system of a down tour song list

System Of A Down and Korn kick off US co-headline tour and the setlist is a millennial metalheads' dream

Inside the first night of the Korn/System Of A Down co-headline tour - 41 songs, countless singalongs and the live debut of a new single

System Of A Down and Korn kicked off their run of US co-headline shows last night at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The two bands previously played a run of US dates in October 2021 before being forced to postpone their long-awaited Los Angeles stadium shows when SOAD vocalist Serj Tankian contracted COVID. 

In December, an announcement was made that in addition to the rescheduled Los Angeles dates (set for February 4 and 5), the bands would play two further co-headline dates in Phoenix and San Diego, with support from post-metal group Russian Circles. 

Last night (January 31) the bands kicked off this short US co-headline run when they played to 18,000 people in Phoenix, Arizona and the setlists are the things millennial metalheads dreams are made of. We're not drowning amidst an ocean of jealousy, honest. 

A spectacle fit for arenas

Put aside the fact that System Of A Down and Korn were two of metal's biggest commercial forces at the turn of the millennium, both bands also represent the most influential and creative forces in our world for the past three decades. That alone should tell you just how special it is to see them sharing a bill, much less playing to 18,000+ people after a drought of shows that has seen most bands (and fans) go nowhere near a venue for two years plus. 

Fittingly, the visuals from the shows are everything we could want from a massive metal double-header, stunning visuals reminding us just how excited we should be for any arena-size metal gigs in 2022. 

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And a combined set that effectively describes the best of millennial metal

With a combined total of 41 songs between them, Korn and System Of A Down weren't mucking about when it came to picking out their setlists. Any double-header that can start with Here To Stay and end on Sugar is one to be admired, but when you consider it also meanders through the likes of Falling Away From Me , Got The Life , Shoots And Ladders , Coming Undone , Freak On A Leash , BYOB, Chop Suey!, Radio/Video, Aerials and Toxicity on the way, jeez. As one fan put it, this setlist is everything. 

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Fans couldn't be more delighted

Considering the many delays to getting fully on the road (System Of A Down's Los Angeles shows were originally planned for summer 2020), there's a sense of relief inherent just to the fact that the shows happened in the first place. That they went off as well as they did however, is an absolute bonus and the reports on social media were glowing. 

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I owe Michelle my life for taking me to see Korn and System of a Down and getting to sit in the smaysmell box suite pic.twitter.com/hqYPxitc1w February 1, 2022

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Korn/System Of A Down was the best concert I’ve been to in a long time. Completely worth only getting 6 hours of sleep this morning because I was so amped afterwards. February 1, 2022

There's nothing purer than seeing people lose their minds to *that* drop in Korn's set

With Korn's new album Requiem out on Friday, we expect there will be plenty of new jams to get stuck into by the time the band's next headline shows roll around. That said, we can't imagine anything whipping the crowd up into a frenzy quite like that drop at the tail-end of Freak On A Leash . God, we've missed that. 

SEEING SYSTEM OF A DOWN AND KORN AGAINNNN MY BAIBES pic.twitter.com/Dj11sQXpX6 January 31, 2022

Korn played 'Start The Healing' for the first time

Put it down to a mad end of year or just the fact time seems entirely arbitrary since the pandemic hit, but it feels like ages since Korn first unveiled Start The Healing - the first single from Requiem . Except, the single actually only came out in November, meaning we've barely had it three months now and last night marked the first time the band played it live. The fact it didn't stick out amidst a tightly-packed 14-song setlist bodes well for the song, Start The Healing already feeling like a crowd-pleaser even before its parent album comes out. 

System Of A Down played 27 songs!

You can't help but feel System Of A Down might have pulled a fast one on Korn, considering their set featured no less than 27 songs in the evening (compared to 14 Korn tracks). While we get SOAD can usually blast through a lot of quick numbers to round out the numbers, that's an obscene amount of idiosyncratic brilliance being brought to bear, particularly when the likes of Prison Song , Cigaro , Soldier Side , BYOB and Toxicity all get trotted out. There's nothing like listening to half of System Of A Down's discography in one headline set to remind you why the band are just so brilliant in the first place. 

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Including a few newer tracks

We don't want to come off as greedy or anything, but System Of A Down's Genocidal Humanoidz came out in November 2020 - almost 14 months ago. We understand that it was a 15-year wait before that, but Korn have a new album out on Friday . C'mon lads, step it up. We're being facetious of course, but it is incredibly gratifying to see the newer songs so proudly displayed in SOAD's set, showing just how great that spark of inspiration still is when the mood strikes the band right. 

People still can't quite get their heads around System Of A Down's Sugar

Never mind that Sugar is almost 25 years old (God, when did that happen?), the song remains one of metal's weirdest (but no less wonderful) anthems. That doesn't stop it completely confounding audiences who try to sing along, mind - from spitting the verses until all the words jumble into one or shouting 'sugar!' at the wrong point, its a chaotic mess and we utterly adore it. 

