Daron Malakian revealed in his memoir that he turned down an opportunity to replace Serj Tankian in 2017. Even Tankian supported the idea, but Malakian stood firm. “For me, System of a Down is us four. If one of us four isn’t doing System of a Down, I don’t really wanna do System of a Down,” he said.
In 2018, the band looked for a new singer after Tankian suggested finding a replacement due to his back issues and desire to reduce touring. “I wanted them to be happy. I wanted them not to have to depend on my health,” Tankian wrote in his book, *Down With the System*.
Initially, Tankian was unaware of the search for a new vocalist. He found out by chance at a Glendale event when Shavo Odadjian mentioned they had tried out someone who “couldn’t scream and growl.” However, Malakian disagrees with this account. “I think Serj might have said something about the guy we tried out not working out because he couldn’t do the growls, and that’s not true,” he stated on Ultimate Guitar’s podcast.
Despite two decades since their last album, System of a Down continues to perform live with Tankian as the frontman. The band is gearing up for a massive stadium tour this month. They will play six shows across North America, sharing the stage with bands like Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, and Deftones.
The tour kicks off with two nights at New York’s MetLife Stadium on August 27 and 28. After that, they’ll hit Soldier Field in Chicago on August 31 and September 1. The final stop will be two shows at Toronto’s Rogers Stadium on September 3 and 5. Fans are excited to see the band back in action!
