Steal This Album!

For the album by The Coup, see Steal This Album.

Steal This Album!
Studio album by System of a Down
Released	November 26, 2002
Recorded	2002
Genre	Alternative metal, hard rock
Length	43:31
Label	American/Columbia
Producer	Rick Rubin, Daron Malakian
System of a Down chronology
Toxicity (2001) Steal This Album! (2002) Mezmerize (2005)
Singles from Steal This Album!
"Chic 'n' Stu" Released: October 2002 "Innervision" Released: October 2003 "Boom!" Released: March 2003

Steal This Album! is the third studio album by American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, on American Recordings. Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, and reached #15 in the Billboard Top 200.^[1]

Album information

This album was released shortly after a collection of medium-quality MP3s found its way onto the Internet under the unofficial name Toxicity II, a year after the release of the group's multi-platinum record, Toxicity. The band issued a statement expressing their disappointment that their fans were hearing unfinished material, and released the finished versions of the leaked material. Most, but not all tracks from the original leak (e.g. "Cherry") made it onto Steal This Album!, and three new tracks such as "Roulette" were also added. Many song titles, lyrics, and melodies were changed, making the new album significantly different from the unfinished product.

Though often reported in the media as being a collection of B-sides and outtakes, the band insists 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 didn't fit the overall continuity of the album".^[2] An alternate version of "Streamline" was used in The Scorpion King soundtrack, which was released in early 2002, and as a B-side on some copies of the "Aerials" single.

The album title is a reference to Abbie Hoffman's book Steal This Book, which is regarded as a classic example of counterculture literature. A similar title (Steal This Movie!) was used for a movie about Hoffman's life. A year prior to this album however, The Suicide Machines had already released an album titled Steal This Record. The Coup had also released a Steal This Album in 1998.

The packaging for this album is quite unusual. The album comes in a normal CD jewel case with only a disc and no booklet. On the CD and the back of the case, the text is styled as if written by a black permanent marker, in faux-bootleg appearance. This is an obvious response by the band to the people who leaked the original Toxicity II CD.

Most songs on the album have received limited play to a live audience. However, songs "Mr. Jack" and "Roulette" were played extensively to live audiences. 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).

In May 2009, drummer John Dolmayan revealed that the album is his favorite System of a Down release.^[3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(77%)[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]
Blender	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	(B+)[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]
Spin	(8/10)[9]
Sputnikmusic	[10]

• CMJ (12/16/02, p. 23) - "Both arty aggro and perverted political punk."
• Entertainment Weekly (11/29/02, p. 105) - "Steal This Album stands head-and-tattooed shoulders above its competition in the hard-rock genre."
• Rolling Stone (12/12/02, p. 93) - "An absurdist blast of political rage, silly theater and shattered math metal."
• Spin (2/03, p. 96) - 8 out of 10 - "The way these simple songs blur together works in the album's favor: Just when you think you've got a foothold, the ground disappears under your feet."

Alternative covers

In the United Kingdom and United States releases of Steal This Album!, for a limited time four alternative versions of the disc artwork were available. Each were designed by a member of the band. One featured an entirely blue background with text swirling into the center. One was a drawing of crude stylized flames, accompanied by text. The third was black and gray, depicting a skull with writing in the mouth. The fourth, and perhaps most controversial featured two 'V' shapes, crossing over in the center to create a diamond. One 'V' was entirely blue, and the other red and white striped. If looked at close enough, it becomes apparent that the "V shapes" are actually legs, meaning a woman (in the red and white) is laying on her back with her legs in the air, while a man (in blue) is standing over her, symbolizing the fact of how the American society is so connected with sexual acts. These versions are considered very rare. Additionally, the vinyl edition of the album was released as a double picture disc with each design featuring as a side of the album.

In Europe a one sided front insert has also been seen. It is all white with the album title in black, similar to the original CD cover.

• 

  Limited Edition picture disc, artwork by Tankian

• 

  Limited Edition picture disc, artwork by Malakian

• 

  Limited Edition picture disc, artwork by Dolmayan

• 

  Limited Edition picture disc, artwork by Odadjian

• 

  European edition

• 

  Promo CD

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Chic 'n' Stu"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	2:23
2.	"Innervision"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian, Tankian	2:33
3.	"Bubbles" (feat. Arto Tunçboyaciyan)	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	1:56
4.	"Boom!"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian, Odadjian	2:14
5.	"Nüguns"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	2:30
6.	"A.D.D. (American Dream Denial)"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	3:17
7.	"Mr. Jack"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	4:09
8.	"I-E-A-I-A-I-O"	Tankian	Tankian, Malakian, Odadjian, Dolmayan	3:08
9.	"36"	Tankian	Tankian	0:46
10.	"Pictures"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	2:06
11.	"Highway Song"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	3:13
12.	"Fuck the System"	Tankian	Malakian, Tankian	2:12
13.	"Ego Brain"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian, Tankian	3:21
14.	"Thetawaves"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	2:36
15.	"Roulette"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian, Tankian	3:21
16.	"Streamline"	Tankian, Malakian	Malakian	3:37

Personnel

System of a Down

• Serj Tankian — vocals, keyboards
• Daron Malakian — guitars, vocals
• Shavo Odadjian — bass
• John Dolmayan — drums

Production

• Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian
• Mixed by Andy Wallace
• Worldwide Representation: Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group
• Additional Vocals by Arto Tunçboyaciyan on "Bubbles"

Charting performance

Year	Single	Chart	Position
2003	"Innervision"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	14
		Modern Rock Tracks	12

References

1. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/system-of-a-down/steal-this-album/561196^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "New Album for System of a Down"
3. ^ Lindsay, Andrew (2009-05-17). "Interview: John Dolmayan (System of a Down/Scars on Broadway)". Stereokill.net. http://stereokill.net/2009/05/17/interview-john-dolmayan-system-of-a-down-scars-on-broadway/. Retrieved 2009-05-17. 
4. ^ "Steal This Album". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/music/steal-this-album. 
5. ^ "Steal This Album! - System of a Down". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r618527. 
6. ^ http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=242^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Steal This Album Review". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,393125,00.html. 
8. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/systemofadown/albums/album/272714/review/6067555/steal_this_album^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "System of a Down, 'Steal This Album!' (American Recordings/Columbia)". Spin. http://www.spin.com/reviews/system-down-steal-album-american-recordingscolumbia. 
10. ^ "System of a Down - Steal This Album! (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=135.