Serj Tankian Is Using Songs He Wrote for System of a Down on His New Solo Release Instead

Will there ever be a new System of a Down album? No one should be optimistic. Guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian recently said that while he wouldn’t rule out an album in the future, “as of right now, it’s not looking like we’re doing something together soon,” using the old “creative differences” explanation. Meanwhile, earlier this month drummer John Dolmayan asserted that “I don’t know if it’s ever gonna happen at this point” while echoing, albeit somewhat vaguely, Malakian’s sentiment that there’s a behind-the-scenes clash of personalities:

“You know I’m ready to go any time, and certain members of my band haven’t been able to make it work for themselves. And it’s one of those things where if you can’t get everybody to come together and do it, it just doesn’t happen.”

Now we have what may very well be the most heartbreaking revelation yet: Serj Tankian had at least five songs written for a new System of a Down release… and he’s funneling them into other projects. Says the frontman in a newsletter to fans:

“I have five rock songs that I wanted I do with SOAD but it doesn’t look like that’s gonna work out, so I am finishing those up to release them as a solo EP or possibly as a soundtrack for my film cause they are interrelated.”

I dunno about you, but I wanna hear those five songs IMMEDIATELY. Regardless of their quality, they’d clearly represent Tankian’s vision for the next System record, which automatically makes them interesting. Maybe even moreso if we a) assume the inner-band conflict is between Tankian and Malakian*, and b) compare the Tankian material with Malakian’s new Scars on Broadway album.

Unfortunately, we probably won’t hear those five songs IMMEDIATELY, so now are all we’re left with is the knowledge that at one point Serj Tankian was serious for really real about making new SOAD music.

Now I’m gonna go weep into a beer.

*Which seems like a fair assumption, since, traditionally, Malakian wrote most of SOAD’s music, and Tankian wrote most of SOAD’s lyrics. The mere fact that Tankian even brought music to the table may have rubbed Malakian the wrong way.

[via Noisecreep]