For years, followers of System of a Down have held onto hope that the band would return to the studio and launch new materials. In any case, they nonetheless tour and carry out collectively. However behind the scenes, issues are far much less harmonious than their stage presence suggests.
In a latest dialog with Lilian Tahmasian, drummer John Dolmayan supplied some candid perception into the band’s inside dynamics. When requested whether or not he thought the band would report once more, his reply (by way of Final Guitar) was blunt: “I do not know if I need it at this level. There’s simply an excessive amount of drama concerned. And I like going out and having a very good time with my buddies and taking part in exhibits, and I do not need that to vanish. There must be very strict tips for me to make one other report with System once more.”
Dolmayan‘s hesitation displays extra than simply private fatigue. It underscores deeper philosophical variations throughout the group — notably between him and vocalist Serj Tankian.
“We had issues with that as a result of Serj may be very outspoken. He has one mind-set, some issues we agree with — the remainder of the band — and a few issues we do not. Some issues we’re precisely on par with. With Serj — we do not need that to be the one factor as a result of we do not really feel like that is the one aspect of System of a Down. It is a massive a part of the band.”
That “factor” he is referring to is politics. Based on Dolmayan, Tankian‘s political commentary — particularly throughout dwell exhibits — has overshadowed the band’s broader inventive identification.
“Justice is an enormous a part of the band. Justice has no politics. It is both simply or unjust. It has no political affiliation. It both is or it is not. However there’s numerous issues that come into play, like morality, so we simply did not need it to be the one focus, and that was… Serj spent numerous time speaking about political stuff on stage.”
This is not to say Dolmayan lacks appreciation for Tankian‘s convictions. In reality, he went out of his solution to categorical admiration for his bandmate’s depth — even when it did not align along with his personal views.
“Now, I personally adore it. The extra loopy he bought and into it…I imagine something that is passionately displayed is price listening to, even when I utterly disagree with it. When you’re actually keen about it, I need to know what you assume. So I like that a part of it, however the remainder of the band and I too felt prefer it was simply an excessive amount of of our focus.”
In the end, Dolmayan sees System of a Down as a band with a a lot wider emotional and thematic vary than what their political moments would possibly recommend.
“We do not simply sing about politics. We sing about love, demise, hate, silly issues, inane issues, inventive issues, insane issues. It is all these items that make System of a Down so distinctive. We did not need the point of interest to be politics, however that is what Serj needed to speak about on the time. We’re in a bizarre state of affairs the place I do not need to restrict what he has to say, however I do not need to restrict what folks consider me both.”
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