System of a Down is one of the most successful contemporary heavy metal bands. They are known for their controversial yet catchy songs and Serj Tankian's unique voice.
System of a Down Biography
System of a Down, or SOAD, is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in 1994. The band’s lead member is Serj Tankian (vocals and keyboards), who is also successful by himself. Three of the band’s five albums topped the Billboard 200. Additionally, they won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Early Career & Breakthrough
In 1992, Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian, the guitarist, formed a band named Soil. They hired Shavo Odadjian and two other members, and they played a couple of gigs. However, the band split up quickly. System of a Down rose in its place, with Odadjian as bassist and a new drummer. After three demo tapes, John Dolmayan took over as the drummer, thus bringing the group in the current formula. Furthermore, the group released their first song, Hye Enk and another demo tape, which caught the eye of studios.
In 1998 the band released its first debut album, System of a Down. It spawned frequently broadcasted songs, Sugar and Spiders. Additionally, they performed as opening acts for Slayer and Metallica. System of a Down was also included in the South Park soundtrack/compilation album Chef Aid.
Toxicity & Steal This Album!
In 2001, the group planned a free concert but had to cancel, due to the enormous amount of fans that showed up. There was a riot which destroyed SOAD’s touring equipment. The group encountered huge success with the release of their second album, Toxicity, which peaked at number 1 and sold over 2,700,000 copies. The album generated 3 highly popular singles, the controversial Chop Suey!, Toxicity and Aerials. In 2006, the second made it into VH1’s 40 Greatest Metal Songs. Entertainment Weekly called the album “strange and engaging”. After all this, it was hard for the next record, Steal This Album!, to rise up to the standards. Though it didn’t gain as much praise, it received great reviews and spawned a popular tune, Innervision.
Mezmerize & Hypnotize
In 2005, SOAD released a double album. The two parts were connected through the artwork. Firstly, Mezmerize came out in May and dominated the charts. The album’s first single, B.Y.O.B., gained a Grammy Award. In November, the second instalment, Hypnotize, reached number 1 in the US. The heartbreaking single, Lonely Day, was a massive success and received a Grammy nomination. Additionally, it was included in the thriller film Distrubia (2007).
In late 2016, after a long hiatus, SOAD admitted to working on a new album, to be released in 2017 and contain about 15 tracks.
Photo source: Discogs
