What does Cyberix think of this band? Does their music still age well 20-27 years later? You can discuss similar bands here as well.

I think System of a Down is a good band, and their music has aged decently well. Groundbreaking in the sense it was a major part in the formation for what would become Nu-Metal. All I really have to say on them is their popularity was well deserved, and they've certainly had major influences on parts of the political sphere.

My personal favorite piece of political music isn't a brand, rather it's a concept album that later got a novel adaptation: New Roman Times. It's alternative history set in a balkanized USA with the songs following several different characters from a paranoid spy to a vagabond solider. There's no reliable narrator, just people trying to find their way after an unnamed war occurred. Many verses in each song deliver commentary, some vaguer than others, that one could spend hours analyzing around the political word in the early 2000s, with many disturbingly finding their place in today's political world. The album is easy to find legally and pirated, and there's several music videos for it. All indie productions AFAIK, but still great. Sadly the audio for That Gum You Like is Back in Style is broken and I cannot find another version online. However, I can provide uploads of the rest made. My personal favorite is Might Makes Right followed with New Roman Times in second. Both follow the same character.

All links are from Youtube, as a heads up.
51-7
Might Makes Right
New Roman Times
The Long Plastic Highway
Discotheque CVB

As for the novel, it was released back in 2018 and closely follows with the album. It has several changes to update the political topics to what was around in 2018 and for a novel format, both of which I think was for the better. I personally recommend it for some analysis of how the two parties in America speak of and view themselves and the other side. Sadly, the novel is quite obscure. Copies can be bought for cheap, but no pirated version has been uploaded. One of these days I'll give the novel a proper review in the reading thread here.

>>10782
i personally never understood the political message behind some of the songs like 'spiders' and 'dreaming'
i still cannot decipher these particular songs to this day. same with 'ddevil'

Gemini
Conversation with Gemini
You said
Perfect response to "System of a Down (and other 'political'/'activist' bands)"

Gemini said
The "perfect" response depends entirely on whether you're looking to dive deep into their discography, debate their politics, or just find more music that hits with that same chaotic energy.

System of a Down (SOAD) is unique because they pair Serj Tankian's operatic, "manic-preacher" vocals with Daron Malakian's jagged, avant-garde riffs. Here are a few ways to respond, depending on the vibe of the conversation:

1. The "Respect the Message" Response
If you want to acknowledge their impact on social consciousness:

"It's rare to find a band that can make a chart-topping hit out of the Armenian Genocide or the prison-industrial complex without it feeling forced. They didn't just play music; they used the stage as a pulpit. It's wild that 'Toxicity' is over 20 years old and still feels like it was written about this morning's news."

2. The "Musical Appreciation" Response
If you're talking to a fellow gearhead or musician:

"What I love is the tonal whiplash. They'll go from a beautiful, haunting folk melody to a heavy-metal breakdown in three seconds flat. It's that 'Zappa-meets-Slayer' energy that no one else has ever quite replicated. They proved you could be heavy, weird, and political all at once."

3. The "Deep Cut" Recommendation
If the conversation is about other activist bands, you can bridge the gap by suggesting artists with similar DNA:

Band Political Focus Sound Profile
Rage Against the Machine Anti-corporatism / Social Justice Funk-metal, high energy
Dead Kennedys Anti-authoritarianism / Satire Classic Hardcore Punk
Gojira Environmentalism / Conservation Technical Death Metal
Propagandhi Human Rights / Anarchism Skate Punk evolved into Thrash
The "Nuance" Check
If someone complains that they are "too political," a witty rebuttal is:

"To be fair, expecting SOAD to not be political is like expecting water not to be wet. The politics are the paint; the music is just the canvas. If you take out the activism, you're just left with a guy screaming about terracotta pie—which, to be fair, is also pretty great."