Is it really a month without new drama coming from the System Of A Down camp? The band, which has been one of metal’s most beloved and popular bands since the late ’90s, never has a dull moment when it comes to new albums from the band. This time, it comes from drummer John Dolmayan, who appeared on the “Battleline Podcast”.
Hot topics included the band’s inability to make a new album, with their last full-length being their two records in 2005. The bands only music since were 2020’s “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz” which were released as charity tracks.
He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Thanks to them for transcribing the interview):
“Serj [Tankian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer] 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‘s fault, and part of that is my fault, and Shavo‘s [Odadjian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist] and Daron‘s [Malakian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist] 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. And every member of this band is very important to the overall sound of the band. And you’ll know this by listening to anybody’s side projects; they’re never quite that good compared to SYSTEM. In fact, I think a lot of ’em aren’t very good at all. And when you compare that to what we do together as SYSTEM, you understand why the team matters and having certain talents come together and merge matter and that magic thing captured doing that matters.”
Asked to elaborate on his comment that SYSTEM OF A DOWN “should have parted ways around 2006”, John said:
“I think we should have moved on, and if Serj didn’t wanna be in the band at that time, we should have just moved on and done it with somebody else. But that’s what happens when you’re loyal and you really wanna make it work; you’ll put up with things that may be detrimental to the health of the band or the health of the situation. Maybe it would have been better if we moved on and got another singer for an album or two and continued to make music and brought Serj back later if he wanted to come back. That probably would have been better. But as it is, I think we wasted 15, maybe 20 years of our lives waiting.”
Other parts of the interview include John pretty much talking down on any members side projects for not being as good as SOAD was, as well as how playing on stage is great when they finally get there – but everything else leading to that is disheartening because of dealing with Serj. As well as how as of now the band is only doing one show in 2023. He also discusses the band’s desire minus Serj to do so much more even if it was just doing 15-20 shows a year if they can’t get new music made.
Do you think the band will ever do another album or tour? Will the drama ever end in this band? Who knows.
