System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian addressed rumors about unreleased material in a recent interview with Sona Oganesyan. The vocalist provided clarity about previous attempts to create new music with the band and detailed a proposed framework he presented to his bandmates.
“I would say there is no album that is written. So years ago — and this is outlined in the book — but years ago, there was a try of coming to minds with myself and the guys in the band. I tried to come to them with what I call jokingly a manifesto, and saying, ‘Listen, if we’re going to move forward, let’s do things in a more egalitarian fashion. Let’s equally split publishing. Let’s equally bring in songs’ — especially the creators, mostly Daron [Malakian, guitarist/vocalist] and I, Shavo [Odadjian, bassist] as well,” Tankian explained.
“And everyone gets a veto on songs, like all these amazing kind of, you know, theoretical, positive, egalitarian terms. Apparently it doesn’t work in a metal band,” he continued. “The joke is on me. So it didn’t work.”
“And so at one point, we had a band meeting — a very long one — and we didn’t come to terms on stuff, but the guys wanted to work on some of those songs. I was in New Zealand. And so they started working in a rehearsal studio on some of those songs, which included Daron’s songs and a few of mine, if I’m not mistaken,” he added. “Nothing was recorded. And they had sent it to me, I was in New Zealand at the time.”
“And nothing, like when I say recording, I’m talking about like a tape from a rehearsal studio, you know, not a recording per se. But you know, some of those, a lot of those are Daron songs, and some of them he may have released recently [via Scars On Broadway,] and some of those are my songs which I released, probably on ‘Elasticity.’ So that’s the story. I mean, there is no ‘record,'” Serj concluded.
The revelation emerges amid ongoing speculation about new System of a Down material. It highlights the complex dynamics within the band’s creative process.
Album History
Documentation from official records shows System of a Down’s last full studio album release occurred in 2005. The band released their double album ‘Mezmerize’ and ‘Hypnotize’ that year, creating an 18-year gap in their discography.
The band broke their recording silence in 2020. They released ‘Protect the Land’ and ‘Genocidal Humanoidz’ as their first new music in 15 years, responding to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Solo Ventures
The band members maintained active careers through various projects despite limited collective output. Tankian released his solo EP ‘Elasticity’ through Alchemy Recordings. The EP contained songs originally intended for System of a Down.
The EP’s title track and additional compositions started as potential System of a Down material. These songs later found their place in Tankian’s solo work.
Future Prospects
Bassist Shavo Odadjian’s recent statements have generated renewed interest in potential new material. Industry experts at industry sources noted hints of possible new activity following their upcoming tour schedule.
The creative differences Tankian addressed in his manifesto attempt still influence the band’s trajectory. No concrete plans for a new album currently exist.
