System of a Down
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System of a Down is an American rock band. They formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California by four members of the Armenian ancestry, Serj Tankian (lead vocals), Daron Malakian (lead guitar, vocals), (Shavarsh)Shavo Odadjian (bass, backing vocals) and John Dolmayan (drums).
The band released five albums System of a Down (1998), Toxicity (2001), Steal This Album! (2002), and Mezmerize/Hypnotize (2005).
The band became successful with hits like "Sugar", "Spiders", "Chop Suey!", "Toxicity", "Aerials", "B.Y.O.B.", "Questions!", "Hypnotize", and "Lonely Day".
After the release of Mezmerize/Hypnotize, System of a Down went on hiatus, but they have not disbanded. They will be returning in four years and will produce another studio album in 5.
System of a down started in the early 90s, and had 3 of the four main members it has today. They were Serj Tankian(august 21 1967), Daron Malakian(July 18 ????), Shavo Odadjian,(April 22 1974), and last member called Andy Khachaturian.
Often descibed as hot tempered, Khachaturian was unhappy about his position as drummer, and wanted to front the band. He left the band and the drummer from a band Friik, John Dolmayan was invited to the band.
Little did they know but they had all been with each other before, as Serj, Daron, and Shavo, went to the same school in their youths. They went to the Alex Pilibos school for Armenian Americans in Los Angeles.
In 1995, they released their first demo tape, and had the songs: Suite-Pee, Sugar, Dam, and P.L.U.C.K.(Politically lying unholy cowardly killers). In 1996, another demo tape was released with the songs: Soil, and two unreleased tracks Honey, and Temper. They made another demo tape, and this was the one that got them signed. It had the tracks: Know ,War?, and Peephole which can all be found on their first album.
Legendary producer Rick Rubin, had been keen on signing SOAD, but they wanted to keep their options open, and denied several times. Eventually, SOAD teamed up with Rubin and produced their first studio album in 1997, which was self titled. This album was not as big as its follow up, but it made people aware of who and what System of a down stand for.
Their next album made in 2001, containing their first UK top 20 single 'chop suey' was named Toxicity. This album explores a more melodic side of metal, and has its fair share of poitical views, such as in the opening track:'Prison song' which has serj speaking lines such as:'Minor drug offenders fill your prisons you don't even flinch/ all our taxes paying for your wars against the new non rich' System of a down were trying to tell us whats going on, and what the Government aren't telling the public, and thats what makes System, System.
2003's album was a leftover of songs from the toxicity recording that wasn't used because they didn't fit the 'mood' of the album. Although they were leftovers, there were still very melodic songs, and were very good songs in their own right. Such as 'Innervision', and the only song to be released as a single,'Boom'
May 2005 brought a new era of System of a down into the music world, and it was called Mezmerize. Even more melodic than ever before, such songs off it include'B.Y.O.B(Bring your own bombs), and Lost in Hollywood, which was a song based on Darons childhood. Which was a song about the realitys of hollywood and that its not all a glamerous place.
Months later, the second part of the double album Hypnotize, was the same sort of style as they were produced in the same recording session, was released. Many fans thought of the double album as a let down, but it was an exploration of musical boundarys for System of a down.
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