Song:Aerials
Album:Toxicity
The hard rock group System of a Down (SOAD) had success as an album and touring band mostly in the Alternative Rock market. They are still around but they haven't released new music since 2006. SOAD all grew up in the Armenian community in Los Angeles. Serj Tankian is lead singer, songwriter and keyboard player. He met guitarist Daron Malakian at a recording studio in 1992. They formed the band Soil with two other guys but they played one show and split up. That's when SOAD was formed. Shavo Odadjian was Soil's manager but he became SOAD's bassist. The group name came from a poem Malakian wrote called Victims of a Down. Odadjian changed it to System of a Down because he thought it was a better name. Malakian brought in his friend Ontronik "Andy" Khatchaturian to play drums. SOAD started playing Los Angeles clubs in 1995. They recorded some demos. By 1997 they were playing bigger clubs like Whiskey A Go Go and that's when producer Rick Rubin saw them and he signed them to his American label with Colunbia distribution. By that time Khatchaturian was forced to leave due to a hand injury and John Dolmayan replaced him. SOAD's 1998 debut CD System of a Down did well. It was certified Platinum despite no hit singles. Their videos were played heavily on MTV and they toured constantly. They were going to launch the 2001 CD Toxicity with a free concert in Hollywood. It was in a parking lot set up for 3,500 fans. When thousands more showed up, police cancelled the show due to safety concerns. But no announcement was made and it became a riot scene. Toxicity was certified 3XPlatinum so it did well. Aerials is their biggest hit single because it topped the Alternative Rock chart and did well internationally. And their tour was a success. The album is available as a budget CD. They turned some unreleased Toxicity demos into Steal This Album! after the songs were on the internet. They released their next album in stages, first Mezmerize in May 2005 and then Hypnotize in Nov. 2005. The albums did very well. Malakian wrote most of the songs and sang lead. B.Y.O.B. reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it won a Grammy. After touring, SOAD went on hiatus. They reunited in 2010. Since then they have toured but there has been no new music due to internal conflicts. Tankian and Malakian can't seem to agree on what the album should be. And until they do, there will be no new music. Here's the video for Aerials by System of a Down.
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