Steal This Album! Explained

Steal This Album!
Type:studio
Artist:System of a Down
Cover:StealThisAlbum.png
Studio:Cello (Hollywood)
Genre:
Length:43:22
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Toxicity
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:Mezmerize
Next Year:2005

Steal This Album! is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, it peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard 200.[3]

Background

In early 2002, medium-quality MP3s of the album were released on the internet under the name Toxicity II. The band issued a statement expressing disappointment that fans were hearing material that was unfinished, and they worked to release a completed, better quality version of the album, which became Steal This Album!.[4]

Though often reported in the media as being a collection of B-sides and outtakes, the band insisted that the Steal This Album! material is of the same quality as the tracks which made it onto Toxicity. Vocalist Serj Tankian has said that the songs were left out of Toxicity "because they did not fit the overall continuity of the album". In May 2009, drummer John Dolmayan revealed that the album is his favorite System of a Down release.[5] Similarly, Tankian also called the album his favorite System of a Down album in a 2012 AMA on reddit.[6]

A first version of "Streamline" was used in The Scorpion King soundtrack, which was released in early 2002, and as a B-side on the CD2 edition of "Aerials".

Multi-instrumentalist Arto Tunçboyacıyan sings on the song "Bubbles", making his third appearance with System of a Down (having appeared on two songs on Toxicity).

Commenting on the track "I-E-A-I-A-I-O", drummer John Dolmayan said it was inspired by an encounter he had with actor David Hasselhoff in a liquor store in Los Angeles when he was around 12:[7]

Critical reception

The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics scoring 77 out of 100 on aggregate website Metacritic.[8] Giving the album 4 stars out of 5 in his review for AllMusic Chris True noted "If System proved anything with 2001's Toxicity, it's that they're one of the few breaths of fresh air out there in mainstream metal land. This collection is no different, and with its amazing pacing, it's hard to not be moved by what this band can do".[9] "Steal This Album stands head-and-tattooed shoulders above its competition in the hard-rock genre" said Entertainment Weekly in a mutually glowing review, awarding the album a B+ rating.[10]

Rolling Stone called Steal This Album "An absurdist blast of political rage, silly theater and shattered math metal." Jeremy Gladstone of Kludge gave the album a score of 7 out of 10 in his review and both praised and criticized the album writing "Love them or hate them, System is here to stay. The writing is consistent and the music is as tight as we have been accustomed to, perhaps a degree more so at times on the album. Steal This Album is guaranteed to satisfy every System of a Down fan listening. However, from song eight to twelve on the album, the material is a little too similar to really stand out compared to the more intense tracks. Unreleased material can sometimes be good, and sometimes it still doesn't work out".[11]

Victoria Segal, writing for NME, gave Steal This Album! 3.5 stars out of 5 in a less flattering review, stating "System Of A Down's concerns may be no laughing matter, but unfortunately, their music often is. Guitarist Daron Malakian describes this record as 'a bridge between Toxicity and our next record,' which only indicates troubled waters ahead". She did however end her review with "Yes, System Of A Down are insane, ridiculous, a brain-pan pizza with extra mushrooms. But how can something this righteous ever be wrong?"[12]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Serj Tankian, except where noted. All music written by Daron Malakian, except where noted.

Personnel

System of a Down

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2002–2003)Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[13] 13
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[14] ".50

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)Position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[15] 143
Canadian Alternative Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[16] 46
Canadian Metal Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[17] 23

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2002"Innervision"Mainstream Rock Tracks14
Modern Rock Tracks12

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Geschrieben von Deniz . December 24, 2002 . System Of A Down - Steal This Album - Review . September 26, 2023 . burnyourears.de . de.
  2. Book: CMJ New Music Report . December 16, 2002 . CMJ Network, Inc. . 74 . 23 . 793 . October 4, 2020 . March 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230323115359/https://books.google.com/books?id=tPzr8f3lVW8C&pg=PT22 . live .
  3. System of a Down Chart History . July 2, 2020 . . November 17, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211117144754/https://www.billboard.com/artist/system-of-a-down/chart-history/tlp/ . live .
  4. Book: New music report . . 23 . December 16, 2002 . October 20, 2020 . March 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230323115424/https://books.google.com/books?id=tPzr8f3lVW8C&q=new+music+report.+cmj.+2002+system+of+a+down&pg=PT2 . live .
  5. Web site: Interview: John Dolmayan (System of a Down/Scars on Broadway) . May 17, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140415133452/http://stereokill.net/2009/05/17/interview-john-dolmayan-system-of-a-down-scars-on-broadway/ . April 15, 2014.
  6. Web site: R/IAmA - Comment by u/Serjtankianofficial on "I am Serj Tankian. AMA." . July 6, 2012 . February 13, 2020 . May 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220505234749/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/w44co/i_am_serj_tankian_ama/c5a2taa/?context=1 . live .
  7. Hartmann . Graham . System of a Down's John Dolmayan Reveals Lyrical Inspiration for 'I-E-A-I-A-I-O' . . August 2, 2014 . July 14, 2014 . July 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140721043444/http://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-john-dolmayan-lyrical-inspiration-i-e-a-i-a-i-o/ . live .
  8. Web site: Steal This Album . . March 7, 2011 . October 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121024220848/http://www.metacritic.com/music/steal-this-album . live .
  9. Web site: Steal This Album! - System of a Down . . March 23, 2023 . May 20, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110520061525/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r618527 . live .
  10. Steal This Album Review . . November 29, 2002 . September 3, 2010 . October 19, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019132914/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,393125,00.html . live .
  11. Web site: [KLUDGE MAGAZINE] - Review - System of a Down: Steal This Album ]. https://web.archive.org/web/20040828024050/http://kludgemagazine.com/reviews.php?id=231 . dead . August 28, 2004 . August 28, 2004 . December 22, 2016.
  12. Web site: System Of A Down : Steal this Album - NME . . September 12, 2005 . December 22, 2016 . January 1, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160101140734/http://www.nme.com/reviews/6887 . live .
  13. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20040901212913/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/prev_120502_ALBUMS.html. September 1, 2004. Top 100 Albums: December 5, 2002. Jam!. December 13, 2023.
  14. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. June 18, 2022. December 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161201160637/http://musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php. live. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Steal this album
  15. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20040906184132/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/200-2_2002.html. September 6, 2004. Top 200 Albums of 2002 (based on sales). Jam!. March 23, 2022.
  16. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20031204012816/http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2002_alt.html. December 4, 2003. Canada's Top 200 Alternative albums of 2002. Jam!. March 26, 2022.
  17. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20040812035533/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2002_metal.html. August 12, 2004. Top 100 Metal Albums of 2002. Jam!. March 23, 2022.
  18. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2003 . Billboard . November 17, 2021 . December 15, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151215173925/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2003/top-billboard-200-albums . live .