As System of a Down gears up for a late‑summer stadium tour, frontman Serj Tankian shared a refreshingly candid update on the band’s renewed dynamics. Appearing on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, he explained that his previous hesitancy to tour stemmed from serious health concerns, including a back surgery—a journey that also induced creative fatigue from the grind of extended touring.
But everything changed after the band’s one‑off Sick New World show in Las Vegas. “It wasn’t a tour… we didn’t have 20 shows… It was just one show—take your families and have a good time,” he reflected. That experience rekindled the band’s camaraderie, prompting them to embrace a full string of stadium dates this year.
Tankian—now stronger, both physically and mentally—revealed that the group is in rare harmony, truly “enjoying each other and each other’s company, having a great time.” It’s a unique phase in their history: spontaneous, joyful, and designed on their terms.
While there’s still no new music on the horizon, Tankian confirmed that each member is pursuing solo projects in the meantime—leaving the door open for future collaborative ventures, should inspiration strike.
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