Editing System of a Down (section)

=== Artsakh benefit singles and possible sixth studio album (2020–present) ===
On November 5, 2020, in response to the [[Second Nagorno-Karabakh War]], System of a Down released their first songs in 15 years, "[[Protect the Land]]" and "[[Genocidal Humanoidz]]", both of which "speak of a dire and serious war being perpetrated upon our cultural homelands of [[Republic of Artsakh|Artsakh]] and [[Armenia]]."<ref name="rollingstone2020" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=brownypaul|date=November 6, 2020|title=WOAHH Two New System Of A Down Songs Outta Nowhere|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/11/06/woahh-two-new-system-of-a-down-songs-outta-nowhere/|access-date=November 6, 2020|website=Wall Of Sound|language=en-US|archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106051444/https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/11/06/woahh-two-new-system-of-a-down-songs-outta-nowhere/|url-status=live}}</ref> Music videos were made for both singles, and "Protect the Land" marks the band's first music video in 14 years, since "[[Lonely Day]]". Proceeds from the songs were to help [[Armenia Fund]] and for humanitarian needs of displaced families from the war.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Chloe|last=Melas|title=System of a Down releases first new music in 15 years|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/06/entertainment/system-of-a-down-new-music-trnd/index.html|access-date=November 9, 2020|website=CNN|date=November 6, 2020|archive-date=July 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711071801/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/06/entertainment/system-of-a-down-new-music-trnd/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=System of a Down Detail Why They Decided to Release New Music|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/system-down-detail-why-decided-222111627.html|access-date=November 9, 2020|website=Yahoo.com|date=November 8, 2020 |language=en-US|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418062939/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/system-down-detail-why-decided-222111627.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

As for a possible new album, Dolmayan told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', "If it was up to me, we'd have a new album every three years. But things aren't up to me. I'm at the mercy of my team, and although I fought for it for many years with band members, I've accepted that it is what it is. We do have five albums and [now] two songs. We've accomplished a lot in our careers. If it ends at that, so be it."<ref name="rollingstone2020" /> In the same interview, Malakian claimed that "Protect the Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" were originally going to be released under his own band [[Scars on Broadway]]. As the conflict came to fruition, System of a Down came back to release them instead.<ref name="rollingstone2020" /> Malakian also said he does not see the band making new music anytime soon, saying that the singles were a "one-off kind of thing".<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 16, 2020|title=Daron Malakian Doesn't See SOAD Making More New Music Soon|url=https://loudwire.com/daron-malakian-doesnt-see-system-of-a-down-making-more-music-soon/|access-date=November 17, 2020|website=Loudwire|archive-date=November 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126191032/https://loudwire.com/daron-malakian-doesnt-see-system-of-a-down-making-more-music-soon/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Shavo Odadjian]] spoke with ''Wall of Sound'' in a follow-up interview discussing the conception of the songs, stating, "It was amazing... Even though we have had our differences, when we're in there it's just like brothers making music together, like it all started."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aarons|first=Ricky|date=December 17, 2020|title=Shavo Odadjian – 'Introducing North Kingsley and Protecting Armenia with System Of A Down'|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/12/17/shavo-odadjian-introducing-north-kingsley-and-protecting-armenia-with-system-of-a-down/|access-date=December 17, 2020|website=Wall Of Sound|language=en-US|archive-date=September 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915184651/https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/12/17/shavo-odadjian-introducing-north-kingsley-and-protecting-armenia-with-system-of-a-down/|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked if the two songs had inspired a new era of creativity for System of a Down, Tankian said to [[Triple J]] in December 2020, "I don't know, because right now we're focused on what's going on in Armenia. There's a huge humanitarian catastrophe. We're still focused on raising funds, raising awareness about this. Time will tell whether this leads to something else or not."<ref>{{Cite web|title=SERJ TANKIAN: 'Time Will Tell' Whether Recording Two New SYSTEM OF A DOWN Songs Will Lead To Something More|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/serj-tankian-time-will-tell-whether-recording-two-new-system-of-a-down-songs-will-lead-to-something-more/|access-date=December 19, 2020|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=December 19, 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225023307/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/serj-tankian-time-will-tell-whether-recording-two-new-system-of-a-down-songs-will-lead-to-something-more/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2023, Dolmayan claimed that Tankian "hasn't really wanted to be in a band for a long time [...] and quite frankly, we probably should have parted ways around 2006. We tried to get together multiple times to make an album, but there were certain rules set in place that made it difficult to do so and maintain the integrity of what System of a Down stood for." Despite the major setback, he said the chemistry to play live together as a band is still great.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Revolver |title=John Dolmayan: Serj Tankian Hasn't Wanted To Be in System of a Down for a Long Time |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/john-dolmayan-serj-tankian-hasnt-wanted-be-system-down-long-time |website=Revolver |date=January 3, 2023 |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104095946/https://www.revolvermag.com/music/john-dolmayan-serj-tankian-hasnt-wanted-be-system-down-long-time |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 14 of the same year, System of a Down hosted their only live performance of 2023 as co-headliners of the Sick New World festival in [[Las Vegas]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kress |first=Brian |date=May 14, 2023 |title=System of a Down Close Sick New World 2023: Video + Setlist |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/system-of-a-down-sick-new-world-2023-watch/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2024, the band performed two gigs: in the former case, they made their second headline appearance in a row at Sick New World on April 27;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Childers |first=Chad |date=April 28, 2024 |title=Setlist + Video – System of a Down Headline 2024 Sick New World Festival |url=https://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-sick-new-world-2024-setlist-video/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=[[Loudwire]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Emily |date=April 28, 2024 |title=Here's System Of A Down's epic Sick New World setlist |url=https://www.kerrang.com/heres-system-of-a-downs-epic-sick-new-world-setlist/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=[[Kerrang!]] |language=en-US}}</ref> in the latter one, they co-headlined (together with [[Deftones]]) a standalone concert at the [[Golden Gate Park]] in [[San Francisco]], making it the first-ever ticketed concert to take place at the venue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=King |first=Ariel |date=April 9, 2024 |title=Another Planet Entertainment Announces One-Night Event With System Of A Down & Deftones In Golden Gate Park, Potential For More |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2024/04/09/another-planet-announces-one-night-event-with-system-of-a-down-deftones-in-golden-gate-park-potential-for-more/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=[[Pollstar]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaffner |first=Lauryn |date=April 9, 2024 |title=System of a Down + Deftones Announce First of Its Kind Show at Historic Venue |url=https://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-deftones-first-show-historic-venue-2024/ |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=[[Loudwire]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

