While System of a Down are one of the most popular metal bands in the genre's history, there're still new generations of music fans who've never heard a note of "Chop Suey!" or "B.Y.O.B."
With the explosion of nu-metal nostalgia over the last couple years — a resurgence that's been spearheaded by young people, by the way — there's clearly so many metalheads (and metalheads in the making) who are just now stumbling upon the alt-metal band's bonkers music.
So where should they start? System of a Down have a pretty diverse discography that ranges from caustic extreme-metal blasts to operatic rock ballads — sometimes in the span of a single song.
To assist SOAD newbies on their journey, Serj Tankian selected what he believes are the best points of entry into his band's revered catalog. It's not an easy choice.
"It really depends on what their musical flavor is," Tankian tells Revolver when we ask him to recommend the best SOAD song to play for someone who's never heard the band. "If they're a pop person that you don't want to freak out, then you might want to play 'Aerials.'
"But if they're someone that likes different types of music, [who are] open to many, many different types of music, then you play them something crazier or heavier.
"I think [for] most people, either 'B.Y.O.B.,' 'Toxicity' or 'Chop Suey!' seem to be their entry drug to System of a Down. That seems to be the way they get their foot in the door, so I guess one of those maybe."
Take a hit of each of those "entry drugs" below.
