“Ever since I was a kid, I knew I was destined for this,” says System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan. “I used to go to shows and think, ‘I’m going to be on that stage one day.’ It’s really easy for me to say that now, but I knew it back then. And if you talk to people who knew me back then, they’ll tell you the same thing.”

The “this” Dolmayan is speaking of is his place in life today as an immensely successful modern rock drummer for the multi-platinum Los Angeles–based group System Of A Down.

Nearly 4 years ago, Dolmayan and his band released the Rick Rubin–produced Toxicity, a blistering collection of material that was anything but the traditional sophomore slump. It offered some of the wildest and most intriguing singles to hit modern rock airwaves in recent memory. (If you doubt this, go back and give a listen to “Chop Suey,” “Aerials,” and “Psycho.”)

Many people got their pre-ordered copies by mail today, earlier than the pre-announced date by 4 days!
Go to the lyrics section and get the official Mesmerize Lyrics

It was 1995. Bill Clinton was president of the United States, O.J. Simpson was acquitted in the trial of the century and four Armenian guys in Los Angeles decided to get together to form System Of A Down, a band that has since become one of music’s most anomalous and experimental ensembles.

Fusing thrashabout metal and traces of Old World sounds with impassioned vocals and lyrics that teeter between the fervently political to the overtly puerile, it’s obvious that vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan never planned on going with the flow.

Now, nearly four years after releasing 2001’s multi-platinum-selling Toxicity, the group is ready to unleash their most prolific opus to date, Mesmerize/Hypnotize, the album possesses much of the same urgency found on past recordings, only this time the vocal exchange between frontman and guitarist has taken on a larger role.