Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 53: System of a Down's Toxicity (+ Opeth Damnation results)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points. For albums with greater than 15 tracks, everything ranked below #15 will be given 0 points and the scale for the top 15 will be the same as a 15-track album. For albums with more than 20 tracks, you only have to list your top 15 (with 16-20, I still like having the average rank listed)
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, March 13 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to the user cycle - the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).

System of a Down - Toxicity track list:
1. Prison Song
2. Needles
3. Deer Dance
4. Jet Pilot
5. X
6. Chop Suey!
7. Bounce
8. Forest
9. ATWA
10. Science
11. Shimmy
12. Toxicity
13. Psycho
14. Aerials

User Cycle:
3/13: jcgamer107 (Miracle Musical - Hawaii: Part II)
3/20: ChichiriMuyo (VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theater)
3/27: BlueCrystalTear
4/3: MetalmindStats
4/10: HBJDubs
4/17: TheArkOfTurus
4/24: Snake5555555555
5/1: Jesse_Custer
5/8: ZaziGuado
5/15: firefdr
5/22: SpikeSetsFire
5/29: Johnbobb
6/5: VeryInsane
6/12: CasanovaZelos
6/19: Seanchan
6/26: Giggsalot
7/3: RyoCaliente
7/10: darkx
7/17: neonreaper
7/24: Great_Paul

Opeth - Damnation results

The participants sorted by deviation from final results:
Steiner (6)
HBJDubs (6)
BlueCrystalTear (8)
ZeroSignal620 (10)
neonreaper (10)
MetalmindStats (10)
Seanchan (12)
TheArkOfTurus (14)
Snake5555555555 (20)
Raetsel_Lapin (20)
Johnbobb (22)

General Album Comments

Steiner: man this is one of my all time favourite albums and i've NO IDEA why someone would nominate it for this. the songs are all so much the same and i don't think anybody here is going to fall in love with it!

Snake5555555555: I get the repetitive nature of this album being a legitimate complaint. There's really nothing in here that screams as a stand-out. And that's okay. This album does its job perfectly. It's lulling and devastating at the same time. Closure, a heavier track on the album, left me feeling empty inside with its non-ender. The album's soft keys envelop me in a sense of euphoric loneliness, a blank space in place & time where I almost feel like nothing matters. That's not to say the album doesn't have its weak spots. Hope Leaves was I feel the band's attempt to create a "pop" song for this album and it's a bit of a messy, short disaster. "To Rid the Disease" was the first time i felt like this album dragged a little and needed at least one switch-up to the formula. Still, if you let this album take you, individuality of the tracks matters little; it's an atmospheric journey worth closing your eyes to and letting this isolated adventure carry you to wherever it may.

ZeroSignal620: Damnation was the second Opeth album I ever owned. Compared to their previous material, this album drops the death-metal-like vocals in exchange for a full on clean progressive rock experience. Damnation helped get me through my college years and I strongly consider it Opeth's best album to date.

Seanchan: Did a first listen to this today. It was...ok? Hard to distinguish the tracks but at least there's only 8 of them.

My impression of Opeth was based on older, more death metal-ly material I'd heard from prior to this album. Even back then they didn't grab me. As was previously mentioned, this is quite a departure from that. I'd imagine this would have been quite a controversial shock to long time fans of the band.

neonreaper: For me Damnation was what I had hoped Opeth would try, and, they killed it imo. They effectively released a staggered double album with Damnation and Deliverance (if you're not a fan of death metal then I suggest avoiding Deliverance) with Damnation having drowzy overengineered introspective songs that are soaked with Steve Wilson (Porcupine Tree) helping out. I love it. For me this album just pulls me back to summer 2003 and sitting in my apartment thinking my thoughts and being a young guy figuring stuff out, or trying to. I think the album is versatile - it's inoffensive, had some catchy nice bits, it's good for dozing off... and honestly the more I listen to it the more I like it, even ~19 years later.

neonreaper (replying to Seanchan): yes and no - a section of their fanbase was worried by Wilson's influence on Blackwater Park. They released Deliverance (their heaviest album) 6 months before Damnation. At the same time, if you were worried about Opeth going away from their 90s material, well, Damnation was a big problem for you. They released two more albums with death metal elements and since then it's all been clean vocals.

CasanovaZelos: As someone not familiar with Opeth, this album makes me want to check out more. However, I also have no idea how I would rank these tracks and have it not feel completely arbitrary. If I somehow have time for a second listen later today, I will try, but I may abstain from the ranking.

Seanchan: This one grew on me quite a bit. With that said, while I feel good about my ranking, I'm having a hard time remembering what each of these songs sounds like. This is certainly more of an album experience than anything else.

