Calgary Sun (Alberta)
September 20, 2005 Tuesday
EARLY EDITION

MUSIC FANS FEEL DOWN

BY GARY GRAFF, SUN NEWS SERVICES
NEW YORK

There was a surprise waiting for System of a Down on the group’s
recent tour of Europe.

The crowds were exuberantly into the material from the Los Angeles
quartet’s latest album, Mezmerize, as well as their three previous
ones.

But then, says guitarist Daron Malakian, “we played some of the songs
we haven’t released yet, and some of the kids were already singing
along to them — just from what they’ve heard on the Internet, I
guess.

“I think it’s amazing,” Malakian says.

“It doesn’t freak me out at all. I think the fact that people are
that interested is great, you know?”

There’s no question interest runs high for System, which played the
Saddledome last night, these days — higher, probably, than for any
other rock band, with the exception of the red-hot Coldplay.
Mezmerize and the upcoming Hypnotize, a second album that was
recorded during the same sessions, have raised the excitement to a
fever pitch.

After its mid-May release, Mezmerize debuted at No. 1 on the
Billboard Top 200 chart in the U.S. and in more than a dozen other
countries, and has sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Malakian, the group’s primary songwriter and co-producer of its
albums, is stoked by the reception. “Not too many people are
interested in rock bands these days,” he says.

“For me to be in a rock band people are actually interested in is
really special for me.”

And how did that band turn out to be System? “Honesty, man. It’s just
honesty,” Malakian says. “From the first day, we were never worried
about, ‘Are we going to get a record deal or not? Is radio going to
play it or not?’ When I sit at home writing the songs, I don’t think,
‘What’s going to be the hook?’ or ‘Is this going to be a single?’ We
haven’t changed the way we think. What we’re doing right is basically
not compromising our real emotions in our music.”

That first day was back in the mid-1990s, when the group — whose
other members are singer Serj Tankian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and
drummer John Dolmayan –formed after meeting in Armenian community
centres in Los Angeles. All four band members are Armenian-American,
and their songs reflect their background, delving into issues such as
genocide and oppression.

But it was their sound that really set them apart. Rather than
following after more conventional groups such as Korn and Deftones,
which defined the new-metal scene, System delivered its own
aggressive spin, marked by frenetic, jagged arrangements, sharp tempo
changes and stream-of-consciousness lyrics.

It was a wholly originally sound, sophisticated and even a little
weird — though Malakian says that wasn’t by design.

“I really take a songwriter’s approach,” the guitarist says. “A lot
of people talk about the strange time signatures and riffs and all
this technical stuff, but I’m not chopping up riffs or anything like
that.

“I approach it like writing the songs … It’s a very traditional
songwriting style.”

That weird quality definitely has big appeal. System’s eponymous 1998
debut album went platinum thanks to nearly two years of worldwide
touring — including the first of two stints at Ozzfest, the
heavy-metal concert series. Mezmerize and Hypnotize will keep System
touring well into 2006, but Malakian is already eyeballing his
creative life beyond that.

He has been producing, working with the band Amen for his own
eatURmusic label and Bad Acid Trip for Tankian’s Serjical Strike
imprint.

Malakian also talks about doing an electronic music project.

But, he says, the outside activities will remain adjuncts to the
band’s work.

“There’s plenty of stuff I’d like to do outside System,” Malakian
says.

“I think it all bounces off each other and makes each thing better.”

– – –

Editor’s note: A review of last night’s show was not available by
presstime. For Mike Bell’s review, go to calgarysun.com