Oh System Of A Down, you cheeky scamps, with your constant guessing games. The metal world has been craving new material since the band’s final album Hypnotize in 2005, and with live performances growing more and more infrequent the mere snifter of SOAD activity is enough to send even a passing fan into spasm.
The pioneering genre-benders haven’t been seen playing together since last year’s shows marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and with frontman Serj Tankian releasing movie soundtracks and playing symphonic shows, it felt like maybe that was the last we’d heard of System… until last night.
As can be seen below on Shavo Odadijan’s Instagram, drummer John Dolmayan is back behind the kit, potentially rehearsing. Sitting there in front of a skinned man and patterned rugs is so far so ordinary, but it’s the caption “4.3.2.1….. :). #systemofadown #letsdothis” that caught our attention.
What could this all mean?! On the surface it looks like John is gearing up to play with System again, but in what capacity? There could be some live shows on the horizon to celebrate the anniversary of Toxicity, which turns 15 this month, or maybe, even more tantalisingly, this could be the first glimpse inside SOAD’s studio as they record a new album. Surely their seven year run between the self-titled and Hypnotize isn’t all the band have to offer, there has to be more in their cannon. And let’s be honest, the shape the world is in today, we need bands like System Of A Down more than ever.
Of course, Shavo could just be winding us up and laughing at all the noise one silly Instagram photo has created.
What do you think is going on? Let us know in the comments below.
