System Of A Down's View On Chop Suey's Song! Released Shortly Before The 9/11 Terror

System Of A Down (instagram @systemofadown)

JAKARTA - System Of A Down music video for Chop Suey! recently surpassed one billion views on YouTube. This is System Of A Down's first track to hit such a fantastic mark.

System Of A Down joins the ranks of artists across genres to surpass the one billion mark. These names include Nirvana with Smells Like Teen Spirit, Guns N 'Roses through November Rain, Queen through the iconic number Bohemian Rhapsody, and Linkin Park with Numb and In The End.

Chop Suey! is the first single from System Of A Down's second album, Toxicity. The single was released in August 2001 and earned its first Grammy nomination in 2002 for Best Metal Performance.

In a new interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music, vocalist of System Of A Down, Serj Tankian reflects on his response to Chop Suey! when the song was released.

"Chop Suey! Was released (a week or two) before (the terror events) September 11, 2001 ... And on September 11, when the whole plane crashed into the World Trade Center, the disaster happened, our album was ranked No.1. And it felt like the whole world exploded. And they took our song off the radio, Chop Suey! Because in the lyrics it has the word 'suicide' - 'self-justifying suicide' - everyone calls us, saying, 'How did you know?' and all these things. And we all got weird, trying to figure out what was going on, "Tankian said.

"Meanwhile, we went on a promotional tour for the album (Toxicity) where Chop Suey! Was the single. And every day, I remember a different (threat level); the news basically says a distress signal. And there may be a terrorist attack. elsewhere. It was a terrifying moment. So when I thought of Chop Suey !, I couldn't think of how exactly we were sitting in the studio and working on it. I thought of 9/11, going on tour, thinking we might die anytime, "continued he.

Meanwhile, last month, System Of A Down released Protect The Land and Genocidal Humanoidz, their first new song in 15 years. Produced by guitarist / vocalist Daron Malakian, who also wrote music and lyrics, both songs are now streamable and available for purchase on Bandcamp where the proceeds will go to the Armenia Fund.