system of a down still tour

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists

System of a Down  

• On tour: yes
• System of a Down is not playing near you. View all concerts
• Moscow, Russian Federation Change location

1,590,098 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track System of a Down and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Nearest concert to you

Sick New World

Touring outside your city

Be the first to know when they tour near Moscow, Russian Federation

Join 1,590,098 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Upcoming concerts (2)

Las Vegas Festival Grounds

Similar artists with upcoming concerts

Tours most with.

System of a Down (formed in 1994) is an American alternative-metal four-piece rock band hailing from Glendale, California, in the U.S.

Prior to forming System of a Down lead vocalist Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian created Soil with other members Dave Hakopyan, Domingo Laranio and Shavo Odadjian. Hakopyan and Laranio however soon left making way for Lebanese-born drummer John Dolmayan and from the ashes of Soil came the light and sounds of System of a Down. In 1995 the band played at the Cafe Club Fais Do-Do nightclub in Los Angeles and released the now highly-sought-after Untitled 1995 Demo Tape.

The band subsequently released three more untitled demo tapes one in 1996, two in 1997 and played a number of notable Hollywood gigs including shows at Whisky-A-Go-Go and Viper Room. This led to System of a Down meeting famed producer Rick Rubin and signing with American/Columbian Records who released their eponymously-titled debut album in 1998. The album was supported by the singles “Sugar” and “Spiders” and garnered significant radio and MTV airplay.

As a result of this success the band secured opening slots for Slayer and Metallica and toured alongside Fear Factory and Incubus, before contributing to the TV show South Park’s “Chef Aid” album.

The band’s follow-up album, the ambitious “Toxicity” debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and Canadian charts, later achieving three-times platinum certification for over 12 million copies sold. It featured the singles “Chop Suey”, “Toxicity” and “Aerials” after which System of a Down toured alongside Slipknot across the U.S. and Mexico. The band’s third album “Steal This Album!” was a response to the lax internet copywriting laws regarding online music piracy, in the same vein as Abbie Hoffman’s counter-culture book “Steal This Book”.

In 2004 System of a Down returned with the two-part album “Mesmerize/Hypnotize” with the help once again of producer Rick Rubin. The first part of the album “Mesmerize” became the band’s second No. 1 Album after “Toxicity” and the single “B.Y.O.B” earned the group a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2005, which questions the integrity of military recruitment in the U.S. The band is well-known for their politically and socially apt lyrics covering topics from bureaucracy to the War of Drugs. The second part of the album “Hypnotize” also debuted at No. 1 putting the group alongside the Beatles and 2Pac for two consecutive No. 1 albums in the same year.

Following a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song “Lonely Day” System of a Down announced a significant hiatus during which members pursued other bands and solo efforts. In 2010 the band returned playing a number of headlining European shows including Download Festival, Greenfield Festival, Rock am Ring/Rock im Park, and a sold-out show at the Hollywood Bowl in 2013.

Live reviews

The Forum, Inglewood, California

Date of Gig:

Monday 6th Apr '15

By 8.30pm the chants of “System! System!” have grown so loud that you wonder if they can be heard outside the building, perhaps even drowning out the jumbo jets that roar overhead as they come in to land at nearby LAX. With no support band tonight, System Of A Down were supposed to be on now, opening their Wake Up The Souls Tour with a sold out hometown show in front of 17,500 people, but since many of them are still trying to get in, traffic gridlocked, the set has been pushed back, and the anticipation grows and grows.

There's something very special about System Of A Down playing in LA. Hell, there's something special about System Of A Down playing anywhere, but particularly here, where the band began their career some 21 years ago, playing the Whiskey, the Troubadour and the Roxy. Not just that, but there is a huge Armenian population in Los Angeles, and, nearing the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, there is a great deal of emotion in the building, like some vast family has come together. It's kind of hard to explain, but it gives you goosebumps. System Of A Down are gods to the Armenians.

It's nearing nine o'clock when a lucky and terrified looking competition winner is lead on stage to introduce the band, and before they play we watch a short and emotive film about the genocide, part one of three. There's a palpable charge in the air, and then a deafening thunder from the crowd as Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan quietly take to the stage and drift into Holy Mountains. Already this is a monumental gig.

And so, for the next two hours, System Of A Down, this most unlikely of mainstream bands, keeps seventeen thousand people on their feet, mesmerized and indeed hypnotized. Aptly, given the proximity of the airport, Jet Pilot follows Holy Mountains, its first airing since 2005, then a blast of Suite-Pee that has security dealing with a tide of crowd-surfers. Already it's madness in here and the band are only three songs in, but, that said, the band themselves seem to take a couple of songs to get fully into their stride, perhaps aware that the setlist contains songs they've never played live before. The live debut of U-Fig from 2005's Hypnotize follows Prison Song, and that's just five songs into a thirty-five song set!

Like we said, it's one of those nights. Christ, they haven't played Bubbles since 2003, and CUBErt since 2002! They've never played Dreaming before tonight! And along with those rarities come all the classics like Aerials, BYOB, Radio/Video, and the beautiful Lonely Day. The thing about System Of A Down is that, for all their righteous anger, they can touch the human soul, wake the soul on a deeply personal level, even with a crowd of this size. Daron's grandmother would have been 109 years old today, nine when the genocide happened, and she escaped here, as did so many to this sprawling madhouse. Lost In Hollywood, dedicated to her and Daron's family, sends chills down your spine, so lonely in this gigantic crowd, those hustling streets, Hollywood Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard only a few miles from here.

