![]() In 1997, SOAD signed to American Recordings – the label headed by producer Rick Rubin – and released their debut album, System Of A Down, the following year.The group's first official release was for Hay Enk (translating to 'We're Armenian'), a 1997 compilation raising awareness for Armenian genocide.Formed in Glendale, California in 1994 though all members are of Armenian descent.Vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan (who replaced original drummer Andy Khachaturian).If you know 'Chop Suey!' and Toxicity but want to go deeper on why System Of A Down are held in such high regard, here's everything you need to take you from casual fan down the path to SOAD obsessive. They regularly let their freak flag fly on songs about celebrity baseball matches (' Old School Hollywood') or critiquing capitalism and the military-industrial complex through absurd lyrical metaphors involving pizza (' Chic 'N' Stu'), dick-swinging (' Cigaro')and sex… maybe? (' Vicinity of Obscenity'.) They're intense in sound and subject matter: the 1915 Armenian genocide, religious extremism, CIA-funded war, government brainwashing, suicide, depression, drug abuse, groupies – and that was just their first album! But it'd be misrepresentative to call SOAD deadly serious. ![]() But how about Rage Against The Machine fronted by Frank Zappa? They're also proud to be one of the weirdest bands to achieve mainstream success, once describing themselves "as if Slayer and The Beatles had a baby." An accurate description of the quartet's music. The American-Armenian group are nothing if not an anomaly - a blockbuster chart-topping band who dulled none of their sonic ferocity, strangeness, innovation, or politically charged attitudes.
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