Album
Mezmerize
Mezmerize is the fourth studio album by System of a Down, the Armenian-American heavy metal band. It came out on 17 May 2005 through American Recordings and Columbia Records, and it followed their self-titled debut, Toxicity and Steal This Album! in the band's run of records. Critics received it warmly, and it went straight to the top of the Billboard 200 after selling more than 450,000 copies in its first week.
It is the first half of a pair, with Hypnotize arriving later the same year, so it is best heard as the opening chapter of a larger statement. The band's blend of alternative and avant-garde metal is in full flow here, and in 2025 Loudwire placed it sixteenth in a list of the top 50 nu-metal albums of all time. If you know Toxicity and want to hear where the band went next, this is the place to start.
Mezmerize: tracklist, credits and charts
11 tracks · 36:12Tracklist
- 1Soldier Side (intro)Daron Malakian1:04
- 2B.Y.O.B.Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian4:15
- 3RevengaDaron Malakian and Serj Tankian3:48
- 4CigaroDaron Malakian and Serj Tankian2:12
- 5Radio/VideoDaron Malakian4:09
- 6This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m on This SongDaron Malakian and Serj Tankian2:08
- 7Violent PornographyDaron Malakian3:31
- 8Question!Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian3:21
- 9Sad StatueDaron Malakian and Serj Tankian3:26
- 10Old School HollywoodDaron Malakian2:57
- 11Lost in HollywoodDaron Malakian and Serj Tankian5:21
- Produced by
- Daron Malakian, Rick Rubin
- Recorded at
- The Mansion and Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research Studios, Los Angeles, California
- Mixed by
- Andy Wallace
- Engineered by
- Phillip Broussard, John O’Mahony, Joe Peluso, David Schiffman, Steve Sisco
- Mastered by
- Vlado Meller
- Artwork
- Vartan Malakian, Brandy Flower, System of a Down
- Labels
- American Recordings, American, Columbia
- Length
- 36:12
Line-up
- John Dolmayan · membranophone
- Daron Malakian · guitar family, vocals, guitar
- Shavo Odadjian · bass guitar
- Serj Tankian · keyboard, vocals, acoustic guitar
Singles
- “B.Y.O.B.” · 28 March 2005
- “Question!” · 12 July 2005
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart · 2005–2006 | 2 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| Austrian Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| European Albums (Billboard) · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| French Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| German Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI) · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| New Zealand Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
All 29 charts
| Swedish Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| Swiss Albums · 2005–2006 | 1 |
| Finnish Albums · 2005–2006 | 2 |
| Ireland 2 · 2005–2006 | 2 |
| Norwegian Albums · 2005–2006 | 2 |
| Scottish Albums · 2005–2006 | 2 |
| Danish Albums · 2005–2006 | 3 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2005–2006 | 4 |
| Italian Albums · 2005–2006 | 4 |
| Dutch Albums · 2005–2006 | 5 |
| Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico) · 2005–2006 | 5 |
| Polish Albums · 2005–2006 | 5 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2005–2006 | 6 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 2005–2006 | 6 |
| Portuguese Albums · 2005–2006 | 9 |
| Hungarian Albums · 2005–2006 | 12 |
| Spanish Albums · 2005–2006 | 12 |
| US Vinyl Albums · 2018 | 16 |
| US Top Rock Albums · 2005–2006 | 24 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina · 2005 | Gold |
| Australia · 2005 | Platinum |
| Austria · 2005 | Gold |
| Belgium · 2007 | Gold |
| Brazil · 2005 | Gold |
| Canada | 3× Platinum |
| Denmark · 2017 | Platinum |
| Finland · 2007 | Platinum |
| France · 2005 | Gold |
| Germany · 2025 | 3× Gold |
| Greece · 2007 | Gold |
| Ireland · 2005 | Platinum |
| Italy · 2017 | Gold |
| New Zealand · 2021 | 2× Platinum |
| Switzerland · 2005 | Gold |
| United Kingdom · 2025 | Platinum |
| United States · 2022 | 2× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
94.6
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
14k
ListenBrainz listeners
144k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
226k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 17 May
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 2005-05-16 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 16 May 2005 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 17 May 2005 | |
| Wikidata | 17 May 2005 | |
| US release | 17 May 2005 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 16 May 2005 | earliest UK or European date |
15 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | US | American Recordings | other | |
| 2005 | GB | Columbia | 5099751900016 | other |
| 2005 | US | American Recordings | 2519875512221 | other |
| May 2005 | AU | American Recordings | 9399700133028 | other |
| 16 May 2005 | GB | American Recordings | 5099751900023 | original |
| 17 May 2005 | US | American Recordings | 827969064825 | other |
| 17 May 2005 | US | American Recordings | 827969416129 | other |
| 17 May 2005 | DE | American Recordings | 5099751900023 | other |
| 17 May 2005 | XW | American Recordings | 0827969064825 | other |
| 18 May 2005 | JP | American Recordings | 4547366018332 | other |
| 20 July 2005 | JP | Sony Records International | 4547366021929 | other |
| 2010 | MX | Sony Music Entertainment México, S.A. de C.V. | 7509951900023 | other |
| 12 October 2018 | XE | American Recordings | 190758656113 | other |
| 12 October 2018 | US | American Recordings | 190758656113 | other |
| 1 March 2019 | AU | American Recordings | 0190759365427 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · native: native 1500x1500
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1500×1500 | native: native 1500x1500 |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |