System Of A Down: Toxicity 25th Anniversary Edition (Burgundy) (Bonus 7″ Single)

This is a pre-order item shipping on or near December 4, 2026

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Twenty-five years after its release, Toxicity remains one of those rare heavy records that managed to become enormously successful without sanding down any of its weirdness. System Of A Down’s second album took the volatile foundation of their debut and turned it into something sharper and more focused, combining metal, punk, Armenian musical influences, political fury and moments of almost absurd humour within songs that could change direction without warning.

Released in September 2001 and produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, Toxicity caught System Of A Down at precisely the right moment. Serj Tankian’s unmistakable vocals could move from melodic and vulnerable to completely unhinged within seconds, while Malakian’s riffs constantly bounced between crushing metal and eccentric melodic passages. Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan provided a rhythm section capable of following every sudden turn.

What remains remarkable is how little the album sounds like anything else from its era. System Of A Down were frequently grouped under the nu-metal banner, but Toxicity demonstrated how inadequate that description could be. Armenian melodies, progressive structures, hardcore aggression, unconventional time signatures and remarkably direct pop hooks coexist throughout the record without ever sounding forced.

The album became a genuine phenomenon, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually establishing System Of A Down as one of the defining heavy bands of their generation. More importantly, its reputation hasn’t faded. Toxicityremains an album that works equally well as an introduction to the band and as a reminder of just how adventurous mainstream heavy music could become at the beginning of the 2000s.

The 25th Anniversary Edition, arriving 20 November 2026, retains the original album on vinyl but adds something particularly worthwhile for collectors: a bonus 7-inch featuring “Johnny”, a recording previously found only as a bonus track on rare 2001 editions. The reverse of the single features a special ’25’ etched design, while the package also includes a custom double-sided poster.

There’s another important correction. The atmospheric hidden piece following “Aerials” was historically identified as “Arto.” For this anniversary edition, System Of A Down have officially corrected its title to “Der Voghormia”, an Armenian spiritual hymn meaning “Lord Have Mercy.” The band explains that the piece carries particular significance in remembrance of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

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