“We've never played this long in our fucking lives!” laughs Serj, with at least a dozen tunes to go. But it's clear they're enjoying every moment, with that spark of friendship far more in evidence. And for all its melancholy and anger, and all the rest of it, there's still that quirky humour about System Of A Down, a mad genius that sets them apart from any other band. Bounce is sheer lunacy, thousands of people all leaping and down, yelling “Pogo! Pogo!” like a sea of jumping beans.

Despite chants of “One more song!” there is no encore tonight. It would be ridiculous to expect one, even with classics to spare. No-one has ever heard this much System Of A Down in one night before, a journey from those days at the Whiskey over twenty years ago to selling out the Forum with ease. Again, please!

Holy Mountains

Prison Song

Soldier Side – Intro

I-E-A-I-A-I-O

Radio/Video

Kill Rock 'N Roll

Lost In Hollywood

Chic 'N' Stu

Report as inappropriate

SOAD played an amazing show. First time seeing them, and they sounded incredible. One of my all time favorite shows so far. I was in the pit, second row, I waited 7 hours just to see them. I arrived at 3:30 and they didn’t come on until 10:30pm, but they played almost 2 hours so it was fine. I waited in the second row without moving much. Once SOAD came on, the crowd pushed like crazy and got very wild. As a 5’0 female weighing about 115lbs, I thought I was going to suffocate, get squished to death, or get a limb broken. I DO NOT recommend the pit for people as small as me. I was pushing as hard as I could just to get a breathe of air, I was legitimately fighting/pushing to survive/breathe at one point. I eventually was able to grab on to the front row rail and get some air, but even then my body was being pushed up against the rail, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had broken a rib or an arm, because that’s how much pain I was in by being pushed against the rail/people. People did not care if they hurt others and some were extremely rude. People who were barely arriving tried to push/shove their way to the front, trying to get in front of people who had been waiting 7 hours. The crowd was very crazy, people fighting and pushing each other left and right. Dozens of people were taken out by security, either because they were being too pushy/wild or because they were suffocating. I have been to dozens of music festivals ranging from EDM, hip hop, to rock music, no crowd has ever been as bad as this. I expected the pit to be bad, but never imagined that I would be fighting for my life. Overall, system of a down played an unforgettable show, but the crowd unfortunately, greatly ruined the experience for me. Will not be buying a pit ticket again, at least not for a band like SOAD.

System of a Down, perhaps one of the most iconic names in modern rock have accumulated a cult following since their formation twenty years ago. All fans of rock are encouraged to catch a show for the sheer excitement shared by both fan and artist which is rarely matched by other performers.

Having also had massive commercial success in their homeland, three out of five albums have topped the US Billboard charts so the gigs are full of the loyal followers from the beginning and those slightly later to the party. Either way, the instrumentals and skill of the likes of 'Psycho' and 'Hypnotise' keeps both singing the bands praises well after the show is over.

They are an incredibly well tuned and well practised live band who have an ingenious method of blending tracks from a variety of albums to sit so well beside each other the audience are barely left with time to applaud. There appears to be compensation for this in form of an eruption of adoration during the closing riffs of 'Sugar', the very first of their elusive single releases.

Nominated for four Grammys, a live performance from System of a Down is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser even if you’re not into rock music. Without fail, every time the lights go down at a live show, the crowd erupts into a buzzing, shouting mass of dedicated fans.

The setup of the live performances never ends to amaze me with the ease that they seamlessly flow from rocking tune and into the next. It’s the kind of atmosphere that makes the audience stay on their feet for the duration of the show, swaying and jumping around appropriately. The vocals are always clear, and the famous B.Y.O.B is an ultimate crowd pleaser every single time.

Next time they tour, hopefully with a new album, I will definitely be getting my hands on some tickets, and if you’re a fan of their music, I can’t advise enough how much you will enjoy the gig. The lights, music, energy, it’s all fantastic and put together brilliantly.

Third time seeing them, they have always brought it the other two times and this was no exception, maybe even the best one. Diverse set list, getting a little off each album, sound mix was great. And more importantly they wanted to be there. Shavo and Daron interacting with the crowd, Serj smiling and laughing. John brought his kids on stage and Serj holding them while singing! It was great to see. Serj and Daron sounded great. Serj still has it. Hitting high notes, the weird vocal ticks, and then growling like on the album. Great show, whole group agreed.

System of a Down played on the most exciting, energetic, high voltage concerts I've ever seen live.

One song leading to the next one and an amazing setlist was a sure formula to have everybody jumping around, dancing and singing along. There was a fantantic energy and nobody seemed to care we were all cold and wet from standing for hours in the rain.

The show was incredible my second time

seeing System and man they put on a

show! Molson Ampatheatre was jam pack

with everybody rocking out,singing to

every song just having a blast. For

anyone who hasn't got to go to a

System of a down concert they are a

Nostalgic set list. Serj seemed like he wasn’t feelin’ it. Everyone else had plenty of energy.

The light show was pretty cool. The set moved and reconfigured behind them between each song.

Sound was great from the middle of the floor area.

Excelente energía mostraron desde el inicio... una entrega total al público... musical y vocalmente excelentes! Puedo catalogarlo como mi mejor concierto! Verlos fue un hecho convertido realidad, ojala regresen pronto!

