Each generation seems to have its own musical clichés. The 1960s had hippie revolution anthems, the 1970s had disco, and the 1980s had, well, everything from new wave to synth-pop to adult contemporary.

When one looks to the 1990s and early 2000s, the pervasive cliché seems to be growling, depressed pseudo-hard-rock bands that have come to be labeled “nu-metal.” These days, one can’t turn on a hard-rock radio station without hearing something from one of the requisite bands of the genre (Korn, Staind, Puddle of Mudd, et al).

But amid the muddle of groups that seem to all sound alike, there is one band that sticks out like a sore thumb: System of a Down.

System’s latest, Steal This Album, isn’t new, per se. It consists of rarities and b-sides that span the band’s entire career, from its pre-debut-album days to extras from the recording sessions for System’s latest, Toxicity.

Although the material here wasn’t all recorded recently, it is a rare treat to be able to trace the band’s development, sans recording-industry pressure, from a little-known opening act to its recent, albeit temporary, substitution for Ozzy Osbourne in the headlining slot of summer 2002’s Ozzfest tour.

What makes System of a Down distinguishable from the rest of today’s nu-metal bands is, first of all, its undeniably unique sound. For the most part, the tracks on Steal This Album stay true to the influences of the group’s studio albums, which range from traditional Armenian folk songs to punk and metal. The same wavering, high-pitched vocals are present, along with the requisite screeching guitars and accompanying pounding bass.

System of a Down’s political spin is the other facet of the band that sets it apart from the rest of the flock. The title Steal This Album is actually a reference to 1960s-’70s anti-war activist Abbie Hoffman’s book, “Steal This Book,” which details how to survive in America for free.

Predictably, politics also makes its way onto Steal This Album, with track titles such as “F*ck the System” making obvious reference to the band’s standpoints. Many of the album’s lyrics also delve into politics, such as in “A.D.D. (American Dream Denial)”, in which lead singer Serj Tankien sings, “We don’t give a damn about your world / With all your global profits and your jeweled pearls / We don’t give a damn about your world / Right now, right now.”

In fact, even seemingly meaningless songs take on a political dimension when penned by System of a Down. Perhaps one of the most standout tracks on Steal This Album, “Chic ‘n’ Stew,” seems on the surface to be about pizza; Tankien sings, “Pepperoni and green peppers / Mushrooms, olives, chives.”

However, the listener quickly realizes that the group is actually commenting on the role of advertising in our consumer culture: “What a splendid pie / Pizza-pizza pie / Every minute, every second / Buy, buy, buy, buy, buy.”

Perhaps the most introspective and uncharacteristic song on Steal This Album is “Highway Song,” which has lyrics that seem to be pointing to an inner conflict over a lost love. As Tankien sings, “I never want to be alone / I’ve forgotten to,” one can hardly resist the urge to read a rare, personal dimension into the usually very public and political band’s lyrics.

After a few listens to Steal This Album, one question comes to mind: Why were these songs left off System’s studio albums? According to guitarist Daron Malakian in an interview with MTV, “It isn’t recent music, but we don’t see these as being the songs that weren’t as good, because these songs kick ass.”

In fact, most of the tracks on Steal This Album were circulated on the Internet prior to being released as an album. “But they sounded so bad the way they came out over the Internet. There was a really bad mix and no guitar over-tracking and none of my [background] vocals. So we wanted people to hear them the right way,” Malakian claimed in the MTV interview.

In any case, there is certainly no cause for disappointment in Steal This Album. Fans of System of a Down’s studio releases will find the same mix of punk, Armenian folk and metal fused with politics, and new listeners will get a fresh taste of a band that defies its nu-metal label and certainly sets itself apart from the rest of today’s radio-friendly angst rock.

Grade: A/B