System Of A Down Star Talks Absence Of New Music

K. Wiggins | 03-11-2020

System Of A Down's John Dolmayan recently discussed the long delay in the band recording and releasing the follow-ups to 2015's "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" albums.

Dolmayan appeared on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation to talk about his solo album "These Grey Men" and the topic turned to the absence of new System Of A Down music.

John said, "The reality is none of us should have time to do other projects. We should be so focused on the band and working on the band and exploring our talents within it, making music that people can listen to within the confines of System Of A Down that we shouldn't have time for anything else. I shouldn't have time to be here right now."

He was asked why the band has not released any new material in 15 years and he responded, "Why do marriages break up? Why do friendships that you've had for 20 years dissipate? It just happens. Especially when you're talking about four individuals that are artistic-minded, you're gonna have rifts.

"The bottom line is the bigger you get as a band, the more people tell you how great you are in the band and how your role is the most important role, and some people listen a little more than others and become enamored with their own ideas and kind of have to have an identity outside of the band, and other people don't. That's just the bottom line.

"And then you also have the natural progression of people where they tend to grow in their own ways. We have four very distinct members in System. We're very different, not better or worse; just different. So, I think it's natural for some bands to do that and really just get in their own way. And that's what I think we did."