It was perfect one of the best concerts that i have been..unfortunatelly i was a bit disappointed with deftones due to they setlist i almost fall sleep..i"m a huge deftones fan and they could had chosen different songs

Videos (21)

Photos (23)

Posters (122)

Past concerts

BMO Stadium

View all past concerts

System of a Down tour dates and tickets 2024-2025 near you

Want to see System of a Down in concert? Find information on all of System of a Down’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

System of a Down is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 2 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

Next 2 concerts:

• Las Vegas, NV, US
• North Las Vegas, NV, US

Next concert:

Last concert near you:

Popularity ranking:

• Train (134)
• System of a Down (135)
• Ty Dolla $ign (136)

Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• Los Angeles (LA) (49)
• New York (NYC) (23)
• Detroit (15)
• Philadelphia (15)
• London (14)

Appears most with:

• Black Label Society (44)
• Deftones (34)
• Slipknot (33)
• Lacuna Coil (33)
• Slayer (31)

Distance travelled:

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

System Of A Down To Headline Sick New World 2024 With Slipknot And Bring Me The Horizon Joining The Juggernaut Lineup

ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES BY A PERFECT CIRCLE, ALICE IN CHAINS, DANNY ELFMAN, BAD OMENS, SLEEP TOKEN, AND MANY MORE

Las vegas festival grounds saturday, april 27, 2024, presale friday, october 13 at 10am pt, public on sale 2pm pt .

Following a meteorically successful inaugural year, Sick New World is set to return to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds April 27, 2024 with an enormous collection of the world’s biggest hard rock, alternative, and up and coming artists. With a closing performance from returning headliner  System Of A Down , this colossal lineup features over 65 artists across five stages, including  Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon, A Perfect Circle ,  Alice In Chains ,  Danny Elfman ,  Bad Omens ,  Sleep Token ,  Knocked Loose,  and many more.

Fans can sign up now for the festival SMS list at SickNewWorldFest.com to receive an access code for the presale that will begin  Friday, October 13 at 10AM PT . Any remaining tickets following the presale will go on sale to the general public on  Friday, October 13 at 2PM PT . GA, GA+, VIP, and VIP Cabana Tickets will be available, with layaway payment plans starting at $19.99 down.

VIP packages include preferred viewing areas, charging stations, a dedicated entry lane at the festival entrance, air-conditioned restrooms, and more. VIP Cabanas are available with exclusive viewing areas, featuring VIP service including food vouchers and select complimentary beverages, expedited entry and more. Sick New World has partnered with Jampack to offer hotel and ticket packages with exclusive amenities, including discount rates on select Las Vegas hotels. For the full list of available tickets, packages, and the amenities included in each, please visit  SickNewWorldFest.com .

Sign up for official Sick New World SMS and email lists to be the first to receive new information. Follow along on social media to stay in the loop for all festival announcements: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | X | YouTube

Sick New World is produced by Live Nation, Redrock Entertainment, and Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group.

MEDIA CONTACT : [email protected]

Sick New World 2024 Press Application

Read more about

System of a Down Verified

Concerts and tour dates, system of a down merch.

Live Photos of System of a Down

Latest Post

Fan Reviews

Fans Also Follow

About system of a down.

System of a Down

All upcoming events.

Las Vegas Festival Grounds | Las Vegas, NV

Sick new world, latest setlist, system of a down on may 13, 2023.

Las Vegas Festival Grounds, Las Vegas, Nevada

Note: Soundcheck the night prior included: “Needles”, “Aerials”, "Genocidal Humanoidz", "Lonely Day", "I‐E‐A‐I‐A‐I‐O", "Prison Song", "B.Y.O.B.", "Darts", and "Soldier Side - Intro". Purple Stage

• Album Release Calendar
• Festival Guide
• Heavy History

System of a Down Guitarist Explains Band’s Lack of Touring

It's no secret that System of a Down are fairly inactive when it comes to the extended touring circuit. The band have notably capitalized on rock's festival market since their return friom hiatus in 2011, but long, country-wide treks have remained untouched.

Guitarist Daron Malakian has spoken on the topic in a new interview with Metal Hammer , saying, "I’m the only one in the band that doesn’t have kids and I’m the only one who’s not married. So when we do play, we don’t go on these year-long tours; we do three weeks a month in Europe or a couple of weeks here in the States in October. It’s just enough for us to get out and play and have a good time, and then for everyone to come back home to their families and not be gone too long.”

System of a Down will embark on a rare five-date North American tour this fall. These will be the group's first U.S. appearances in three years. Speaking on the band's impact their career has had, Malakian said, "I just feel really lucky. We haven’t released any new music in 10 years, so for people to still appreciate those songs means a lot to me. A lot of the kids that I see at the System shows were either really young or maybe some of them weren’t even born when our band started, so to see that makes me really proud and I think it’s a testament to the songs."

Frontman Serj Tankian recently addressed their current state and new music delay in a tell-all statement . You can check out a comprehensive timeline of the back-and-forth between members regarding their future in the gallery below.

Everything We Know About New System of a Down Music

Top 10 Weirdest System of a Down Lyrics

More From Loudwire

System Of A Down tour dates

• On tour: Yes
• Concertful ranking: #32
• Category: Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

System Of A Down upcoming concerts (1)

Similar artists on tour, system of a down past concerts.

Top Tours · Just Announced · Categories · Festivals · 2025 Tours

Terms of Service · Privacy and Cookie Policy · Contact © Concertful

System of a Down, Deftones Announce Summer Tour Dates

After much speculation over the weekend, System of a Down have officially announced a run of North American tour dates with support from Deftones. You can get all of the dates below.

The bands started teasing the tour late last week, posting cryptic photos to their Facebook and Twitter accounts along with the phrase, "Announcement coming Monday."

Not much else was announced today, with SOAD still keeping quiet on the prospect of a new studio album.

Deftones are reportedly working on the follow-up to 2010's Diamond Eyes .

