While we may never see a full-fledged new release from System Of A Down, there’s a possibility we may eventually get an album of previously unreleased material from the group. A petition was recently launched online by fans campaigning for the band to put out material left over from their past album sessions. When asked about that petition recently via his Patreon (see below,) the band’s frontman Serj Tankian responded:
“For the unreleased Soad songs ? Yes. I’m all for it. Convince everyone else”
System Of A Down‘s last release “Hypnotize” arrived back in 2005. Since then the band found themselves at a creative impasse. The dispute behind the scenes eventually spilled over online in the summer of 2018, with guitarist Daron Malakian and Tankian having some back and forth in the press on the matter. After being singled out by Malakian as the holdout in regards to a new album, Tankian issued this public statement on the matter.
In that statement, he revealed that he was unhappy with his lack of creative input and how the financial splits had played out in the band, in particular with Malakian seemingly in control behind the scenes. As such, Tankian claimed that the ‘lion’s share of publishing’ was going to Malakian, rather than they more equal split they started out with.
Likewise, he felt that the creative input was being controlled largely by Malakian. As such, Tankian wanted both himself and the band to have more say during the songwriting process. He also went on to vaguely mention that they were unable to come to an agreement on the direction the material should take.
Roughly a year later, Malakian confirmed that Tankian and the band still don’t see “eye to eye” as to where the band should go with new material. That said, over a dozen new songs were written for a potential new album several years ago. Due to the above dispute however, they were seemingly abandoned with some later repurposed in part for Malakian‘s Scars On Broadway project on his 2018 release, “Dictator“.
Despite System Of A Down‘s inability to get on the same page creatively, the band continue to partake in sporadic touring and have the following shows booked:
06/03 Amsterdam, NET – Ziggo Dome (tickets)
06/05 Nurburg, GER – Rock am Ring
06/07 Nuremberg, GER – Rock im Park
06/08 Berlin, GER – Waldbuhne (tickets)
06/10 Nickelsdorf, AUT – Nova Rock Festival
06/12 Milan, ITA – I-Days Festival (tickets)
06/14 Donington, UK – Download Festival (tickets)
06/16 Prague, CZE – O2 Arena (tickets)
06/17 Budapest, HUN – Laszlo Papp Sports Arena (tickets)
06/19 Zurich, SWI – Hallenstadion (tickets)
06/21 Clisson, FRA – Hellfest (tickets)
06/23 Stockholm, SWE – Ericsson Globe (tickets)
06/25-27 Seinäjoki, FIN – Provinssirock Festival
06/30 Krakow, POL – Tauron Arena (tickets)
07/01-04 Viveiro, SPA – Resurrection Fest (tickets)
07/02-03 Lisbon, POR – VOA Heavy Rock Festival (tickets)
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