do with harmonies(not to mention their unique writing in general, I always thought of it as like "progressive radio metal") just opened up my mind to another level of singing, song writing, and just how flexible vocals can really be! Truly one of a kind group!
Well I’ve fallen hard for your analysis of this song. I liked it before, now I’m in bittersweet love with it. Thank you for your insight, you raw emotional reactions and everything you do on your amazing channel!
I've always taken this music video as an exploration of death and loss. The child at the beginning killing the bird is an act that many could gloss over, but I've always liked to imagine SOAD is exploring the pain behind the loss of any kind of life. The bird in red could be humanized as the woman in red and how there is a love behind that life. That the loss of this life has effect on others. It shows that there could be a whole story behind even the smallest of deaths; a loss of joy and what could have been more life too (the baby at the end). The scream of desperation could also be a frustration and anger at the loss. The fact that the video cuts between the man screaming and Serj screaming could be a sign of Serj also experiencing this frustration over the death; grounding this analogous experience we just witnessed into the reality of the real world.
Or the red bird, the woman in red, and the baby at the end are all the same spirit. (Reincarnation) which life was the most precious? They are all the same.
Absolutely love these SOAD analyses, they make me appreciate one of my favorite bands of all time in an even more profound way. I'm certain that just about every other song in their catalogue has been requested/recommended to you in the comments at this point, and I imagine BYOB or Hypnotize would be the logical next choices (and I eagerly look forward to that). But if I could make a request for a "deeper cut" SOAD song that has rather simple/nonsensical lyrics but really enjoyable and shockingly varied vocal performances, it would be "Radio/Video." I think you'll really like it! Thanks for making these fantastic videos!
I love how you FEEL the music In your SOUL”! I see it in your face… I love to see how knowledgeable you are ! You truly understand and appreciate the art of making music!
That shook me at 13:50. I've never heard someone embrace the break in their scream that much. Usually vocalists want a pure scream (if that's a thing) and the voice crack would be a retake but he owned it