System of a Down, Deftones 2012 Tour Dates

• Aug. 02 - Philadelphia, PA - Susquehanna Bank Center
• Aug. 04 - Holmdel Township, NJ - PNC Center
• Aug. 05 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon At Jones Beach
• Aug. 07 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
• Aug. 09 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
• Aug. 11 - Montreal, QC - Heavy MTL
• Aug. 12 - Toronto, ON - Heavy T.O.
• Aug. 14 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Amphitheater
• Aug. 15 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena

Get The Pick Newsletter

All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Josh Hart is a former web producer and staff writer for Guitar World and Guitar Aficionado magazines (2010–2012). He has since pursued writing fiction under various pseudonyms while exploring the technical underpinnings of journalism, now serving as a senior software engineer for The Seattle Times.

“Thrash metal legend unlocks his tonal secrets”: KHDK and Kreator’s Mille Petrozza claim to have created the “perfect overdrive”, the Deathscream – and it could also solve a common digital modeling amp headache

“Now with the rich sonic allure of rosewood”: Three timeless Gibson acoustics have received a rosewood reinvention – bringing new visuals and tones to the table

“This is my guitar. I'm absolutely buzzing”: Epiphone is set to release a Yungblud signature SG Junior – and one of its prototypes is already up for grabs

Most Popular

By Matt Owen 2 April 2024

By Matt Parker 2 April 2024

By Phil Weller 1 April 2024

By Phil Weller 30 March 2024

By Phil Weller 29 March 2024

By Matt McCracken 29 March 2024

SERJ TANKIAN: SYSTEM OF A DOWN 'Will Be Making An Announcement About Something Next Year'

In a new interview with Kyle Meredith , Serj Tankian was asked if there are any plans for SYSTEM OF A DOWN activity in the coming months. He responded: "As of now, we haven't talked about anything. We will be making an announcement about something next year that I can't really tell you about. So there is that. But further than that, I can't really say."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 17 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" . Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN 's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.

This past July, SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan told Sona Oganesyan about the band's inability to record a new studio album: "We have this gift that came from God or wherever, and we're squandering it. It's an insult to everybody else that tries to make it in whatever endeavor they're trying to make. And here we are — we've made it, we have the talent, we have the ability, we have an adoring fanbase, we've sold, I don't know, whatever it is — 30 million albums or more — and they're hungry for it, and we just don't do it. That's like the worst — having the ability to do something and not doing it is, I think, the worst thing in the world as far as in the perspective of being an artist. You're just hurting yourself."

Pressed about whether he sees a path or a way forward where he and the other members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN can agree on how to make a new full-length album, John said: "Yeah, if my bandmembers listened to me and put everything to the side and just said, 'Okay, let's just go in and make the best album we can make and not care about where the music comes from or who wrote the lyrics or what this person did in the past.' I'm willing to put all that aside. I'm not in a band that'll do that, unfortunately."

In 2018, guitarist Daron Malakian publicly accused Tankian of not wanting to record, with Tankian responding that creative and financial issues with Malakian led to the stalemate. In a message on Facebook , Tankian wrote that Malakian wanted to control SYSTEM 's creative process, take more of the publishing money and be the only bandmember to speak to the press.

In an interview with Guitar World magazine, Malakian was asked about the chances of more new music from SYSTEM OF A DOWN in the near future. He responded: "I never say never, but at the same time, I'm not expecting to do any more with SYSTEM OF A DOWN right away or immediately after [these two songs]. It really does seem like our fans like these new songs. That's important to me."

He continued: "We've added two new songs to the SYSTEM catalog that are on the level with everything else that we've put out and our fans have accepted it that way, which means a lot to me. That's kinda where we're gonna leave it for now. If more happens later on, then we'll talk about that, but for now I will continue doing what I'm doing and everyone else will just continue what they're doing. It's all cool though, I'm really pleased with the response we got."

A little over a year ago, SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian discussed his band's inability to record a full-length follow-up to its "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" LPs, which came out in 2005. During an appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn 's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast, Shavo stated about the overwhelmingly positive reaction to "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" : "To me, this is all bittersweet, because I think we can still do it, but because of misunderstandings [between] bandmembers, we're not doing it. Look at us — we have a common cause. We get together, we do two songs, two videos.

"I'm that member that still everyone is like the best friend of mine, but they're not best friends with each other so much," he explained. "They are, but they have differences in opinions and stuff. I have a way of understanding each member and saying, 'Dude, we can overcome this.' It's not that big of a deal — no one fucking banged anyone's wife; no one did any of those things that can really destroy a relationship. It's just a difference in opinion of things. And I think people should be [able to] work it out. But because, I think, of what we had, I think it's, like, some people are stuck in what we had and some people wanna move forward and not do what we had and do something totally different, which is wrong too. I don't think we should do something totally different; I think we should do something that both agree [on]. And we're having a hard time [agreeing on a direction], and that's where we are.

"So, to me, it's bittersweet, because I see everybody, and everyone's, like, 'We love Shavo .' And I'm, like, 'I love you,' but then they can't work together."

Shavo went on to reiterate his belief that the differences between the SYSTEM members are not insurmountable. "I don't think anything so horrible has happened," he said. "We're all alive. We're all friends. I swear, when there's conversations going on, it's very legit, very loving. No one's hating on each other. They're very polite towards each other. Serj and Daron , when they talk, they're connected, they're nice to each other. No one's hating, no one's cussing, no one's saying 'fuck you', no one's saying 'you ruined…', 'you did this.' It's just that section that's fucked up.

