System of a Down

System of a Down's 1998 self-titled debut showcases the band's jagged blend of alternative metal and avant garde metal, pairing heavy, riff-driven passages with abrupt tempo shifts and unconventional song structures. Serj Tankian's dramatic vocal delivery and Daron Malakian's angular guitar work draw on metal, punk, and Armenian musical influences, producing compact songs that move quickly between aggression and quieter, eerie moments. The album introduced the group's experimental approach to songwriting and politically tinged lyrical themes.