Even from the rafters the show looks spectacular

Its an inevitability of arena shows that somebody has to sit in the nosebleeds, but as the below video shows sometimes that just offers a bird's eye view of something spectacular... 

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We'd quite like System Of A Down back this side of the Atlantic in 2022

Way back in the mists of time, System Of A Down and Korn were both booked for Download 2020. Obviously the pandemic put a hold on that happening, but despite the fact Download has retained mostly the same line-up (Korn are still there, hooray!) the lack of System Of A Down is pretty glaring after seeing all the footage of these shows. But you know what? That's fine - perhaps we can hold out hope of a SOAD headline show or even tour announcement before the end of 2022. It's been 7 years since the band played Wembley Arena and we reckon it's high time we get some more arena dates lined up. Hell, we'd even go for stadiums - Rammstein seem to be doing alright out of it, after all. 

SYSTEM OF A DOWN!!#SOAD #concerts #workingman pic.twitter.com/ou181HIp6B February 1, 2022

Seeing a sea of metalheads *still* gets us insanely emotional

The worst of lockdown might be behind us (we hope!) and live music might have made a return , but it's still been fairly slim pickings for arena-sized rock and metal gigs over the past 12 months. Considering we're still seeing tours cancel or postpone ( Aerosmith , Sabaton ) we're not entirely sure when arena-sized metal gigs will come back to the UK (our fingers are crossed for Ghost , especially after seeing the band's first US date ) but even if we were guaranteed to have some massive shows in the next few weeks, it wouldn't stop us getting a little choked up seeing a full arena gathering to celebrate heavy metal. More of this in 2022, please. 

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Korn Setlist

Korn Setlist Here to Stay Falling Away From Me Start the Healing Got the Life Rotting in Vain Shoots and Ladders Clown Coming Undone Y'All Want a Single Freak on a Leash| It's On! / Trash / Did My Time Twist A.D.I.D.A.S. Blind

System Of A Down setlist

X Prison Song Holy Mountains Mind (Intro) Cigaro Suite-Pee Needles Deer Dance Soldier Side (Intro) Soldier Side B.Y.O.B. Genocidal Humanoidz Suggestions Psycho Chop Suey! Lonely Day Lost in Hollywood Radio/Video Dreaming (Bridge) Hypnotize ATWA Bounce Chic 'N' Stu Protect the Land Aerials Toxicity Sugar

Korn's new album Requiem is due February 4 via Loma Vista. This Thursday (February 3) the band will play a special livestream set in an intimate LA Church to celebrate the album's launch. 

The band play Download Festival on June 12. 

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System of a Down (formed in 1994) is an American alternative-metal four-piece rock band hailing from Glendale, California, in the U.S.

Prior to forming System of a Down lead vocalist Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian created Soil with other members Dave Hakopyan, Domingo Laranio and Shavo Odadjian. Hakopyan and Laranio however soon left making way for Lebanese-born drummer John Dolmayan and from the ashes of Soil came the light and sounds of System of a Down. In 1995 the band played at the Cafe Club Fais Do-Do nightclub in Los Angeles and released the now highly-sought-after Untitled 1995 Demo Tape.

The band subsequently released three more untitled demo tapes one in 1996, two in 1997 and played a number of notable Hollywood gigs including shows at Whisky-A-Go-Go and Viper Room. This led to System of a Down meeting famed producer Rick Rubin and signing with American/Columbian Records who released their eponymously-titled debut album in 1998. The album was supported by the singles “Sugar” and “Spiders” and garnered significant radio and MTV airplay.

As a result of this success the band secured opening slots for Slayer and Metallica and toured alongside Fear Factory and Incubus, before contributing to the TV show South Park’s “Chef Aid” album.

The band’s follow-up album, the ambitious “Toxicity” debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. and Canadian charts, later achieving three-times platinum certification for over 12 million copies sold. It featured the singles “Chop Suey”, “Toxicity” and “Aerials” after which System of a Down toured alongside Slipknot across the U.S. and Mexico. The band’s third album “Steal This Album!” was a response to the lax internet copywriting laws regarding online music piracy, in the same vein as Abbie Hoffman’s counter-culture book “Steal This Book”.

In 2004 System of a Down returned with the two-part album “Mesmerize/Hypnotize” with the help once again of producer Rick Rubin. The first part of the album “Mesmerize” became the band’s second No. 1 Album after “Toxicity” and the single “B.Y.O.B” earned the group a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2005, which questions the integrity of military recruitment in the U.S. The band is well-known for their politically and socially apt lyrics covering topics from bureaucracy to the War of Drugs. The second part of the album “Hypnotize” also debuted at No. 1 putting the group alongside the Beatles and 2Pac for two consecutive No. 1 albums in the same year.

Following a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song “Lonely Day” System of a Down announced a significant hiatus during which members pursued other bands and solo efforts. In 2010 the band returned playing a number of headlining European shows including Download Festival, Greenfield Festival, Rock am Ring/Rock im Park, and a sold-out show at the Hollywood Bowl in 2013.

