Serj Tankian Using Songs Intended for System of a Down on Solo EP
System of a Down's inability to see eye to eye on a new album has been well documented, but all may not be lost as vocalist Serj Tankian has a new EP coming that will include songs he initially targeted for System.
Speaking with Spin, the vocalist stated, “Originally I had these songs in mind for a System record if we were to end up doing a System record. But as we could not really see eye to eye on how to go forward with that I decided to finish them off myself and release them as an EP.”
Back in September of 2018, Tankian first started talking of completing the tracks and releasing them, stating on social media, "I have five rock songs that I wanted to 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."
Now, with some time passed, he tells Spin of the new songs, “I always have random rock tracks done at different times and I sit on them. And then one day the right project or right idea for releasing them will come along. They all have piano or synthesizers, which is a little different than the four-person crew with System, although we had some synths as well. It’s got stuff that’s really heavy, heavy and there’s a funny aspect and then there’s a song about my son."
He adds, "It kind of runs the gauntlet on diversity of thematic expression: political, non-political. I guess that’s always been me, all over the place. I think I’m gonna call it Elasticity just because I wanted to do it with System and it didn’t happen. For me, it’s not Toxicity but it is Toxicity. [Laughs.] That’s what I’m thinking of calling it. I haven’t finalized it, but that’s what I’m thinking of calling it. We’ll probably put it out later this year.”
As for System of.a Down finally doing an album, Tankian stated, "I don’t know, man. It hasn’t happened. But I’ll never say never."
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