System Of A Down stake their pennant above the rock pantheon

Against the trend of instant revivalism, TV-generated pop-stardom and the increasingly formulaic music produced for the mainstream consumption, in any genre, System Of A Down blast tunes as huge as American dream but with politically charged lyrics to near it to the American nightmare. The band’s eponymous debut album of four years ago presented the band influenced by their country of origin, Armenia, as well as the great Hard and Heavy metal traditions, with dexterity of many other elements, to establish them as a premier nu-metal band.

Last year’s ‘Toxicity’ disc has shaken many musical teeth with its tempestuous riffs, tonal plethora and a sound barrage as thick as a brick. Produced by the legendary Rick Ruben, the boss of their label as well, SoaD even had an Armenian roots musician, named Arto, come in and add a bit of national flavour to it all. Topped with the left-wing views that have attracted the CIA attention, according to the vocalist.

The four members – aside Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan – continue to make music that is crisscrossing genres while turning out to be rather radical, expressing some deeply felt (socio-political) sentiments and far from safe repetition that rakes in millions of sales. SoaD are open to the topics of sociology, philosophy, religion, sexual tension, rebellious nature... while remaining musical ambassadors for the country of their origin. If there is any tag to be attached to SoaD, how about – Attitudinal Rock?

“We don’t feel that our music has any geographical location,” vocalist explains patiently, “it is neither Armenian, American or African. We’ve always tried not to limit ourselves musically and any Armenian aspect of our music is just that, an aspect and there are others, such as pieces of rock, jazz, rap, folk, soul... I hate people categorising us as Armenian rockers as that has no meaning but a lot of people need to do that, put you in a little box. No band likes that and the tag of ‘Armenian Ambassadors’... If we are Ambassadors for anything, it is for music.”

Rock idle, not

SoaD is a band that is far from your usual regulation-issue metallers simply offering loud opiates for the masses with one subject on their minds – them and their experiences; this Los Angeles-based lot stimulate innovation, enhance creativity and increase the cultural treasury with its singer issuing a 96-page poetry book; they all also have different projects in the offing. Their unique musical approach in the earliest days even attracted the makers of the coolest cartoon series in the universe, ‘South Park’, and SoaD’s shows have become renown for explosive energy with a volume that envelopes everyone present to transport all to the Heavenly Metal proximity that regularly sweats away all their make-up…

Honesty, integrity and adroitness are even more evident in the attitude of Tankian whose poetry collection ‘Cool Gardens’ doesn’t infringe on his lyrical territory.

“The two have nothing to do with each other,” Tankian states with conviction, “and writing poetry is different from song lyrics. One is a free form and the other has a purpose that is directly connected with music. I also feel that you can be as vague in poetry as you like but you have to be more direct in your lyrics.”

Mind minding

This band is not afraid of courting controversy and there is a song on ‘Toxicity’, ‘ATWA’, that is inspired by thoughts of Manson, one Charles, the 1960s cult-leader-cum-mass murder and not the male-Marilyn. The song’s acronymic title stands for ‘Air, Trees, Water, Animals’ and Daron, who contributed a lion’s share of material for the album, wrote it. Daron is interested in Manson to the point to have collected transcripts of all his parole hearings.

For all his maniacal stage presence Tankian is a quiet, thoughtful and learned man who really can discuss any subject thrown his way. There is no trace of the onstage wild man who spills heart, guts, soul… What is amazing in the SoaD set-up is that Serj delivers songs convincingly, loaded with emotions/angst/anger although written by the band mates; vocalists usually claim the need to invest words with own sentiments.

“I believe that there is a purpose in trying to communicate something worthwhile,” he states with authority. “But, one thing I’ve always promised myself to avoid is – preaching. I feel that is such a huge turn-off and believe that you can say something important but not bore people out of their skulls!”

Serj’s time is occupied with his own label, Serjical Strike Records, its roster is small – Kittens For Christian, Bad Acid Trip and Bigelf – but powerful, and continues to run his website www.serjicalstrike.com. That’s where you can purchase his poetry book at $15.00 a pop.

Tour dates (postponed from last year):

19 & 20 March – Academy, Birmingham
22 & 23 March – Academy, Manchester
25, 26 & 27 March – Brixton Academy, London
30 & 31 March – Barrowlands, Glasgow
01 April – Arena, Nottingham

OzzFest shows:

25 May – Castle Donington, Donington Racetrack
26 May – Punchestown Racecourse, Dublin