Live reviews

The Forum, Inglewood, California

Date of Gig:

Monday 6th Apr '15

By 8.30pm the chants of “System! System!” have grown so loud that you wonder if they can be heard outside the building, perhaps even drowning out the jumbo jets that roar overhead as they come in to land at nearby LAX. With no support band tonight, System Of A Down were supposed to be on now, opening their Wake Up The Souls Tour with a sold out hometown show in front of 17,500 people, but since many of them are still trying to get in, traffic gridlocked, the set has been pushed back, and the anticipation grows and grows.

There's something very special about System Of A Down playing in LA. Hell, there's something special about System Of A Down playing anywhere, but particularly here, where the band began their career some 21 years ago, playing the Whiskey, the Troubadour and the Roxy. Not just that, but there is a huge Armenian population in Los Angeles, and, nearing the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, there is a great deal of emotion in the building, like some vast family has come together. It's kind of hard to explain, but it gives you goosebumps. System Of A Down are gods to the Armenians.

It's nearing nine o'clock when a lucky and terrified looking competition winner is lead on stage to introduce the band, and before they play we watch a short and emotive film about the genocide, part one of three. There's a palpable charge in the air, and then a deafening thunder from the crowd as Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan quietly take to the stage and drift into Holy Mountains. Already this is a monumental gig.

And so, for the next two hours, System Of A Down, this most unlikely of mainstream bands, keeps seventeen thousand people on their feet, mesmerized and indeed hypnotized. Aptly, given the proximity of the airport, Jet Pilot follows Holy Mountains, its first airing since 2005, then a blast of Suite-Pee that has security dealing with a tide of crowd-surfers. Already it's madness in here and the band are only three songs in, but, that said, the band themselves seem to take a couple of songs to get fully into their stride, perhaps aware that the setlist contains songs they've never played live before. The live debut of U-Fig from 2005's Hypnotize follows Prison Song, and that's just five songs into a thirty-five song set!

Like we said, it's one of those nights. Christ, they haven't played Bubbles since 2003, and CUBErt since 2002! They've never played Dreaming before tonight! And along with those rarities come all the classics like Aerials, BYOB, Radio/Video, and the beautiful Lonely Day. The thing about System Of A Down is that, for all their righteous anger, they can touch the human soul, wake the soul on a deeply personal level, even with a crowd of this size. Daron's grandmother would have been 109 years old today, nine when the genocide happened, and she escaped here, as did so many to this sprawling madhouse. Lost In Hollywood, dedicated to her and Daron's family, sends chills down your spine, so lonely in this gigantic crowd, those hustling streets, Hollywood Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard only a few miles from here.

“We've never played this long in our fucking lives!” laughs Serj, with at least a dozen tunes to go. But it's clear they're enjoying every moment, with that spark of friendship far more in evidence. And for all its melancholy and anger, and all the rest of it, there's still that quirky humour about System Of A Down, a mad genius that sets them apart from any other band. Bounce is sheer lunacy, thousands of people all leaping and down, yelling “Pogo! Pogo!” like a sea of jumping beans.

Despite chants of “One more song!” there is no encore tonight. It would be ridiculous to expect one, even with classics to spare. No-one has ever heard this much System Of A Down in one night before, a journey from those days at the Whiskey over twenty years ago to selling out the Forum with ease. Again, please!

Holy Mountains

Prison Song

Soldier Side – Intro

I-E-A-I-A-I-O

Radio/Video

Kill Rock 'N Roll

Lost In Hollywood

Chic 'N' Stu

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SOAD played an amazing show. First time seeing them, and they sounded incredible. One of my all time favorite shows so far. I was in the pit, second row, I waited 7 hours just to see them. I arrived at 3:30 and they didn’t come on until 10:30pm, but they played almost 2 hours so it was fine. I waited in the second row without moving much. Once SOAD came on, the crowd pushed like crazy and got very wild. As a 5’0 female weighing about 115lbs, I thought I was going to suffocate, get squished to death, or get a limb broken. I DO NOT recommend the pit for people as small as me. I was pushing as hard as I could just to get a breathe of air, I was legitimately fighting/pushing to survive/breathe at one point. I eventually was able to grab on to the front row rail and get some air, but even then my body was being pushed up against the rail, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had broken a rib or an arm, because that’s how much pain I was in by being pushed against the rail/people. People did not care if they hurt others and some were extremely rude. People who were barely arriving tried to push/shove their way to the front, trying to get in front of people who had been waiting 7 hours. The crowd was very crazy, people fighting and pushing each other left and right. Dozens of people were taken out by security, either because they were being too pushy/wild or because they were suffocating. I have been to dozens of music festivals ranging from EDM, hip hop, to rock music, no crowd has ever been as bad as this. I expected the pit to be bad, but never imagined that I would be fighting for my life. Overall, system of a down played an unforgettable show, but the crowd unfortunately, greatly ruined the experience for me. Will not be buying a pit ticket again, at least not for a band like SOAD.

