It would be hardly fair to review "Hypnotize"--the second album from the Rick Rubin produced sessions that unearthed the May-release "Mezmerize"--with the exact same verbiage as its predecessor.

But really, it's that good.

The metallic insanity that defies adjectives (we shall try, though) continues right out of the gate with "Attack," a furious lesson in staccato guitar playing from Daron Malakian. While his six-string gymnastics have been front-and-center on all previous SOAD albums, it's his songwriting prowess and vocals (whether lead on "Tentative" or shared with Serj Tankian on "U-Fig") that command more attention here. And, like "Hypnotize," the Malakian/Tankian point-counterpoint vocals abound, and give the music a much more dramatic, theatrical bent than your ordinary metal or punk fare.

Not to be outdone, the rhythm section of bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan are a well-oiled machine through the hairpin turns of songs like "Stealing Society," "Vicinity of Obscenity" and "Dreaming."

The ferocious lyrics are intact, too, as evidenced by SOAD's war on evildoers in "U-Fig:" "You and me/should go outside and beat 'em beat 'em beat 'em beat 'em beat 'em beat 'em/All pathetic flag-waving ignorant geeks/And we'll eat 'em eat 'em eat 'em eat 'em eat 'em eat 'em."

What's so astonishing about a band that apparently has such little regard for commercial viability, and more to say in shorter periods of time than most musical genres, is the fact that they are getting away with it.

Please continue.