It has been 12 years since System of A Down released their Billboard No. 1 albums Mesmerize and Hypnotize, and the band’s bassist says fans have to continue waiting for the arrival of their new music.
In a live Q&A with fans on Instagram, System of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian was asked about the release of the band’s new album, to which he replied with his doubts.
I know, I’m waiting for a new album too. It’s not happening, I don’t know. I don’t know when it’s gonna be. Not right now.
Last year, System of A Down’s drummer, John Dolmayan reported they had been in the studio recording their newest album, which had the potential to be released this year.
I want everyone on board and feeling good about it, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish right now. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on us, though, because it’s been 11 years – at least 12 by the time it comes out.
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Odadjian’s latest comments also echoed Dolmayan’s recent doubts about the album’s release. In an interview with X107.5 Las Vegas in May, Dolmayan shared his views on the band and their new music.
If I had my way we would have put out five albums in the last twelve years. And I think we’re really doing a disservice to ourselves cause you only have a finite amount of time, you know?…I don’t know why we haven’t made an album exactly. Because it seems like we all get along. We all have a great time together. We still are putting together really good music. I think that we can put out a fantastic album.
In 2006, the band went on hiatus after their success touring and releasing albums for over 10 years, but has since reunited for shows in 2010. Dolmayan went on to talk about the band’s current dynamic in the interview.
So we’ve been in the studio for the past year and we’ve put together about fifteen songs so far that I think match or beat anything we’ve done in the past…And I don’t make those kind of claims without having something to back it up. We’re better than we’ve ever been. We’re tighter than we’ve ever been. We know what we’re doing and the songs are there. It’s a matter of getting together and putting aside whatever differences, or whatever problems people have—which don’t seem to surface when we’re together, by the way. It’s almost like there’s two System Of A Down‘s for me.
In an interview with LA Weekly last fall, frontman, Serj Tankian was asked about the band’s potential for a new album.
We’re going to get together and see if that’s going to be System music or not. And who the fuck knows? If it is, great, and if it’s not, then great. Some people are like, ‘Stop it, fuckhead, go make another record with System and stop talking politics and stop doing your art.’ There are always those boneheads — and obviously they deserve oxygen as well. If you enjoy making the same rock record for the rest of your life, keep making the same rock record for the rest of your life. But I don’t.
While the release of the band’s future album is unclear, the band has continued touring in 2017, receiving favorable reviews.
Feature photo by Julio Andrés Camargo Loaiza via flickr.com. CC.