System of a Down, perhaps one of the most iconic names in modern rock have accumulated a cult following since their formation twenty years ago. All fans of rock are encouraged to catch a show for the sheer excitement shared by both fan and artist which is rarely matched by other performers.

Having also had massive commercial success in their homeland, three out of five albums have topped the US Billboard charts so the gigs are full of the loyal followers from the beginning and those slightly later to the party. Either way, the instrumentals and skill of the likes of 'Psycho' and 'Hypnotise' keeps both singing the bands praises well after the show is over.

They are an incredibly well tuned and well practised live band who have an ingenious method of blending tracks from a variety of albums to sit so well beside each other the audience are barely left with time to applaud. There appears to be compensation for this in form of an eruption of adoration during the closing riffs of 'Sugar', the very first of their elusive single releases.

Nominated for four Grammys, a live performance from System of a Down is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser even if you’re not into rock music. Without fail, every time the lights go down at a live show, the crowd erupts into a buzzing, shouting mass of dedicated fans.

The setup of the live performances never ends to amaze me with the ease that they seamlessly flow from rocking tune and into the next. It’s the kind of atmosphere that makes the audience stay on their feet for the duration of the show, swaying and jumping around appropriately. The vocals are always clear, and the famous B.Y.O.B is an ultimate crowd pleaser every single time.

Next time they tour, hopefully with a new album, I will definitely be getting my hands on some tickets, and if you’re a fan of their music, I can’t advise enough how much you will enjoy the gig. The lights, music, energy, it’s all fantastic and put together brilliantly.

Third time seeing them, they have always brought it the other two times and this was no exception, maybe even the best one. Diverse set list, getting a little off each album, sound mix was great. And more importantly they wanted to be there. Shavo and Daron interacting with the crowd, Serj smiling and laughing. John brought his kids on stage and Serj holding them while singing! It was great to see. Serj and Daron sounded great. Serj still has it. Hitting high notes, the weird vocal ticks, and then growling like on the album. Great show, whole group agreed.

System of a Down played on the most exciting, energetic, high voltage concerts I've ever seen live.

One song leading to the next one and an amazing setlist was a sure formula to have everybody jumping around, dancing and singing along. There was a fantantic energy and nobody seemed to care we were all cold and wet from standing for hours in the rain.

The show was incredible my second time

seeing System and man they put on a

show! Molson Ampatheatre was jam pack

with everybody rocking out,singing to

every song just having a blast. For

anyone who hasn't got to go to a

System of a down concert they are a

Nostalgic set list. Serj seemed like he wasn’t feelin’ it. Everyone else had plenty of energy.

The light show was pretty cool. The set moved and reconfigured behind them between each song.

Sound was great from the middle of the floor area.

Excelente energía mostraron desde el inicio... una entrega total al público... musical y vocalmente excelentes! Puedo catalogarlo como mi mejor concierto! Verlos fue un hecho convertido realidad, ojala regresen pronto!

It was perfect one of the best concerts that i have been..unfortunatelly i was a bit disappointed with deftones due to they setlist i almost fall sleep..i"m a huge deftones fan and they could had chosen different songs

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Man Plays Deftones and System of a Down Guitar Riffs While Undergoing Brain Surgery: Watch

By playing guitar and using his cognitive functions, Christian Nolen helped surgeons remove a tumor in his brain.

January 23, 2024

Serj Tankian and Tony Iommi Team Up for New Benefit Song "Deconstruction": Stream

The single, which also features Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian, benefits the Armenia Fund.

December 8, 2023

System of a Down's John Dolmayan Says He's Lost "Friends" and "Hundreds of Thousands of Fans" Due to Political Beliefs

Nonetheless, the System of a Drummer drummer promises he'll "do it again."

October 26, 2023

Serj Tankian to Release Memoir Down With the System in 2024

The System of a Down singer's autobiography is set for release on May 14th

October 24, 2023

TikToker's System of a Down Version of B-52's Classic "Rock Lobster" Is Spot On

Mac Glocky is becoming a viral sensation for his various song reinterpretations.

October 23, 2023

Sick New World 2024 Lineup: System of a Down, Slipknot, and More

Alice in Chains, Primus, A Perfect Circle, Danny Elfman, and Bring Me to the Horizon are also heading to Vegas in April 2024.

October 9, 2023

Serj Tankian Calls Out Imagine Dragons for Playing Azerbaijan: "Maybe They Just Don’t Care"

The System of a Down singer has shared an open letter he sent to the pop-rock band.

August 17, 2023

Soul Glo Cover System of a Down’s “Soil”: Watch

The cover was filmed for Sounds of Saving's mental health series "Song that Found Me at the Right Time."

