System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan says it has been "way too long" since they released an album while he expresses his fears the band are turning into The Eagles.
Next year will make 10-years since the American rockers last released a new album with 2005’s Mezmerize and Hypnotize and Dolmayan says the band have to find a way through their “issues”.
He tells Loudwire: “I’m not really happy with where the band is right now. I think that it’s been way too long since we’ve made an album and I’ve kind of had enough of the mentality of ‘That’s okay.’ It’s not okay. I feel like this band still has a lot of issues, things we just have to work out.”
SOAD returned from hiatus with a 2011 tour peppered with festival dates last year, but despite their success on the live stage there is still no new music forthcoming – which irritates Dolmayan. He hints at creative struggles within the band.
He continues: “For me, there’s no ego involved. I don’t write songs, so I’m not worried about who’s going to write the song. I’m just ready. You just give me the canvas so I can paint on it, that’s how I look at it.
“So it’s easier for me, but look, there’s a lot of emotions involved with being an artist; there’s a lot of emotions involved to being a songwriter. And there’s a lot of fear involved with anything that you haven’t done in a long time.
“To go in together and work together? We’re different people – 2005 was the last time we were in the studio together. That’s what, nine years ago? We’re turning into the fucking Eagles now. Fifteen years are gonna go by before we make a new album.”
The drummer picks up by offering a possible ray of hope new music could eventually emerge as he adds: “It always seems like it’s on the cusp of happening, but there’s also some personal reasons we haven’t started yet. We could have started already, but we chose not to for personal reasons that I’m not at liberty to discuss right now. It’s positive stuff, that’s all I can say at the moment.”