" Daron brought these songs in," Shavo said, referring to "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" . "And we've worked that way before. A song like 'War?' was brought in by Daron — that was a Daron song; Daron brought that in, and that happened. And then there's a song like 'Sugar' , where I brought that in. And there's a song like 'Question!' where Serj brought it [in]. So we have different ways of writing songs, [and] it should be like that again. But because of what's happened, I feel like it's kind of like become this big issue now.

"I think at the end of things, when we're old and gray, we're gonna look back and be, like, 'Fuck, we were idiots,' for not taking the time and seizing the day. I believe in seizing the day in everything I do, and that's what I do — that's why I'm so busy nowadays.

"Like I said, I'm telling you here, there's nothing that's happened that can't be worked out. So I always have hope. I'm doing everything knowing that SYSTEM 's not dead, and it hasn't been dead."

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).

Apr 27 2024 Las Vegas Festival Grounds Las Vegas, NV SOLD OUT

We as System Of A Down have just released new music for the first time in 15 years. The time to do this is now, as together, the four of us have something extremely important to say as a unified voice. These two songs, “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz” both speak of a dire and serious war being perpetrated upon our cultural homelands of Artsakh and Armenia. On September 27, the combined forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey (along with Isis terrorists from Syria) attacked the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, which we as Armenians call Artsakh. For over the past month, civilians young and old have been awakened day and night by the frightful sights and sounds of rocket attacks, falling bombs, missiles, drones and terrorist attacks. They’ve had to find sanctuary in makeshift shelters, trying to avoid the fallout of outlawed cluster bombs raining down on their streets and homes, hospitals and places of worship. Their attackers have set their forests and endangered wildlife ablaze using white phosphorus, another banned weapon. And Why? Because over 30 years ago in 1988, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh (which at the time was an Autonomous Oblast within the USSR), were tired of being treated as second class citizens and decided to declare their rightful independence from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic whose borders engulfed their own. This ultimately led to a war of self determination by Armenians in Karabakh against Azerbaijan that ended in a cease fire in 1994, with Armenians retaining control of their ancestral homelands and maintaining their independence to the present day. Our people have lived there for millennia, and for most families there, it’s the only home they and their forefathers and mothers have ever known. They just want to live in peace as they have for centuries. There is an immediate need for global citizens to urge their respective governments to not only condemn the actions of the corrupt regime leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey, but to also insist world leaders act with urgency to bring peace to the region and rightfully recognize Artsakh as the independent nation it is. Most importantly and urgently, we humbly implore you to donate, in sums small or large to provide desperately needed aid and basic supplies for those adversely affected with what are ever growing accounts of crimes against humanity. We realize that for many of you, there are more convenient ways you like listening to music, so please consider the opportunity to download these songs as an act of charity above all else. The music and lyrics speak for themselves. We need you to speak for Artsakh. Peace, Daron, Shavo, John and Serj

SUBSCRIBE TO GET THE LATEST NEWS

• facebook-rs

Why System of a Down Haven’t Put Out an Album in 13 Years

By Kory Grow

The members of System of a Down are finally detailing why they haven’t issued any new music since 2005’s Mezmerize and Hypnotize albums after more than a decade of speculation. First, guitarist Daron Malakian – who is promoting an upcoming album by his side project Scars on Broadway ­– said in an interview that the group had to “beg” frontman Serj Tankian to make those two records since the singer felt like he was “out” at that time. Now the vocalist has posted a lengthy Facebook message  that lifts the veil on what has stopped them.

Malakian, in an interview with Kerrang! (via Revolver ), said he didn’t want to finger Tankian but that the singer is “totally set in his way of thinking.” The new Scars on Broadway LP, Dictator – out July 20th – contains songs Malakian had been shelving since 2012, a couple of years after System of a Down reactivated after a hiatus following its last two albums. He’s since accepted that the group won’t be making an LP anytime soon so he’s releasing the songs.

“Serj was never really a heavy metal or a rock guy,” Malakian said. “I don’t know if he has the same love for this kind of music as I do. I’m the kid that grew up with Slayer and Kiss on my walls … Serj didn’t grow up feeling that way. He didn’t grow up a diehard fan. So I feel like the whole experience of becoming the lead singer in a hugely successful band was different for him than my experience was for me. To be honest with you, Serj didn’t even want to make Mezmerize and Hypnotize .”

Tankian replied Thursday night with an exhaustive explanation of his feelings on the matter on Facebook. “It is true that I and only I was responsible for the hiatus SOAD took in 2006,” he wrote. “Everyone else wanted to continue at the same pace to tour and make records. I didn’t. Why? For numerous reasons.” These include feeling like the music the band was making was sounding redundant and repetitive, the wish for an equal cut of the money (“Daron [was] controlling both the creative process and making the lion’s share of publishing not to mention wanting to be the only one to do press”) and the fact that he didn’t feel connected to the music on the Mezermize and Hypnotize LPs.

Editor’s picks

The 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term.

He was in a different place artistically when the band reconvened in 2010, and since the 2006 hiatus, he has put out records in a variety of genres, from rock to classical music, and found a new career as a film composer. He agreed to do a tour with the band and eventually the subject of a new record would come up. “At times there would be emotionally tinged outbursts by one band member or another mostly blaming me for the band’s inactivity,” he wrote. So about two years ago he proposed a four-tiered approach for them to move forward.

First, he wanted equal creative input. “By this time I had released five of my own records and was a better songwriter musically and Daron was getting better as a lyricist,” he wrote. “So I said let’s each bring in six songs that all band members approve fully and work on them along with songs or riffs from [bassist] Shavo [Odadjian].” Second, he wanted the band to split the songwriting royalties equally. Third, he wanted each member to have final approval on the songs he brought to the table. “I did this because in the past, I’d bring in a song that would be morphed into an undesirable version that I myself would withdraw from consideration,” he wrote. And finally, he wanted the band to collaborate on a concept or theme for the record so it would be “a full experience.”

