System of a Down was formed in 1994 when Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian , who had previously worked together in the band Soil , joined bassist Shavo Odadjian . With Andy Khachaturian on drums, the band released several demos until 1997, when the drummer suffered a hand injury and was replaced by John Dolmayan .
The band caught the attention of producer Rick Rubin of American Recordings , who decided to sign them to a record deal. System of a Down's self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and features hits like "Sugar" and "Spiders." On their first tour, the band opened for Slayer and Sepultura . In 2001, the band reached the peak of their success with the release of the album Toxicity , which topped the Billboard charts and was a sales success. Released a week before the September 11 attacks, the album's lead single, "Chop Suey!", was censored on several American radio stations. The following year, the band released Steal This Album .
It wasn't until 2005 that System of a Down returned to the studio to record a double album, Mezmerize and Hypnotize . The two parts of the CD, released six months apart, featured hits from the band such as "Lonely Day" and "BYOB," which won the Grammy for best hard rock performance. These two albums were System of a Down's last full-length releases.
Between 2006 and 2010 the band did not perform any more shows, and only reunited for a few performances between 2010 and 2013. Currently, the members of System of a Down deny the end of the band, and continue working on side projects. Serj Tankian releases albums in his solo career and Daron Malakian maintains his band, Scars On Broadway .
System of a Down is known for its politically and socially charged lyrics, as well as its musical versatility, which features a variety of instruments. The band has released over 40 million albums worldwide.
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