August 16, 2023

25 Years Ago, System of a Down Embraced Eccentricity with Their Self-Titled Debut Album

The wildly eclectic LP broke through to the mainstream, becoming a surprising hit in the rock and metal world.

June 30, 2023

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The 20 greatest System Of A Down songs – ranked

From their 1998 self-titled debut to 2005’s Hypnotize, we rank the greatest songs from System Of A Down.

They might’ve managed only five studio albums in a short seven-and-a-bit year stretch between June 1998 and November 2005, but such is the level of consistent quality, quirkiness and genre-shaping innovation from Los Angeles quartet System Of A Down that it’s truly difficult to narrow their catalogue down to just 20 songs. From 1998’s earthquaking self-titled debut and 2001’s era-defining masterpiece Toxicity to 2002’s pirate-hijacked Steal This Album! and 2005’s towering sister releases Mezmerize and Hypnotize, there was constant cutting-edge evolution, but also a singularity of sound that even their most esteemed peers could never hope to touch.

Across the years since, the band have resurfaced and departed again and again. Vocalist Serj Tankian’s solo work and contributions alongside Tom Morello on Axis Of Justice, bassist Shavo Odadjian ’s AcHoZeN, and guitarist Daron Malakian ’s stunning Scars On Broadway (sometimes featuring drummer John Dolmayan ) have shown flashes of brilliance, but the old chemistry has never fully been rekindled.

Hope endures, but while we’re holding out for that new album to change the game all over again, here’s our definitive Top 20 to keep everyone busy arguing in the meantime…

20 Question! (Mezmerize, 2005)

The second single from fourth album Mezmerize is, at first, a typically impenetrable composition, full of ‘ ghosts ’, ‘ sweet berries ready for two ’ and a swirling chorus of la la las … Dig in a little, though, and its reckoning on the possibility of an afterlife – and how people use religion to come to grips with that sweet hereafter – is actually one of their most profound. That time-signature jumping musicality – switching from whispered acoustic to crashing electric – was some of the most thrillingly dynamic of SOAD's later output.

19 P.L.U.C.K. (System Of A Down, 1998)

Proud Armenian-Americans, SOAD have often been at their most bracing when fuelled by outrage at the Armenian Genocide of 1914-1923 by the Turkish Ottoman government at the time – and the lack of historical acknowledgement in the century after. An acronym for "Politically Lying Unholy Cowardly Killers", P.L.U.C.K. is one of the earliest and most potent examples, with their classic balance of staccato attack and earworm melody deployed to cutting effect. It also contains some of the band’s most straightforward lyrics: ‘ A whole race, genocide / Taken away all of our pride … Revolution / The only solution / The armed response / Of an entire nation !’

18 Kill Rock’N’Roll (Hypnotize, 2005)

This two-and-a-half minute nugget that crops up as the third track on fifth album Hypnotize initially feels like a clichéd throwaway about the perils of the rock'n'roll lifestyle filtered through SOAD’s characteristically surrealist lens. Daron’s explanation of the song casts it in a more tragic/darkly comic light, however. Driving home in the dark one night, the guitarist accidentally ran over a rabbit. Overcome with guilt, he named the furry figure Rock ‘N Roll and decided to write a song in his memory. Gleefully overwrought lyrics like, ‘ So I felt like the biggest asshole ’ and, ‘ Eat all the grass that you want / Accidents happen In the dark ’ suddenly feel a damn-sight more transparent.

17 Psycho (Toxicity, 2001)

‘ PSYCHO, GROUPIE, COCAINE, CRAZY !’ The 13th track on Toxicity features one of System’s most instantly recognisable intros, building from a low rumble into a rampant schizoid pogo and towering Serj chorus. Interpretations of the lyrics have seen the song either as a broad reckoning on the inherently broken nature of the human condition and the need to escape (‘ So you want the world to stop / Rushing to watch your spirit fully drop …’) or a narrow message that groupies don’t need to trade sex for access to bands (‘ So you want to see the show / You really don't have to be a ho …’). The beauty is that it’s both of those things and so much more.

16 Needles (Toxicity, 2001)

Opening with an appropriately needling guitar motif before exploding into a full-blown heads-down attack, the second song on Toxicity is 3:13 of clobbering volume and dissonant intrigue. Interpretations have varied wildly, from the obvious understanding that it’s a lament of the self-destruction caused by substance abuse to the more abstract reading that it’s about the assassination of South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd in 1966. With its metaphorical description of a controlling parasite (‘ My tapeworm tells me what to do You / My tapeworm tells me where to go …’), we’d bet they’d been reading Irvine Welsh’s grubby classic Filth, released just three years earlier.

15 Suite-Pee (System Of A Down, 1998)

The first track on System Of A Down’s self-titled debut was an early benchmark for their schizoid sound, their progressive politics, their unbending conviction. Performed live, the song has been preceded by the quick quip, “Here’s a song about absolutely nothing!” That “nothing” is a reference to organised religion, and the imagined authority figures by whose rule so many people lead their lives. ‘ Lie naked on the floor ,’ Serj sings, ‘ And let the messiah / Go all through our souls / Die, like a motherfucker !’ Wilfully abrasive and caustically controversial, it is the sound of angry young men willing to be offensive in the face of a societal status quo that offended them.

