SYSTEM OF A DOWN

Not long ago, accepted sonic belief held that rock music, certainly hard rock music, had been stretched, manipulated and tinkered with to its logical end. With no new forms looming, the genre would slip into malaise and the kids would look elsewhere for an outlet. Enter Los Angeles quartet System of a Down, who, over seven years and two albums have revived and revitalized heavy music with their manic brand of post-everything hardcore. Millions of records on, they charge into the new century as living proof that for those brave enough to snub convention, greatness follows.

“I think we're ahead of the game,” says guitarist/songwriter Daron Malakian. “I just feel like this band will be more respected ten years from now when people finally figure out what we’re really doing.”

Malakian, singer Serj Tankian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan, bonded quickly as friends but also shared Armenian ancestry and mutual disdain for perceived limitations. Their disparate tastes – Jaco Pastorious, Slayer, The Beatles, Faith No More, traditional Armenian folk music – assured from the onset that this would be a band less ordinary.

Malakian says,“We started this band to show people, ‘Look, not everything has been done before.’”

Tankian says, “Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”

System’s 1998 self-titled debut, produced by bearded board whiz Rick Rubin (Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy), was an achievement in pastiche overdrive, a dark carnival of moods punctuated by breakneck tempo shifts and progressive structures. That year, radios rung to the visceral fury of “Sugar” and the spooky tension of “Spiders,” each a fiery baptism for listeners weaned on predictability and rote rhyme schemes.

Serj favors abstract, existential poetry, peppered with politics and personal religion. He says, “No one ultimately knows what they’re saying anyway. Are we really making art? Art doesn’t belong to us. It doesn’t belong to people, it belongs to the universe. It comes FROM the universe. It comes THROUGH us. When I write something, I think I know what I’m saying, but I never pretend to know the full meaning of the words.”

The singer’s quaking wails were the perfect compliment to Daron’s schizoid noodling, Shavo’s inventive lines and John’s potent jazz-cum-thrash rumble. Their first salvo found an instant cult and was heralded as a revolutionary diamond in the homogenous crush of Nü Metal…a label that clearly didn’t (and still doesn’t) fit this foursome.

John says, “I don’t think we sound like anybody else. I consider us System of a Down.”

Shavo says, “You can compare us to whoever you want. I don’t care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are and they are who they are.”

Two years of hard touring followed (OzzFest et al) before the band re-immersed themselves in the studio in late 2000. With Rubin again at the helm, they set about crafting a sprawling blitzkrieg of sounds, one that invited an even wider array of influence and experimentation to the table. Melodies expanded. Riffage went mad. Structure and timing were eviscerated. Deeper lyrical levels were mined and the resulting gems were strewn onto thrashing anthems and careening frenzies of fuzz.

Rubin says, “They really set out to reinvent themselves, to be bigger and better than they were last time. I think they're very proud of their first album and all the touring they did. They wanted to grow from those experiences and expand. They really wanted to write lots and lots of songs and reach in all different directions.”

In August of 2001, System of a Down emerged with their second album, “Toxicity.” As critics scoured their thesauri for ample superlatives, radio and MTV heavily rotated the first single, a harmony-drenched slab of whiplash rock called “Chop Suey.” With the cult of System exploding nationwide, the foursome took to the road where manic throngs of Systemites old and new awaited.

In May of 2002, with the title track from Toxicity in heavy rotation and a third single, “Aerials” fast gaining steam, System accepted the coveted headlining slot on the annual OzzFest circus. The thinking man’s metal troupe aim to give Ozzy’s mobile headbangathon an intellectual facelift.

Shavo says, “It’s time for the bands these kids are listening to to deliver something deeper than just ‘let’s party.’”

Now one year after the triumph of “Toxicity,” System of a Down find themselves in an elite class of rock acts who’ve managed commercial hugeness with dignity in spades and nary a compromise on their resume. They’ve engendered a sound transcendent of trends or labels, a propulsive hybrid destined to flourish in any radio climate from here to forever. What sonic twists await us only they know, but we can rest assured knowing that their next offering, like those that have proceeded, will be born from a primal need to evade classification and emote loudly.

Daron says, “Everyone who knows me knows my music comes before anything. It comes before me. If someone said, "your music will live forever but you won't wake up tomorrow morning, I'd be like, 'Okay.' That's very fair to me.”

Thanks to Tim Hoogland for submitting the biography.




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Would you please submit the latest System of a Down biography to me? Thank You.




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Review about System of a Down

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AHHHHHHH!!!! | Reviewer: Emily
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

System of a Down are amazing! I have all there albums and listen to them constantly. They are by far the best rock band out their, there music ranges from slow, harmonious songs like Lonely Day right to just plain crazy, loud songs like Darts. If you haven't listened to them do it NOW!


