System of a Down Bassist: New Album “Not Happening” Right Now

This much we know: there is new System of a Down music in the works. Drummer John Dolmayan said so in an interview in May, boasting that new material — there are allegedly 15 songs so far — would “match or beat” any of the band’s past work.

Unfortunately it seems as if we’re going to have no choice but to continue waiting for a while to hear it. In a Q&A with fans over the July 4th holiday weekend, bassist Shavo Odadjian said the following when asked about progress on the new album:

“I’m waiting for a new album, too. It’s not happening, I don’t know. I don’t know when it’s gonna be. Not right now.”

My read here is that a) no concrete plans are in place to record and release a new album, and b) Odadjian isn’t too involved in those decisions. The band is active right now — they wrap up a lengthy tour of Europe today — so it could just be that all new album plans were on hold during the tour.

Or it could be that they’re taking their sweet time and aren’t cowing to outside pressure of any kind. Much like Tool, System of a Down only seem to have grown bigger in the years since they released new music (since 2005!)… so what’s an extra year or two more? Methinks they know exactly what they’re doing.

[via Loudwire]