When hearing the new Scars of Broadway single from guitarist Daron Malakian, we couldn't help but notice how much it sounded like a System of A Down song.
Malakian once again confirmed as much in a recent interview with Revolver, noting he was saving songs in case System began writing a new album:
System still plays live, and there was always this talk of maybe we'll do something, maybe we won't do something. So I was like, "Maybe I should save these songs." That's the biggest reason why I took so long to release these songs. There was this constant chatter amongst ourselves of maybe doing an album together. But enough time has passed that I don't want to wait anymore. It feels really good to let these songs loose. Honestly, almost anything that I write works for either band. What you're hearing [in the music] is my writing style. Anything that I write usually comes with those flavors.
When asked if this means we wouldn't ever get new System music, Malakian said:
I couldn't say ever, but as of right now, it's not looking like we're doing something together soon. I can't close the book on it and say it's done forever. We still play live. We're all still friends. All my band members posted "Lives" on their own Facebooks and Instagrams, so we're all very supportive of each other. It's more a combination of where each person is at a different point in their life, and each person wants to do a different thing. There are some creative differences as well on what direction each one of us wants to take the next System album, if that ever happens. Which is fine. I'm not sitting here upset or anything. The only thing I'm a little frustrated with was waiting for that to maybe happen or not happen. Too much time has passed by since I've released anything with Scars or System. But it's never too late.
This echos what Malakian said last month about how the band isn't writing right now. He has said he is not the hold up. Shavo said he's ready to go. Drummer John Dolyman is down to work on new music. So who is the hold up?
Well, Serj Tankian spoke to Rolling Stone who noted that the band did write some new material but he's not sure what they would do with it:
We have. We've discussed it and we've played each other songs, but we still haven't come eye to eye on how things should be done for us to be able to move forward with it. And that's where it's been.
Ultimately, the reason Serj doesn't want to commit to a new System album is because he doesn't want to commit to longform touring:
That's the funny thing. When people don't see a record, they assume the worst about your internal relationship. But the truth is we're actually better friends – at least I'm better friends with everyone than I've ever been. John's my brother-in-law; he's in my family. We have a great time together touring. But sometimes putting together a record, and that creative output and how things should be done, is different in four people's heads and it doesn't always come together. Fortunate or unfortunate, however you want to call it, that's the truth. But touring is easy, because you've done all these songs. You have fun, you go out and tour, and that's it.
System of A Down will get together for a few select shows later this year. View the routing here.
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