In May 2024, Tankian revealed in his [[memoir]], "Down with the System," that back when System of a Down was on hiatus in 2005, he offered to step down and suggested the band find a new vocalist due to his back injury and disinterest in touring. Although the band did audition an unnamed singer without Tankian's knowledge, they discarded the idea and continued onward with their original vocalist.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Childers |first1=Chad |title=System of a Down Auditioned Vocalist After Serj Tankian Offered to Step Down |url=https://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-auditioned-vocalist-serj-tankian-offered-quit |website=LoudWire |access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref> In 2025, though, the band launched a tour called "Wake Up!", with  dates in Latin America for the first time in ten years and a few US and Canada shows. They said they remain open extending that tour to other places they haven't visited for a while.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/system-of-a-down-2025-south-american-wake-up-stadium-tour-dates-1235859106/|title=System of a Down Announce Dates for 2025 South American ‘Wake Up!’ Stadium Tour|website=Billboard|date=December 17, 2024|last=Kaufman|first=Gil}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://chaoszine.net/system-of-a-down-shake-things-up-with-their-setlist-with-rarities/|title=System Of A Down shake things up with their setlist with rarities|website=Chaoszine|date=April 29, 2025|last=Baldin|first=Benedetta}}</ref>

In February 2025, Malakian gave his thoughts about making a new System of a Down album.

{{quotation|"I'm proud of the records. I don't live with any regret of anything like that, but it would have been nice to see where the band would have evolved if we kept putting music out. If we put out an album now, it's just so far away from [''Hypnotize'' and ''Mezmerize''], it doesn't continue the story to me. There was a time that [making a new System Of A Down record] might have been something I wanted. I'm not sure how much I want that anymore — I'm sure people won't be too happy to hear that from me. I'm not at the same place I was maybe 10 years ago."|Daron Malakian (2025)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kennelty |first1=Greg |title=DARON MALAKIAN Isn't Sure He Wants To Write New SYSTEM OF A DOWN Anymore |url=https://metalinjection.net/news/daron-malakian-isnt-sure-he-wants-to-write-new-system-of-a-down-anymore |website=Metal Injection |date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=10 February 2025}}</ref>}}