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8 Mar 2005
System Of A Down Want Your Bombs, Plan Third Souls Concert
03.08.2005 4:13 PM EST
Band's single 'B.Y.O.B.' arrives at radio stations this week.
System of a Down's Daron Malakian (file)
Photo: MTV News
System of a Down don't want your booze, or your beer.
The band's new single is titled "B.Y.O.B.," but the acronym is short
for "Bring Your Own Bombs."
The track features a soulful groove and questions the business behind
war.
Lyrics include "Why don't presidents fight the war?/ Why do they
always send the poor?" and "Everybody's going to the party/ Have a
real good time/ Dancing in the desert/ Blowing up the sunshine."
"B.Y.O.B.," which arrives at radio stations this week, offers a
glimpse of how System have evolved on their double album Mezmerize/
Hypnotize, the first half of which is due May 17 (see "For System Of
A Down, Sometimes A 'Cigaro' Is Just A 'Cigaro' "). Hypnotize will
follow in the fall.
"There are guitars on there that people think aren't guitars,"
guitarist Daron Malakian said of some of the sonic experiments.
"People think they're some other kind of instrument, but you gotta
manipulate it a little way and you get a different vibe."
Mezmerize/ Hypnotize will also differ vocally from past System
releases. "It's the first time that [Daron] is actually singing lead,
as well as harmony in most cases," frontman Serj Tankian said. "I
love those harmonies. I love those pushing vocals going against each
other. Our tonality is just so different that when you put them
together it's like one."
System will preview some of the new tracks live at their third annual
Souls concert, a benefit for the Armenian National Committee of
America ~W which is lobbying the U.S. Congress to officially recognize
the Armenian genocide (see "System Of A Down Plan Benefit For
Genocide Awareness") ~W as well as other organizations that work to
eradicate genocide across the globe.
As with last year's show (see "System Of A Down Mark Genocide By
Playing, Not Preaching"), Souls will be held April 24, the day
Armenians commemorate the Armenian genocide. This year marks the 90th
anniversary of the slaying of more than 1.5 million Armenians by the
Ottoman Turks.
"That night [last year] didn't feel like a show, it felt like we did
something for ourselves and for our people," bassist Shavo Odadjian
said. "There was energy around the whole place and it was just an
amazing night."
"I remember being very frustrated at the time because we had to
rehearse a bunch of old songs and we were so into the phase of doing
the new stuff, but the show was bad ass," Malakian said. "It was
probably the most emotional show we have ever played with the band."
Souls 2005 will be held at the Universal Amphitheatre near Los
Angeles, with supporting acts to be announced soon. Fans can find out
more information on the band's Web site (systemofadown.com), which
relaunched Monday with new Mezmerize/ Hypnotize artwork painted by
Vartan Malakian, Daron's father.
"There is no computer-generated graphics, we didn't take the easy way
out," Odadjian said. "The man really worked hard and he is a genius."
"My dad's my biggest inspiration," Daron explained. "We saw some work
from some other people first and I just was like, 'Why am I going
outside when it's right there, it's always been right there in front
of my eyes?' And I knew he was going to be the best person for the
job and he ended up coming through and doing something really cool.
Simple, yet cool. I mean, if we completely left it up to him, he
would have gone way off the board."
Along with having special artwork, Mezmerize/ Hypnotize will also
feature packaging that will allow the two albums to link together.
For more on System of a Down and Mezmerize/ Hypnotize, check out the
feature "System of a Down: Doubleheader."
~W Corey Moss
8 Mar 2005
System Of A Down Want Your Bombs, Plan Third Souls Concert
03.08.2005 4:13 PM EST
Band's single 'B.Y.O.B.' arrives at radio stations this week.
System of a Down's Daron Malakian (file)
Photo: MTV News
System of a Down don't want your booze, or your beer.
The band's new single is titled "B.Y.O.B.," but the acronym is short
for "Bring Your Own Bombs."
The track features a soulful groove and questions the business behind
war.
Lyrics include "Why don't presidents fight the war?/ Why do they
always send the poor?" and "Everybody's going to the party/ Have a
real good time/ Dancing in the desert/ Blowing up the sunshine."
"B.Y.O.B.," which arrives at radio stations this week, offers a
glimpse of how System have evolved on their double album Mezmerize/
Hypnotize, the first half of which is due May 17 (see "For System Of
A Down, Sometimes A 'Cigaro' Is Just A 'Cigaro' "). Hypnotize will
follow in the fall.
"There are guitars on there that people think aren't guitars,"
guitarist Daron Malakian said of some of the sonic experiments.
"People think they're some other kind of instrument, but you gotta
manipulate it a little way and you get a different vibe."
Mezmerize/ Hypnotize will also differ vocally from past System
releases. "It's the first time that [Daron] is actually singing lead,
as well as harmony in most cases," frontman Serj Tankian said. "I
love those harmonies. I love those pushing vocals going against each
other. Our tonality is just so different that when you put them
together it's like one."
System will preview some of the new tracks live at their third annual
Souls concert, a benefit for the Armenian National Committee of
America ~W which is lobbying the U.S. Congress to officially recognize
the Armenian genocide (see "System Of A Down Plan Benefit For
Genocide Awareness") ~W as well as other organizations that work to
eradicate genocide across the globe.
As with last year's show (see "System Of A Down Mark Genocide By
Playing, Not Preaching"), Souls will be held April 24, the day
Armenians commemorate the Armenian genocide. This year marks the 90th
anniversary of the slaying of more than 1.5 million Armenians by the
Ottoman Turks.
"That night [last year] didn't feel like a show, it felt like we did
something for ourselves and for our people," bassist Shavo Odadjian
said. "There was energy around the whole place and it was just an
amazing night."
"I remember being very frustrated at the time because we had to
rehearse a bunch of old songs and we were so into the phase of doing
the new stuff, but the show was bad ass," Malakian said. "It was
probably the most emotional show we have ever played with the band."
Souls 2005 will be held at the Universal Amphitheatre near Los
Angeles, with supporting acts to be announced soon. Fans can find out
more information on the band's Web site (systemofadown.com), which
relaunched Monday with new Mezmerize/ Hypnotize artwork painted by
Vartan Malakian, Daron's father.
"There is no computer-generated graphics, we didn't take the easy way
out," Odadjian said. "The man really worked hard and he is a genius."
"My dad's my biggest inspiration," Daron explained. "We saw some work
from some other people first and I just was like, 'Why am I going
outside when it's right there, it's always been right there in front
of my eyes?' And I knew he was going to be the best person for the
job and he ended up coming through and doing something really cool.
Simple, yet cool. I mean, if we completely left it up to him, he
would have gone way off the board."
Along with having special artwork, Mezmerize/ Hypnotize will also
feature packaging that will allow the two albums to link together.
For more on System of a Down and Mezmerize/ Hypnotize, check out the
feature "System of a Down: Doubleheader."
~W Corey Moss