Hypnotize

Daron Malakian takes a central role in vocal planning here, establishing a vocal contrast with Serj Tankian that marks the last studio output for the group for over ten years. These tracks act as a direct follow-up to the creative momentum found on Mezmerize, which arrived only half a year prior.

Rick Rubin came back to oversee these recording dates, securing a frantic tone that pairs heavy aggression with odd, melodic pop hooks. The record functions as a frozen moment of a group working at the peak of their technical rapport before they entered a long quiet period.