Alternative-Metal quartet formed in Los Angeles, California USA, in 1995, by vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan, they bonded quickly as friends but also shared Armenian ancestry.
The quartet built up a following on the SoCal circuit with their sound which combined elements of Hardcore, Metal, traditional Armenian folk and two years later was signed by the giant Sony Corporation who released their self-titled debut album in June 1998; the record cracked The Billboard Top 200 chart spawning two Active Rock top 30 singles: "Sugar" and "Spiders".
After riding the success of their debut album for two years, which included extensive touring and appearances on the famed Ozzfest, the band entered the studio to cut a new album; "Toxicity" was issued in September of 2001 and shot to #1 on both U.S. Top 200 and Canadian Top Albums charts, also in Australia scored great success, peaking at #6; the first single "Chop Suey" hit #7 on Modern Rock chart, followed by the title-track which reached the #3 in the same chart; the superb "Aerials" climbed to the top on both the Billboard's Modern and Mainstream Rock charts.
In late 2002 System Of A Down released "Steal This Album!", a collection of material recorded for "Toxicity", the set debuted at #15 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, while the single "Innervision" hit #12 on Modern Rock chart and #14 on Active Rock chart.
System Of A Down returned in May 2005 with "Mezmerize", it includes the singles "Cigaro", "B.Y.O.B.", an acronym for 'Bring Your Own Bombs' and "Question!".
Six months after "Mezmerize" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, the quartet returned with "Hypnotize", part two of a promised two-album set.
