Among the most ubiquitous songs in all of nu metal is System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” It is a perfect snapshot of the band’s manic musical tendencies, dueling vocals, and coil-tight rhythm section that helped define the alt-metal wave of the early 2000s. As such, it’s a song that is referenced, featured, and covered ad infinitum, with each new take offering its own impression of the smash hit single.
Bradley Hall, a content creator and guitar instructor with a following of over half a million subscribers on his YouTube channel, covered “Chop Suey!” in twenty different styles, each based on a popular metal band. From the technical chops of Death to the pitch-perfect Dave Mustaine impersonation in the Megadeth section, the compilation is equal parts ridiculous and accomplished. Hall’s musical chops are undeniable, exhibiting the idea of taking what one does very seriously while refusing to take oneself so seriously.
Even the sillier sections like the Nightwish faux opera vocals or the djenty Meshuggah stanza are done with a nudge and a wink. Considering the red-headed stepchild status that nu metal is sometimes unfairly dealt, it’s nice to see other giants of the metal world be the butt of the joke, with System of a Down’s undisputed classic as the framework of said joke.
Check out Bradley Hall’s 20-style re-imagination of “Chop Suey!”:
