System Of A Down’s John Dolmayan Addresses Band’s Inability To Make New Music, States One Of Main Reasons Is Serj Tankian

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado

According to blabbermouth.net System Of A Down’s drummer John Dolmayan has again discussed about the band’s failed attempts to record the follow-up to the “Mezmerize” and “Hypnotize” LPs, which came out in 2005.

System Of A Down has been touring since regrouping in 2011 but the band only managed to record two songs in the last 18 years, “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz” which were released in November of 2020. The tracks were inspired  by the negativity between Artsakh and Azerbaijan and all the proceeds support humanitarian efforts in System Of A Down’s   ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from their fans, the band have raised over $600,000.

During an interview with Battleline Podcast Dolmayan discussed what is stopping System Of A Down from creating new music.

“Serj Tankian hasn’t really wanted to be in the band for a long time. And quite frankly, we probably should have parted ways around 2006. We tried to get together multiple times to make an album, but there were certain rules set in place that made it difficult to do so and maintain the integrity of what  System Of A Down  stood for. So we couldn’t really come together and agree. And part of that is Serj  fault, and part of that is my fault, and Shavo’s Odadjian and Daron’s Malakian, as well. But at the end of the day, if you have a majority of the band thinking one way and one person thinking the other, it’s very difficult to come together and make music thinking that person is important.”

Dolmayan added: No matter what, Daron is one of the best songwriters I’ve ever seen in my life. What he does with Scars will never be on the same level or league as System. That doesn’t mean Scars is bad; it just means it’s not System. ‘Cause at the end of the day, he doesn’t have me playing drums; he doesn’t have Shavo playing bass and bringing in certain riffs and adding to Daron’s music, and he doesn’t have Serj bringing his melody and lyrics into the play. So it’s all those things that make us System.”

 

Cait Stoddard: Hello! My name is Caitlin and my job is writing music news stories and reviewing metal music albums. I enjoy collecting vinyl, playing video games, watching movies and going to concerts.
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