Toxicity (song)

"Toxicity"
Cover of the CD 2 UK Import of "Toxicity".
Single by System of a Down
from the album Toxicity
B-side	"Storaged"
Released	January 22, 2002
Recorded	2001
Studio	Cello Studios, Hollywood
Genre	Nu metal[1][2]
Length	3:39
Label	American Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Daron Malakian Shavo Odadjian Serj Tankian
Producer(s)	Daron Malakian Rick Rubin Serj Tankian
System of a Down singles chronology
"Chop Suey!" (2001) "Toxicity" (2002) "Aerials" (2002)
Music video
"Toxicity" on YouTube

"Toxicity" is a single by American heavy metal band System of a Down, released in 2002. It was originally released on the album of the same name. The writing credits for the song are Malakian, Odadjian, Tankian and Dolmayan. It is known for its dynamic chorus, aggressive vocals, and prominent drum beat. The song is predominantly in triple meter, alternating between ⁶
₄, ¹²
₈ and ⁴
₄ time. The guitar during the verse plays in ⁶
₄ using a 2+2+2 phrasing while the heavy part ("somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep") makes use of a hemiola with the guitar switching to a 3+3+3+3 pattern while the drums remain in compound duple meter until the bridge. The song was ranked number 14 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs,^[3] and was called a nu metal classic by Stylus Magazine.^[2]