BlueCrystalTear: This is... very redundant, so it's very hard to rank these on instrumentation because nothing stands out, and thematically it seems similar too. It's GOOD, though! This honestly feels like it's one epic, eight-part 43-minute track. I legitimately cannot tell you which part went with which song, even after two listens. I'm not sure if the last two are my bottom two because of album fatigue or not. That's probably it since that's what happens on albums like this one, since as fantastic as they are, coming into it with a mindset to rank tracks wears off. Still appreciate this album since it's well-crafted and consistent with itself.

Damnation track ranking

8. Ending Credits (Track #7)
Score: 29 (Average Rank: 6.45/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): Steiner, HBJDubs, MetalmindStats (#8)

ZeroSignal620: I'll always wonder why this wasn't the album closer, though that would be too generic by some standards. Either way, a fine instrumental.

neonreaper: This one feels like it would normally be an interlude on one of their longer heavier songs after they stopped working with Wilson.

7. Weakness (Track #8)
Score: 32 (Average Rank: 6.27/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Johnbobb (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): ZeroSignal620, neonreaper, TheArkOfTurus, Seanchan, BlueCrystalTear (#8)

ZeroSignal620: After powering through the rest of the album, Damnation ends on an almost weak note (pun not intended). While I don't replay Weakness often, it pales in comparison to the rest of the album, feeling slower than the previous 7 songs before it. But on an album as excellent as this, something still has to be the caboose.

neonreaper: Sometimes you just have a gloomy song that, even with a bunch of production, still feels stripped down compared to the rest of the album. It's a fine ending for this album.

6. Death Whispered a Lullaby (Track #3)
Score: 46 (Average Rank: 5.09/8)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#8)

ZeroSignal620: Another catchy guitar line that is used in the verses and sticks to your brain long after the song finishes. Lullaby is another must-hear for any Opeth fan.

5. Closure (Track #4)
Score: 50 (Average Rank: 5/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, TheArkOfTurus, MetalmindStats (#7)

ZeroSignal620: Great track that unfortunately has a non ending that gut punches me every single time. Even if it does transition (abruptly) into Hope Leaves

4. Hope Leaves (Track #5)
Score: 63 (Average Rank: 4.09/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555 (#8)

ZeroSignal620: Mikael Akerfeldt truly brings this tune to life with his vocals in every verse. Lindgren's guitar between verses is a must-hear as always.

neonreaper: Simple rhythm works really well for the last two thirds of the song.

3. To Rid the Disease (Track #6)
Score: 67 (Average Rank: 3.91/8)
Biggest Fan(s): TheArkOfTurus, HBJDubs (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555 (#7)

ZeroSignal620: Biggest points of the song are the chorus and the closing piano in the final minute. Still an awesome tune, even if in the bottom half of the album.

2. Windowpane (Track #1)
Score: 93 (Average Rank: 2.64/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555, neonreaper, Seanchan, BlueCrystalTear (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#8)

ZeroSignal620: The first song I heard prior to buying Damnation, Windowpane focuses more on the entire band than it does the vocalist, but does it so so well. A great start to the album.

neonreaper: The opener is my favorite, and I love the transitions into the verses, and the haunted nature of this track (and really all of the album).

1. In My Time of Need (Track #2)
Score: 93 (Average Rank: 2.55/8)
Biggest Fan(s): Steiner, ZeroSignal620, MetalmindStats (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#7)

ZeroSignal620: Arguably my favorite Opeth song of all time, this wins me over thanks to the guitar work and chorus. A great (yet lyrically sad) vibe from start to end.

neonreaper: For a long time this was probably my favorite, it's easy to relate to "woe is me" types of emotions and grab onto them, and the song is quite good.

Here is what BlueCrystalTear's sent with the choices for this week:

What I'm going with here are three albums from 1980-81 that were instrumental in defining the "80s sound." I wanted to pick ones where the tracks were rankable instead of everything being the same flavor and blending together like we've seen a lot lately. So here ya go (links to the biggest song from each included):

Phil Collins - Face Value
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_Xs8nzrrkM
From the haunt of "In the Air Tonight" to the heartbreak of "If Leaving Me Is Easy" and the horniness of "I Missed Again" to phenomenal instrumentation of "Droned" and "Hand in Hand," this proved that Phil had just as much staying power as a solo artist as he did as Genesis frontman (P.S. It was Hackett's departure, not Gabriel's, that caused the band to devolve). This album is very introspective of the dissolution of Phil's marriage, and those emotions really help sell it.
Protip: Listen to the 2015 remaster. The audio quality is so much better.

Foreigner - 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jhocSCSZzk
The quadruple-entendre title is one thing. The high quality of songs like "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero" is another. Mick Jones' songwriting is top-notch here and Mutt Lange's production craftsmanship really helped Foreigner move into a new decade. This does both the ballads and the rockers well - every song is memorable.

Queen - The Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE
You just lost it.
Being serious, this is probably Queen's last dud-free album, having classics "Another one Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" plus the wake-up call "Don't Try Suicide" and a song called "Dragon Attack" - how cool is THAT? This album was the "bridge" between Queen's 70s classic rock era and the direction they went in for Hot Space, which... we won't go there. This one is more diverse and interesting anyway.