14 Chic ’N’ Stu (Steal This Album!, 2002)

Named after famed Los Angeles Lakers broadcasters Chick Hearn and Stu Lantz, the opening track to third LP Steal This Album! plays on Hearn’s catchphrase that a game in control was “in the refrigerator” but actually unfolds as a potent anti-consumerist message. Comparing the ability of advertisers to create an artificial need for their product (in this case, the infamous ‘ pizza pie ’) to the baseless compulsions of addicts looking for their next fix, it has become emblematic of their ability to smuggle socially relevant messages through their ostensibly absurdist lyrical treatments. ‘ Pepperoni and green peppers / Mushrooms, olive, chives ’ never sounded so unappetising…

13 Prison Song (Toxicity, 2001)

The balls-out opening track (and unofficial airplay-only single) to Toxicity finds the band at their most ostentatiously political, picking up the baton dropped when their friends in Rage Against The Machine had disbanded the year before. A bludgeoning, juggernaut riff gives way to storming vocals challenging the American prison industrial system, and pointing the finger at a government largely responsible for the domestic proliferation of drugs yet whose prison system is half-populated by drug offenders. In case there was any doubt, they nail in concise factoids (‘ Nearly two million Americans are incarcerated / In the prison system, prison system of the U.S. ’, ‘ The percentage of Americans in the prison system has doubled since 1985 ’, ‘ All research and successful drug policies show that treatment should be increased / And law enforcement decreased while abolishing mandatory minimum sentences …’) to solidify a righteous statement right at the outset of their triple-platinum career-high.

12 War? (System Of A Down, 1998)

The landmark eighth track from System’s debut LP is an anti-war anthem that casts the military-industrial complex (and broader political advocates for armed intervention) as members of an inevitably self-destructive death cult. Loaded with mistrust and xenophobia, Serj’s lyrics ramble and roll like the charismatic teachings of some false prophet as an incendiary composition explodes and settles like a bomb run and the ringing quiet of its aftermath. ‘ Was it the riches, of the land / Powers of bright darkness / That lead the noble, to the east / To fight the heathens .’ Those words might’ve been written several years before the War On Terror and second Iraq conflict, but they still painfully perfectly skewered the jingoistic American mindset that would shape the first decade of the 21st century.

11 I-E-A-I-A-I-O (Steal This Album!, 2002)

With a title that draws the vowels from "idealization", "illegalization", "liberalization", and "internalization", the eighth track from Steal This Album! could have been a relatively straightforward rebuke of the systemic structures that keep us oppressed, but actually unfolds as SOAD's most mind-boggling three minutes. ‘P eter's pecker picked another / Pickle bearing pussy pepper, Why / Meeting John at Dale's Jr / Winked an eye and point a finger … A former cop, undercover / Just got shot, now recovered, Why / Fighting crime, with a partner / Lois Lane, Jimmy Carter !’ Fans and critics have found hints to occult figurehead Aleister Crowley, the Ku Klux Klan and Knight Rider’s Kitt in there, but the song is best enjoyed as System’s most explosively abstract masterpiece.

10 Holy Mountains (Hypnotize, 2005)

System’s second fully-fledged reckoning on the Armenian Genocide (following 1998’s P.L.U.C.K.) marked their maturation both as songwriters and as political minds. The holy mountains of the title refer to the Armenian Highlands, which border Armenia and Turkey. Mount Ararat, on the Turkish side, is considered the "holy mountain", and a stark reminder of the genocide for many Armenians. The sombre undertone speaks of a people still longing for justice. When System hit the road for 2015’s Wake Up The Souls tour – marking the centenary of the slaughter – this was their opener every night.

9 Sugar (System Of A Down, 1998)

System’s first-ever single remains one of their most gleefully unhinged offerings. ‘ I'm not there all the time you know ,’ Serj sings. ‘ Some people, some people, some people / Call it insane, yeah they call it insane (sugar) / I play Russian roulette everyday, a man's sport / With a bullet called life, yeah, mama, called life (sugar) .’ Married to a spring-loaded riff and delivered by face-painted outsiders, the song was inevitably pigeonholed into the rampant nu-metal subgenre, but from the one-of-a-kind delivery (spoken word rolling through barking rage and into outright death-growls) to the leftfield message ("Aspartame kills!") to Nathan Cox’s wildly politicised music video, it was evident to anyone with a head on their shoulders that these lads were something else.

