Steal This Album! is the third studio album by the nu metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, through American Recordings and Columbia Records. Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, it peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard 200.
In early 2002, medium-quality MP3s of the album were released on the internet under the name Toxicity II. The band issued a statement expressing disappointment that fans were hearing material that was unfinished, and they worked to release a completed, better quality version of the album, which became Steal This Album!.
Though often reported in the media as being a collection of B-sides and outtakes, the band insisted 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 did not fit the overall continuity of the album”. In May 2009, drummer John Dolmayan revealed that the album is his favorite System of a Down release. Similarly, Tankian also called the album his favorite System of a Down album in a 2012 AMA on reddit.
A first version of “Streamline” was used in The Scorpion King soundtrack, which was released in early 2002, and as a B-side on the CD2 edition of “Aerials“.
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).
Commenting on the track “I-E-A-I-A-I-O”, drummer John Dolmayan said it was inspired by an encounter he had with actor David Hasselhoff in a liquor store in Los Angeles when he was around 12:
He was getting a drink, not an alcoholic beverage, a soda or something. He was walking out and I couldn’t believe it! Here was Knight Rider in front of me! And I said, ‘Knight Rider!’ I must have been 12. He looked at me and he goes, ‘Hey kid,’ and he kind of pointed the finger [at me] cowboy style. I told Serj the story, so the lyrics, ‘Meeting John at Dale’s Jr. / Winked an eye and point a finger.’ ‘Dale’s Jr.’ was the liquor store. There’s a little insight.
Tracklist:
- Chic ‘n’ Stu (Tankian, Malakian)
- Innervision
- Bubbles
- Boom! (Tankian, Malakian, Shavo Odadjian)
- Nüguns
- A.D.D. (American Dream Denial) (Tankian, Malakian)
- Mr. Jack (Tankian, Malakian)
- I-E-A-I-A-I-O (Tankian, John Dolmayan, Malakian, Odadjian)
- 36
- Pictures
- Highway Song
- Fuck the System (Tankian, Malakian)
- Ego Brain (Malakian, Tankian)
- Thetawaves (Malakian, Tankian)
- Roulette (Tankian, Malakian)
- Streamline (Malakian, Tankian)
System of a Down
Serj Tankian: vocals, keyboards
Daron Malakian: guitars, vocals
Shavo Odadjian: bass
John Dolmayan: drums
Additional musicians
Arto Tunçboyaciyan: vocals and percussions on “Bubbles”
Greg Collins: theremin on “Ego Brain”
Production
Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian
Recorded by David Schiffman, Thom Russo
Mixed by Andy Wallace
“Roulette” mixed by Rick Rubin, Thom Russo and David Schiffman
Mastered by Vlado Meller
