System of a Down

System of a Down are an American rock band formed in Glendale, California, made up of four musicians of Armenian descent: vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist and vocalist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan. Emerging in the mid-1990s, the band forged a distinctive sound that fused thrash metal aggression with unpredictable time signature shifts, folk-inflected melodies drawing on their Armenian heritage, and darkly satirical, politically charged lyrics.

Their breakthrough came with albums like Toxicity, which produced hits such as «Chop Suey!» and «Toxicity», showcasing the band's signature blend of frenetic riffing, operatic vocal shifts and biting social commentary. Follow-up records Mezmerize and Hypnotize continued this trajectory, yielding singles like «B.Y.O.B.», «Aerials» and «Hypnotize», and cementing System of a Down as one of the defining alternative metal acts of the 2000s.

The band has also used its platform to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide and other political causes, a thread running through much of their catalog. After a hiatus, they reunited for touring and released occasional new singles, remaining influential figures whose genre-blending approach left a lasting mark on nu metal and alternative rock.