The Daron Malakiyan System’s Reflections
The Daron Malakiyan system from Downa spoke about the new album from the group, saying: “I'm not sure how much I want this.”
- READ MORE: Shavo Odajyan says seven hours after the purple and future system: “I have nothing that I do not need to prove”
The Possibility of a New Album
The last albums of the legendary metal group were two full-length MEZMERIZE and Hypnotize in 2005. Despite the lack of a definitive statement on the potential new album, frontman Serge Tankian previously noted that the new system would represent a “Fresh Start in the New Way.”
In a recent interview with Rick Rubin, Malakian, the guitarist/vocalist/songwriter of Down, discussed the possibility of a new album from the quintet, expressing some hesitance about it. Speaking with Rubin, who produced two albums with Malakian 20 years ago, he stated: “It would be nice to see where the group would evolve if we continued to release music. If we release the album now, it is just so far from (‘Mezmerize’ and ‘Hypnotize’); this does not continue the story for me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db25_fp_f_e
He added that while he once desired a “new story” with the group, his current feelings are more ambivalent: “Perhaps I wanted it in the past, but now, I'm not sure how much I want it. I’m sure that people will not be too happy to hear it from me. I am not in the same place as I was, perhaps, 10 years ago.”
Group Members Share Their Thoughts
Malakian’s comments came on the heels of his bandmate, bassist Shavo Odajyan, sharing his own thoughts on a potential new album. “We will always talk about it here and there, but I don’t know if it will happen or not. I mean, if so, beautiful. But if this happens, it should be surprising,” he said during an appearance on Siriusxm’s Nation of a chest with Eddie Tank (Blabbermouth).
“It cannot be just a riff. Because we have something to match, bro. This is a little nervous drain, part of this. 20 years (back), the last thing we did won a Grammy. This should be really the largest that it can be. And I am not saying that it cannot be, or we are not up to it – we are.”
Odajyan further commented, “I cannot promise. We did not say anything. As I said, dude, there is no pressure. We said: ‘Let's get together. Let's play these shows, see how this happens.’ We have not made such a large number of shows … Literally, this year we are making more shows than over the past seven years combined. So, let's do it first and see where it will lead us.”
Last year, Tankian reflected on his experience working on the last two albums, mentioning that he “emotionally checked” out during the recording process. In an interview with Metal Hammer, he said: “I had a very unique relationship with the last few records, because I, to a certain extent, emotionally checked the group, making them.”
“From the peretchka and traction, I became very passive. There was music that I wanted to bring that I felt I could not … I was in a strange place. I contributed creatively, but I do not … I do not know. I needed oxygen – I felt too much.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_eva6jvqaq
He continued, “I still think that these songs are magnificent. But when I remember this, I also remember that it was a strange phase of my life, and this is what I should know about.”
However, in an interview with Sun, Tankian expressed that if they were to embark on a new full-length album, it would not be a spur-of-the-moment decision. “I would say that if the system decided to make a record ever, it will be a new beginning in a new beautiful direction,” he said.
When asked about any unrelated songs in their archives, he added, “We have some unrelated material from the past. I forgot how many songs are there, but this is a handful of them, which would be interesting in archival quality, because I think that some of them are really amazing precious stones.”
Speaking with NME in 2021, Tankian revealed that the group had started working on a continuation of “Hypnotize,” but they struggled to figure out “how philosophically to move forward,” leading to its cancellation. Instead, those songs were featured on Tankian’s ‘Elasticity EP.’
In another update, the Daron Malakiyan system recently announced its longest tour dates in recent years, heading to South America in April and May, followed by North America in August and September. All dates are sold out, marking the first time since 2017 that the group has been on the road for an extended period, as they had only played one or two shows recently.
During his appearance on Siriusxm’s Nation of a chest with Eddie Tank, Odajyan mentioned that these tours would help the group determine if they can return to a regular touring schedule. “We did not play a lot together. We have held one or two shows since 2017. So, the relationship was not as great as now. It was simply not on one page. We talked. Everything is fine, a knock on wood. Everyone is happy. Therefore, we decided to check the waters and play a few shows. And this is what it is.”
Odajyan further stated, “There is no strategy in this, while there is no plan to make the rest of the world. I do not say that this will not happen; I'm not saying that this will happen. We told each other: ‘Let's play it by ear, make these shows, see how we feel later. If we do not want to do anymore, we do not do it anymore. If we want to do more, we will do more. There is no hard responsibility for someone because I feel that much of this is just thinking too much and overstating what can happen … Therefore, we decided: ‘Let's check the waters. Let's not just start exploding and make months of plans. Let's just check the water with three shows. These three shows turned into six.’”
In other news, Tankian recently revealed concerns regarding fans “raising Nazi greetings.”
https://www.nme.com/news/music/daron-malakian-on-a-new-system-of-a-down-album-im-not-sure-how-much-i-want-that-anymore-3836156?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=daron-malakian-on-a-new-system-of-a-down-album-im-not-sure-how-much-i-want-that-anymore