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my god... | Reviewer: Cheeser
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

These guys are consistantly amazing but my girlfriend finds them annoying. System Of A Down are head and shoulders above ANY other band going at the moment in my opinion. They are not your run of the mill nu-metal band. They are so much more, and further more, NO ONE sounds like System Of A Down.


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From Armenia With Love | Reviewer: fxzero
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

As a first time entrant, well sort of.. in the heavy metal music I went out and bought toxicity by System. I thought the songs they kept playing on the radio of em were preety sweet. Man was i blown away by what i had discovered. That CD is pure sweet honey... or gold on your preffecence. I enjoyed every single song and will now go out to buy more SOD albums. Every song has a unique theme and feel, it is all so revolutionary i hope System keeps going like the Beastie boys. Also, being half armenian and half russian i can say now that i am awesomely proud of my armenian side. Not that i was not before, now i just love it and so should you. System rules.


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SOAD are the bomb!! | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

SOADs album Toxicity is one of the best albums i have ever listened to in a while. I just started getting interested in them about 4 months ago, decided to buy it and havent stopped listening to it since. The first song Prison song is so true to talk about the American prison system, and title track toxicity is almost like a warning of what our world will come to if we dont fix the pollution etc. The Lyrics in Mr Jack "Little men, big guns, pointed at our heads", subtely remind me of George Bush. when i told my friends that i like SOAD, i was asked 'why do u like them? Their music is so angry!' to which i replied, no they arent. have u ever heard aerials? The lyrics in this song are so meaningful, how can they be angry?
I saw SOAD perfom at Big Day Out in Australia early this year. They were sooo good, I would definetly pay to go see them perform again. Im eagerly awaiting their next CD.


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SOAD's Got My Vote!! | Reviewer: DeadlyBeauty
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

System of a Down is really a respectable, awesome group. With four extremely creative & witty minds, their writing is arguably some of the greatest work ever. I personally think that anyone who hates abuse of power should listen to their music. And people who love fun, fast rock can listen too. They're not just about politics, but they're not just about fun. They're perfect for an aspiring artist of any and all creativity to listen to.


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The ALMIGHTY gods!!! | Reviewer: system-freak
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

the reason why i love SOAD, is because they have always been political, and i agree with everything they say. The president is too much of a little bitch to go and help our troops in the war.


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System of a Down | Reviewer: NightWalkers ~|-itachi-|~
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

System of a Down are a revolutionary band. The music they make is so different that everybody (and i mean everybody) has a favorite song. And it does not matter of they hate the actual band. This band still have great potential and they have already published 5 albums. They are great. Besides that, they are the ONLY band where i can say they have not published a bad album. That is something special. Yea, sure the new album are different but it is SOAD who made them. They are meant to be different. Personally i think Toxicity is the best album they have made (even though Bounce is there worst song). So i you are thinking about some SOAD, you should probaly go for this (also because it cost around 15 bucks) and if you like it (wich you probaly should) go for Hypnotize/Mezmerize.

All in all fantastic band with the sound of the new millenium. They will never die


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SYSTEM | Reviewer: Anonymous
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

SOAD toxicity is the best album made in 2004.The opening sont prison song is the best song to have started the album with.Every song in the album is mad and i hope the system makes a new album soon


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w00p | Reviewer: TOM!
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

these guys are very good and just so refreshing, cant wait until the new ablum comes out, i gotta pick it up and so should you!! B.Y.O.B. is an amazing song!


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For geniuses only!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Reviewer: Kudro
------ About the artist/band System of a Down

soad is amazing. thye are everything a hall of famer is. intelligent , correct, musically correct (souds good) origonal, innovative, passsionate, exciting and enthusiastic. they dont just bitch about our govt, they are attempting to fight the power as well. its amazing how right they are. they even when to college so god speed for soad. they worked hard for what they have and there music is aimed for the intelligent. cuz most ppl are to stupid to think forthemselves and see through anothers eyes. U have to be pretty smart to do that and understand everything.. They are so perfect. they talk about religion although to they dont believe in any.. If you dont like or love system of a down, you should die because ur stupid and stupid ppl should be beheaded.. because they ruin our nation with arrogance, hate greed and evil.... like Bush. as a musician myself, I look up to them for creative ideas for my music adn lyrical content i realize the lyrics and sounds i had for my muusic before i ever discovered soad was like that of system of a down's so its like woah... great Minds Do Think Alike!!! anbd free thinkers are dangerous. fuck the system