8 Violent Pornography (Mezmerize, 2005)

One of System’s greatest talents was to rough-ride the changing times, remaining relevant without ever giving up their individuality. Violent Pornography was a key display of that in the Mesmerize/Hypnotize era, proving that they had transcended the nu-metal genre while also tapping into fears and doubts around the fledgling internet age. On face value, the song is a critique of the trend of the commodification of sex and increasingly brutal sexual depictions, struggling to keep up with the self-perpetuating demand stoked by online access to nightmare imagery. (Indeed, Hypnotize’s Vicinity Of Obscenity deals with just that.) On a deeper level, it’s about the role of TV, the internet and the demands of overwhelming consumerism in keeping the masses ignorant and docile. That it’s become a rock club favourite in the years since adds a further layer to its perverse brilliance.

7 ATWA (Toxicity, 2001)

If ATWA had cropped up on any album other than the packed-to-the-gills Toxicity, it would’ve surely been a hit single. Distilling everything great about SOAD into two minutes and 56 seconds of turbulent sound, we get one of their prettiest intros (‘ Hey you, see me, pictures crazy / All the world I've seen before me passing by …’) running into a sledgehammer chorus (‘ You don't care about how I feel / I don't feel it anymore !’) before the composition builds to its towering crescendo. Hell, there’s even a little mystique in there, with the title being an acronym for the Air, Trees, Water, Animals environmental movement headed by cult leader and convicted murderer Charles Manson .

6 Lost In Hollywood (Mezmerize, 2005)

Borrowing a song-title from Rainbow’s 1979 album Down To Earth, Lost In Hollywood is a twisted love/hate letter to the band’s hometown. Written (and largely performed) by guitarist Daron Malakian, it imagines a conversation with a newcomer to La La Land, warning them of the ‘ phoney peopl e’ and worn-down ‘ maggots smoking fags out there on Sunset Boulevard ’. Its soft-picked guitars and Serj’s woozy backing vocals make it one of the band’s most memorably haunting tunes. Stylistically, it also signposted the direction in which Daron would head with his excellent follow-up project Scars On Broadway. Proof that even those who’ve made it pack some poignant cautionary tales about the City Of Angels.

5 Toxicity (Toxicity, 2001)

In many ways, the music of System Of A Down has often felt like the aural equivalent of ADHD. The title-track of Toxicity is the ultimate example of that: an impulsive, over-energised, scattershot reaction to ‘ the toxicity of our city, of our city ’. Daron’s circumspect guitar line is detonated by John and Shavo’s maniac rhythm section, with Serj’s virtuoso vocals taking us through gentle lulls and passages of outright mania. The heads-down riffage of the closing movement is some of the most uncompromising in their whole catalogue, with the closing declaration ‘ When I became the sun / I shone life into the man's heart ’ feeling like an audacious kiss-off from avant-garde artists stepping into the brightest of spotlights.

4 B.Y.O.B. (Mezmerize, 2005)

After the world-conquering success of Toxicity, the lead single from Mezmerize was pivotal in proving that System could reach deeper and further than even their most ardent fans had imagined. An openly politicised anthem B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs), confirmed that they weren’t going to shy away from big questions (‘ Why don't presidents fight the war? / Why do they always send the poor ? ’ ) even as they were reaching for superstardom. More importantly, it drew more disparate blends of influence – pop, punk, R&B and extreme metal all at play – and combined them for what’s arguably their most commercially-palatable (and successful) track. Not bad for a banger with an opening verse as odd as ‘ Barbarisms by Barbaras / With pointed heels / Victorious victorious kneel / For brand new spankin' deals !’ The 2005 Best Hard Rock Performance GRAMMY duly followed.

3 Aerials (Toxicity, 2001)

The third and final single from Toxicity (the album’s closer) was an extraordinary, understated masterpiece chock-full of philosophical complexity and creeping insidiousness that went on to become their first U.S. Mainstream Rock number one. A vocal showcase for Serj, the frontman’s existential observations are allowed to roll over a relatively minimalist, largely ambient composition that’s often been compared to Metallica 's The Unforgiven for its waves of emotion. ‘ Life is a waterfall ,’ he sings. ‘ We're one in the river And one again after the fall .’ Identity, ego and individuality are all dissected, reaching a powerful conclusion that perhaps it’s best to let go, into the flow. ‘ When you lose small mind you free your life .’ Indeed.

2 Spiders (System Of A Down, 1998)

System’s second-ever single was proof that – even from the start – they were capable of more than the chaotic schizo-metal that had drawn so many fans to their cause. A softer, but far more treacherous version of their vision, Spiders’ haunting melodies and skin-crawling motifs whiplashed listeners from the incomprehensibly spring-loaded agitprop of Sugar into a more cerebral, unsettling soundscape. Serj’s beguilingly poetic lyrics (‘ The piercing radiant moon / The storming of poor June / All the life running through her hair / Approaching guiding light / Our shallow years in fright / Dreams are made winding through my head …’) had worked their way under your skin before their subject matter (internal unrest, mind control) became apparent. The track’s selection for the Scream 3 soundtrack was an early sign of their ability to infiltrate the mainstream with even the darkest, most challenging sounds.

