John Dolmayan "not even sure" if he wants to make a new System Of A Down album

System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan has said that it’s “very unlikely” that the band will release a new album.

The California outfit last released full-length records in 2005 with ‘Mesmerize’ and ‘Hypnotize’.

Though they’ve been in the studio on a number of occasions since going on hiatus in 2011, no new music from SOAD has emerged. In 2018, Tankian and co. attempted to work on an LP but were plagued by creative differences.

Late last year, Dolmayan suggested that it was time for the group “to put the bullshit aside” and “work together for a common goal” of completing a new record.

Speaking to Dean Delray on the Let There Be Talk podcast, the drummer has now revealed that he holds out little hope for a full-length project being finished.

“I find it very unlikely. I’m not even sure I wanna do it anymore,” Dolmayan explained. “It’s just so much drama and bullshit. In a lot of ways, I’m just over it.”

The musician went on to say that he had “fought really hard to get [System] to make an album” during the intervening period since ‘Mesmerize’ and ‘Hypnotize’.

“More than anybody else, I was calling people, ‘Let’s get together. Put the egos aside. Let’s have meetings. Whatever it takes. Let’s get in the studio. Let’s just get in the studio and see what happens.’ I just couldn’t get it done. I failed.”

Dolmayan added: “Relationships break up all the time. And that’s with one person. Try having it with four.”

Responding to past claims that frontman Serj Tankian and guitarist Daron Malakian were to blame for the band not recording new material, Dolmayan said: “It’s not just Daron and Serj. It takes four people to make this band, and it takes four people to unmake it.

“I think that we’re all to blame. I could just blame Daron and Serj, because, quite frankly, they’re the primary songwriters, so it’s easy to.”

You can listen to the full discussion via Spotify above.








In December of last year, Tankian revealed that he wanted to share unreleased System Of A Down material with fans. The singer said that he was “all for it” but would have to “convince everyone else” in the band.

Despite their ongoing struggles, System Of A Down were set to return to the UK in June for a headline performance at Download Festival. However, their planned summer shows have now been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.