Tankian wrote that he was leaving out other details – “like agreeing on the ‘sound’ of a new record, which we couldn’t do” – and a bit about sending notes to Malakian on many of the songs on Dictator that he felt didn’t fit the mold of system. “They played around with some of my songs,” he wrote, “suffice to say I think we tried.” Ultimately, Tankian decided to “draw a line in the sand” and the group decided to set aside the prospect of making a new LP for now.

“My only regret is that we have been collectively unable to give you another SOAD record,” Tankian wrote. “For that I apologize.”

Drummer John Dolmayan also chimed in on Instagram . “Each member of the band is equally responsible for both our incredible success on our previous recordings and our unbelievable failure to get along and make music together,” he wrote. “Not one of us, rather ALL of us are to blame. Egomania, eccentricities, megalomania – and sometimes just stupidity all play roles.

“To our fans, I’m truly sorry for letting you down,” he continued. “To the songs that could have been – I’m sorry you haven’t.”

System of a Down Guitarist Talks First Solo Music in Eight Years

System of a down plot first u.s. tour dates since 2015, serj tankian talks new film scores, chris cornell, what's next for system of a down.

In recent interviews with Rolling Stone , both Tankian and Malakian have said that despite their inability to make a record, everyone in the band is getting along. Late last year, amid Internet rumors that Tankian never wanted to sing again, he revealed he’d been recording vocals for Dolmayan’s These Grey Men side project and he addressed the ensemble’s creative stalemate.

“When people don’t see a record, they assume the worst about your internal relationship. But the truth is we’re actually better friends – at least I’m better friends with everyone than I’ve ever been,” he said . “John’s my brother-in-law; he’s in my family. We have a great time together touring. But sometimes putting together a record, and that creative output and how things should be done, is different in four people’s heads and it doesn’t always come together.”

Malakian echoed Tankian in an interview in April. “We’re all friends,” he said . “We all still go out. We play the songs live. We enjoy it. But doing an album is a totally different thing than playing the songs we already have live. It takes a little bit more togetherness, a little bit more commitment from everybody, and I’m not sure everybody is ready to commit to that right now. And it is what it is, man. I can’t force anybody to do anything they don’t want to.”

At the same time, he also addressed the prospect of a new System of a Down record: “It’s not abandoned.”

Olivia Rodrigo Brings Out Noah Kahan for Surprise 'Stick Season' Duet at MSG

• Manifesting
• By Charisma Madarang

Taylor Swift Soundtracks the Five Stages of Grief With New Apple Music Playlists

• Tortured Playlists Department
• By Ethan Millman

J Cole Brought A Knife To A Gunfight On '7 Minute Drill'

• Shots Missed
• By Andre Gee

Doja Cat, Young Miko, Vampire Weekend and All the Songs You Need to Know This Week

• By Rolling Stone

St. Vincent Calls 'American Idol' 'Hallelujah' Covers 'the Worst Thing in the World'

Most popular, chance perdomo, 'gen v' and 'chilling adventures of sabrina' star, dies at 27, chance perdomo, 'chilling adventures of sabrina' and 'gen v' star, dies at 27, barron trump’s super-rare outing with dad donald may show why we never see them together, partynextdoor reveals nsfw 'partynextdoor 4' album cover, you might also like, talpa quiz show ‘the floor’ sells to further territories, named as ‘format to watch’ at mipformats (exclusive), marc jacobs to open in hudson yards, the best medicine balls, according to fitness trainers, ‘slaughter high’ is the wildest slasher film to ever follow april fool’s day to its logical conclusion, iowa-south carolina pits sport’s biggest star vs. its modern dynasty.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Hi, what are you looking for?

Metal Injection

• New Albums Out This Week
• Top Tracks Of The Week
• Top Stories Of The Week
• Upcoming Releases
• Funny Stories
• Photo Gallery
• Latest Videos Listing
• Music Videos
• Metal Injection Exclusives
• Live Footage
• Funny Videos
• Slay At Home
• ASK THE ARTIST
• Kids In Metal
• Mashups & Covers
• Rockumentary
• View All Channels
• Apple Playlists
• Spotify Playlists
• Los Angeles

SERJ TANKIAN Comments On The Future Of SYSTEM OF A DOWN, Downplays Tour Plans: "It's Something I'm Not Very Interested In Doing At this Time"

He's also open to doing another System Of A Down record.

Want More Metal? Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter

Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.

serj tankian

System Of A Down

Sponsored Links from Around the Internet

You may also like.

Latest News

Jack owen says writing disputes caused him to quit deicide: "i walked out and ghosted them".

"I literally walked out and ghosted them."

CHAD GRAY Thinks MÖTLEY CRÜE Should "Just Bow Out" At This Point

"It's hard for me to watch."

LINKIN PARK Settles Lawsuit With Former Bassist KYLE CHRISTNER

An "amicable resolution" has been reached.

SIX FEET UNDER's CHRIS BARNES Explains Why He Stopped Smoking Weed & Drinking

Plus why there won't be any Haunted 30th anniversary tour.

CHAD GRAY On The PANTERA Reunion: "VINNIE PAUL Was Never Behind It"

Poll: Which '80s Thrash Band Had The Best First Four Albums?