1. Forest
2. Science
3. ATWA
4. Chop Suey!
5. Toxicity
6. Shimmy
7. X
8. Prison Song
9. Aerials
10. Bounce
11. Needles
12. Deer Dance
13. Psycho
14. Jet Pilot

This album is fuckin' perfect. Hard-hitting riffs, catchy as hell, sometimes it's serious, sometimes it's absolutely bonkers, and there's never a single song on here I skip.

oh hey an album i don't need to actually listen to to rank... actually this is still really difficult fuck

1. Prison Song
2. Aerials
3. Forest
4. Toxicity
5. Deer Dance
6. Chop Suey!
7. Science
8. ATWA
9. Psycho
10. Jet Pilot
11. Needles
12. Bounce
13. Shimmy
14. X

All of the songs in the top 6 have been my favorite at some point, and the top 5 is still basically tied. Prison Song honestly is taking it because I've figured out how to sing the first verse and it's a lot of fun. Always and forever my go-to album to recommend if I don't know somebody's tastes

Tag, though I won't have time to go through this thoroughly.

For my choices, I presume most of you have heard them in full, as they're still awesome after four decades. Yes, I know part of the intent is to expose people to new music, but there's also the forum game aspect so it's hard to find a balance while picking three albums that equally interest people here. In six months, I plan to have three indie albums that work for this, for a completely different flavor.

Tag

I know this album pretty well already but I want to go through it more before I submit.

BlueCrystalTear posted...

For my choices, I presume most of you have heard them in full, as they're still awesome after four decades.

hahaha, oh, how wrong could you be! I've certainly heard the hits from those albums but "in full"? No way.

voted Face Value, but would've voted No Jacket Required with more enthusiasm

I don't believe I have heard any of the albums in the poll, either, though I have heard the bigger Queen albums.

Yeah maybe that was a bad take... I thought the audiophiles here would have, my bad >_>

And I'd thought The Game was one of the "bigger" Queen albums, alongside Queen II, A Night at the Opera, and A Day at the Races. Having two massive hits, plus an automatic fan favorite called "Dragon Attack," will do that.

Johnbobb posted...

voted Face Value, but would've voted No Jacket Required with more enthusiasm

I'd find NJR harder to rank, personally, and I wanted to pick "formative" albums for the 80s sound, each with a bit of different flavor.

For what it's worth I've heard all three :D

looking forward to ranking this one!

up

bump

1: Chop Suey!
2: Aerials
3: Prison Song
4: Toxicity
5: Deer Dance
6: Forest
7: ATWA
8: Jet Pilot
9: Needles
10: X
11: Bounce
12: Psycho
13: Science
14: Shimmy

Toxicity is an album I've not heard in probably about 15 years. So I did my not quite first listen with a bit of trepidation.

This album is so...aggressively early 00s. And I look at the related artists on Spotify and it's a murder's row of bands I listened to back in college and have not gone back to. It's just a sound and lyrical content that I am happy to have left in the past. It's all just so very unappealing to me in 2022. My taste in music has changed to enjoying more poppy, upbeat stuff, which might to a certain extent be a reaction to listening to bands like System of a Down during my more formative years.

And look, objectively speaking, this isn't a bad album. But it's inextricably tied to a period of my life I have no great desire to revisit.

(Actual ranking I'll do after another listen later this week.)

Bump this album!

Definitely relate to the 90s nu-metal stuff not entirely sticking around. I like it but it's rare that I wanna but on a full album of that stuff anymore.

Toxicity - good album! I always thought it was fun and was able to balance goofy stuff with the serious stuff. Good memories of this album but today I don't know how much crunchy riffs I need.

track ranking:

Aerials
such a good song

ATWA
such a classic angsty song

Toxicity
Chop Suey
Deer Dance
X
Prison Song
Needles
Forest
Science
Jet Pilot
Psycho
Shimmy
Bounce

1.Aerials
2.Toxicity
3.Forest
4.Psycho
5.Deer Dance
6.Chop Suey!
7.Prison Song
8.ATWA
9.Science
10.Bounce
11.X
12.Jet Pilot
13.Shimmy
14.Needles

My rank:
Chop Suey!
Prison Song
ATWA
Toxicity
Aerials
Forest
Science
Deer Dance
Shimmy
Bounce
Jet Pilot
Psycho
Needles
X

Toxicity
Aerials
Psycho
ATWA
Chop Suey!
Prison Song
Deer Dance
Forest
Needles
Bounce
Science
Shimmy
Jet Pilot
X

1. Psycho
2. Jet Pilot
3. Needles
4. Prison Song
5. Bounce
6. Aerials
7. Chop Suey!
8. Toxicity
9. Deer Dance
10. Forest
11. Shimmy
12. X
13. ATWA
14. Science

There isn't much of a difference between my ranks, especially from #1 on down to midpack.