1 Chop Suey! (Toxicity, 2001)

Utter genius so often sounds like absolute gibberish. On first listen, the lyrics to System’s signature song could feel utterly farcical. If not, of course, for the runaway momentum that leaves if feeling like a heavier, post-millennial version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody or any number of tripped-out Beatles tracks. Originally titled Self-Righteous Suicide, it still managed to deliver its edgy, self-destructive references as the hit single while the world slipped into turmoil immediately post-9/11. Daron has since explained that the song is a hectic examination of the changing views on public figures when they pass away (the “deserved” death of an addict compared to the “heroic” acts of a martyr) but that’s now of far less consequence than it’s genre-leaping, mainstream-levelling appeal. Fast approaching a billion views on YouTube, this remains the crossover metal anthem of the 21st century, still as unattainably influential today as it was back then.

Read this next:

• Every SOAD album ranked from worst to best
• A deep dive into SOAD's Chop Suey! video
• A love letter to nu-metal beards

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System Of A Down

Release Date: June 30, 1998

Label: american.

• Suite-Pee Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Know Music- Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Sugar Music- Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Suggestions Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Spiders Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• DDevil Music- Odadjian, Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Soil Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• War? Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Mind Music- Odadjian, Malakian, Tankian / Lyrics- Tankian
• Peephole Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• CUBErt Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian, Malakian
• Darts Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian
• P.L.U.C.K. Music- Malakian / Lyrics- Tankian, Malakian
• Sugar (Live)
• War? (Live)
• Suite-Pee (Live)
• Know (Live)

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System Of A Down

System of a down song list.

• A.T.W.A. (2001)
• Aerials (2001)
• Arto (2001)
• B.Y.O.B. (2005)
• Boom (2002)
• Bounce (2001)
• Bubbles (2002)
• Chic 'N' Stu (2002)
• Chop Suey (2001)
• Cigaro (2005)
• Deer Dance (2001)
• Dreaming (2005)
• F--k The System (2002)
• Forest (2001)
• Genocidal Humanoidz (2020)
• Highway Song (2002)
• Holy Mountains (2005)
• Hypnotize (2005)
• I-E-A-I-A-I-O (2002)
• Kill Rock N' Roll (2005)
• Lonely Day (2005)
• Lost In Hollywood (2005)
• Mr. Jack (2002)
• Needles (2001)
• Old School Hollywood (2005)
• P.L.U.C.K. (1998)
• Peephole (1998)
• Prison Song (2001)
• Protect The Land (2020)
• Psycho (2001)
• Question! (2005)
• Radio/Video (2005)
• Science (2001)
• Shimmy (2001)
• Soil (1998)
• Soldier Side (2005)
• Spiders (1998)
• Stealing Society (2005)
• Sugar (1998)
• Suggestions (1998)
• Suite-Pee (1998)
• Toxicity (2001)
• U-Fig (2005)
• Vicinity Of Obscenity (2005)
• Violent Pornography (2005)
• War? (1998)

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Watch CBS News

The Sweet 16 NCAA teams playing in March Madness 2024

Updated on: March 29, 2024 / 12:46 AM EDT / CBS News

The opening weekend of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was nothing short of thrilling, and March Madness lived up to its name, delivering several upsets and controversial endings. The field of 64 has now been narrowed down to the Sweet 16.

All four No. 1 seeds — the North Carolina Tar Heels, the Connecticut Huskies, the Houston Cougars and the Purdue Boilermakers — made it to the Sweet 16. The lowest seed that was still competing as of Thursday is the No. 11 seed North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Which teams made it to the Sweet 16?

• North Carolina Tar Heels
• Iowa State Cyclones
• NC State Wolfpack
• Gonzaga Bulldogs
• Arizona Wildcats
• Illinois Fighting Illini
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Purdue Boilermakers
• Marquette Golden Eagles
• Creighton Bluejays
• Duke Blue Devils
• Clemson Tigers
• Alabama Crimson Tide
• San Diego State Aztecs
• Houston Cougars
• University of Connecticut Huskies

What is the Sweet 16 bracket?

The tournament is divided into four regional brackets , with four teams remaining in each region.

In the East region :

No. 1 seed Connecticut vs. No. 5 San Diego State No. 2 seed Iowa State vs. No. 3 seed Illinois

In the West region :

No. 1 seed North Carolina vs. No. 4 seed Alabama No. 2 seed Arizona vs. No. 6 seed Clemson

In the South region :

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke No. 2. seed Marquette vs. No. 11 seed NC State

In the Midwest region :

No. 1 seed Purdue vs. No. 5 seed Gonzaga No. 2 seed Tennessee vs. No. 3 seed Creighton

Where are Sweet 16 games being played this year?

The Sweet 16 will be played in Boston, Dallas, Detroit and Los Angeles from March 28-31.

When will we know the Elite 8 teams?

We will know all the Elite 8 teams on the evening of Friday, March 29. 

• March Madness
• NCAA Tournament

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