Summer Slaughter Begins Teasing Their Return Lineup

DAN LILKER To Rejoin ANTHRAX For Upcoming Shows

BRIAN "HEAD" WELCH On New KORN: "It's The Best And Heaviest KORN Stuff In Years"

REX BROWN On PANTERA: "This Is No Tribute Band"

“We still haven’t come eye-to-eye on how things should be done”: The story of the new System Of A Down album that will (probably) never happen

Since reuniting in 2011, System Of A Down have headlined festivals, packed arenas and released just two songs. What’s the situation with their long-anticipated sixth album? Not promising…

Picture the scene. It’s November 22, 2005. One of the biggest bands in metal are releasing their fifth studio album: the second part of a pair, with the first having come out six months previously. It receives universally positive reviews and hits the top spot on the US Billboard 200 – something which is not unusual for its creators.  

Little did we know that that album, Hypnotize, would be the last full-length release by System Of A Down in approaching two decades. Six months later they announced a hiatus, five further years passed and, when it was announced that the Armenian-Americans were returning in 2011, we all rejoiced. 

Since then, there have been shows (both very good and depressingly poor), fallouts, more breakups, some makeups – plus, most inconsistently, contrasting information regarding work ethic, intentions and desires regarding a much-anticipated new album. A meagre two new songs have been released throughout this entire, tumultuous period.

So, it begs the question, what happened? Will there, or more importantly should there, ever be another System Of A Down album?  

For the first few years of their reformation, System Of A Down focussed on huge festival sets, like at Download 2011 and Reading And Leeds in 2013. Then there was their 2015 Wake Up The Souls world tour, which featured a show at London’s Wembley Arena and the band’s first-ever performance in their native Armenia.

The prospect of new material was first publicly discussed in 2016. Speaking to Kerrang! in November of that year, drummer John Dolmayan claimed System Of A Down had at least 12 new songs. Although he had no timeline for when they would be released, he claimed emphatically, “That’s what we’re trying to accomplish right now.” 

It was news that was warmly received by fans: confirmation that there was more to their reunion than just running through the hits.  

Metal Hammer Newsletter

Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

The first indication that it might be a bit trickier than first anticipated, however, came in July of 2017. During a live Instagram Q&A, bassist Shavo Odadjian said, “I know, I’m waiting for a new album too,” after being asked when we could expect new material. He deflatingly added, “It’s not happening. I don’t know.” 

The news was as vague as it was disappointing. But the reason for the delay was made clearer in December 2017, when vocalist Serj Tankian was interviewed by Rolling Stone . He discussed his lack of interest in both rock music and the touring lifestyle, and also was coy on the idea of the new album.

“We’ve discussed it, and we’ve played each other songs,” he said. “But we still haven’t come eye-to-eye on how things should be done for us to be able to move forward with it. And that’s where it’s been.” 

It’s at this point that a frustrating back-and-forth started, which has continued to take place in the press over years. A member of the band states they would like to do a new album, we get excited, Serj comes out soon after and tells everyone that he isn’t happy with the direction or that things can’t be agreed upon, we put it to the back of our minds. Rinse and repeat for an eight-year period. 

In 2018, guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian released the album Dictator with his band Scars On Broadway. He admitted to Rolling Stone , “Not knowing what was happening with System has kept me from putting my own stuff out,” insinuating that the material could have been used for System Of A Down’s comeback. However, Malakian also said of new System Of A Down music, “No, it’s not abandoned.” 

But still, all we ever heard were roadblocks and reasons for the album to not be made. Dolmayan’s clear frustration seemed to boil over in early 2020 as he was promoting his These Grey Men project (which actually featured Tankian on their cover of David Bowie’s Starman ), when he claimed their 2006 hiatus was a “disaster”. 

In November 2020, we finally did get new System Of A Down material: a pair of songs named Protect The Land and Genocidal Humanoidz , released to raise funds for Armenian victims of the second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Hopes were raised, but almost immediately dashed, when Malakian called them a “one-off kinda thing”. Tankian dismissed the idea that this would lead to a new creative period for the band, as they were solely focussed on the war effort. 

Despite this, there is still a desire from a great deal of people for a new System Of A Down album. Even with the delays, the sometimes phoned-in live performances, the bickering, and the vague and confusing reasons for why it hasn’t happened, millions of fans worldwide live in hope. Even as late as January 2023, it’s still a question on people’s lips, Dolmayan claiming then that Tankian hasn’t wanted to be in a band for “a long time.” 

All rational evidence suggests that Hypnotize will be the final System Of A Down album. So, maybe this circus should stop and we should make peace with the nu metal legends being a touring-only prospect. With the band basically having given up on themselves, perhaps we all should find acceptance that this new material will never materialise. 

Since blagging his way onto the Hammer team a decade ago, Stephen has written countless features and reviews for the magazine, usually specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal, and still holds out the faint hope of one day getting his beloved U2 into the pages of the mag. He also regularly spouts his opinions on the Metal Hammer Podcast.

“I’m always ready for a kitty cat!” We gave Judas Priest legend Rob Halford a load of kittens to play with and asked him about heavy metal, becoming a gay icon and (sort of) being Dolly Parton's BFF

German power metal force Powerwolf announce new album Wake Up The Wicked

"The work of a band on the form of their career": Fresh from supporting Bad Omens and Northlane, unsung metalcore heroes Erra step up to the big leagues with new album Cure

Most Popular

By Sid Smith 4 April 2024

By Dave Ling 3 April 2024

By Bill DeMain 3 April 2024

By James McNair 3 April 2024

By Paul Brannigan 3 April 2024

By Matt Mills 3 April 2024

By Paul Lester 3 April 2024

By Rob Hughes 3 April 2024

By Jon Wiederhorn 3 April 2024

By Geoff Barton 3 April 2024

• International

Israel-Hamas war

Northeast earthquake

March 27, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Elise Hammond , Tori B. Powell and Aditi Sangal , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Here's what you should know about the Key Bridge collapse

From CNN staff

Officials recovered the bodies of two construction workers who were on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed early Tuesday morning after a 984-foot-long cargo ship collided into a pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the collapse Wednesday " a global crisis ."

