In a new conversation with Argentina’s Rock & Pop FM 95.9, System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan once again spoke about the band’s long-standing silence in the studio. The group hasn’t released a full album since 2005’s Mezmerize and Hypnotize, and Dolmayan was candid about the reasons behind the creative drought.
“I would say that if you are satisfied with what you have, then you don’t need more,” Dolmayan explained. “It’s like if you go to dinner and you just keep eating, eventually you’re not gonna be hungry anymore. But if you know what you wanna eat and you look forward to that and you enjoy it, then you won’t be hungry.”
In typical System Of A Down fashion, the metaphor hits as both poetic and elusive. Dolmayan continued, “Now if System Of A Down makes more music, and that’s not impossible, although after 25 years, it’s unlikely. I would say that don’t expect it, but if it happens, it’ll be a nice surprise for all of us.”
In a recent conversation with Ultimate Guitar, Dolmayan said regarding the chances of a new record: “I don’t know if I want it at this point. There’s just too much drama involved. And I like going out and having a good time with my friends and playing shows, and I don’t want that to disappear. There would have to be very strict guidelines for me to make another record with System again.”
It’s not a definitive no, but it’s certainly not hopeful either. Those who have been holding out for a proper follow-up to Hypnotize may be waiting in vain. The band has continued to tour sporadically since ending its hiatus in 2011, but its output in the studio has been minimal, just two songs in nearly two decades.
Those tracks, “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz,” were released in November 2020. Their urgency was sparked not by creative renewal, but by crisis: the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. The band used the songs to raise awareness and funds for humanitarian aid in Armenia, their ancestral homeland. The effort raised over $600,000, thanks to fan contributions and social media outreach.
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