"The national economy and the world's economy depends on the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country," Moore said.

Here's what you should know:

• The victims: The six people who are presumed dead were from Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr, the superintendent of Maryland State Police. Two bodies were recovered and have been identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes from Mexico and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera from Guatemala. The two workers were filling potholes on the bridge and were later found trapped in a red pickup truck in about 25 feet of water, Butler said. The FBI is handling notifying the victims' families, Butler said.
• Recovery efforts: Authorities are pausing search efforts for the four other workers who are presumed dead, because additional vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris, making it unsafe for divers, Butler said. Once salvage operations clear the debris, divers will search for more remains, he said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the fatal incident, according to the agency's chair Jennifer Homendy. During a Wednesday news conference, Homendy said there were 21 crew members and two pilots on board the Dali cargo ship when it crashed into the bridge. She also said a senior NTSB hazmat investigator identified 56 containers of hazardous material, and that some containers are in the water. The agency received six hours of voyage data from the ship and the investigation could take 12 to 24 months to complete, Homendy said. She emphasized that NTSB will not analyze information collected or provide conclusions while on scene of the collapse.
• Looking forward: Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said rebuilding the bridge will not be "quick or easy" but that it will get done. He said there are four main focus points ahead: reopening the port, dealing with supply chain issues until its reopening, rebuilding the bridge and dealing with traffic issues until the bridge is rebuilt. Biden  pledged the full support  of the federal government in the response and recovery efforts. His administration has already conveyed a sense of urgency to open up federal funding to remove debris and ultimately rebuild the bridge. Maryland has submitted a request to the Biden administration for emergency relief funds "to assist in our work going forward," Moore said Wednesday.

It's almost impossible to place people on the bow of ship due to the unstable structure, fire official says

 From CNN's Sarah Engel

Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said Wednesday that the cargo ship's bridge structure and containers at the bow remain unstable.

"It's going to be very difficult, if not impossible, and very dangerous, to place people on the bow of that boat right now," Wallace told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

"Naturally, we're still very cognizant of the fact that there are hazardous materials on board the vessel itself," Wallace said, alluding to the National Transportation Safety Board saying earlier that 56 containers were carrying hazardous materials.

Wallace said his team is relying heavily on aerial recognizance, including drones. "That's the only way we're able to see in," he said.  

He added that the aerial surveillance has "been able to really assure us right now we have no [chemical] reactions on board." 

"It's just utter devastation," NTSB chief says of the bridge collapse site

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, called the site of the Key Bridge collapse "devastating."

"It's pretty devastating, certainly, seeing not just what's going on with the cargo containers, but just looking at what was a bridge span — three bridge spans that is pretty much gone. It's just utter devastation," she said at Wednesday evening's news briefing.

She added that she is thinking of families who lost loved ones and those who are waiting to reunite with their lived ones.

NTSB interviewed the Dali's captain and some other crew members today, agency chief says

The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed the ship's captain, his mate, the chief engineer and one other engineer today, according to Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The two pilots on board the Dali at the time of collision will be interviewed tomorrow, she added.

Cargo ship's voyage data recorder is basic when compared to an airplane's, NTSB chair says

From CNN's Tori B. Powell

The voyage data recorder on the cargo ship Dali was a "newer model" but is considered basic when compared to that on an airplane, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"But it is very basic compared to say, a flight data recorder, where we would have 1,000 parameters," she said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The NTSB chief investigator Marcel Muise added:

"It's not a ship-wide system recorder, so most of the sensors that are being recorded are from the bridge. So things like GPS, the audio, rudder feedback, rudder commands are recorded on there. But not engineering, the temperature of each cylinder, power distribution sensors."

There were no tug boats with Dali at the time of the collision. That's normal, NTSB chief says

There were no tugs with Dali when the cargo vessel collided with Baltimore's Key Bridge, which is normal protocol, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

Remember: At 01:26:39 on Tuesday, Dali's pilot made a general very high frequency (VHF) radio call for tugs in the vicinity to assist, the NTSB investigator Marcel Muise had said.

"The tugs help the vessel leave the dock, leave the port and get into the main ship channel. And then they leave. Once it's on its way, it's a straight shot through the channel. So there are no tugs with the vessel at the time. So they were calling for tugs," she said.

NTSB chair says she saw some containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said she did see some of the 56 containers that were carrying hazardous materials in the water.

When asked how many

When asked how many containers of hazardous materials were in the water, Homendy said:

"I did see some containers in the water, and some breached significantly on the vessel itself," she said. "I don't have an exact number, but it's something that we can provide in an update."

Homendy said that a preliminary report should be out in two to four weeks.

This post has been updated with more quotes from Homendy.

Bridge did not have any redundancy, unlike the preferred method for building bridges today, NTSB chair says

Baltimore's Key Bridge did not have any redundancy, which is included in the preferred method of building bridges in the present day, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.

"The bridge is a fracture critical," she explained. "What that means is if a member fails that would likely cause a portion of, or the entire bridge, to collapse, there's no redundancy. The preferred method for building bridges today is that there is redundancy built in, whether that's transmitting loads to another member or some sort of structural redundancy. This bridge did not have redundancy," Homendy said.

There are 17,468 fracture critical bridges in the United States out of 615,000 bridges total, she said, citing the Federal Highway Administration.

Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.