System Of A Down, and so on. bassist Shavo Odadjian just lately had some extra ideas to share on the nü-metal scene and his band’s proximity to it. Whereas System Of A Down got here up throughout the peak of nü-metal and are sometimes seen as one of many pillars of the extra eclectic facet of the style, it’s a classification fellow members of his group have wrestled with.
Talking to Revolver earlier this fall, his bandmate in vocalist Serj Tankian stated whereas naming Korn‘s self-titled debut the perfect nü-metal album, “I really suppose folks don’t consider System Of A Down as nü-metal.”
Conversely, System Of A Down guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian informed Steel Hammer this fall he was “proud” of developing in that scene, providing, “All these bands like us, Korn and whoever had been getting performed on mainstream radio and actually helped put metallic again in place.”
For this newest chat, Odadjian discovered himself in dialog with somebody who possesses a sure stage of experience in relation to nü-metal in Matt Pinfield. With a resume that boasts stints as an MTV VJ, a document exec, a ‘Farmclub.com‘ host, plus a prolonged profession in radio and TV, Pinfield spent years alongside nü-metal’s largest bands throughout the late 90s/early 00s peak of their fame.
Odadjian as soon as once more weighed in on the aforementioned style throughout an look on 95.5 KLOS‘ ‘New & Permitted‘. He said of the style wanting again now:
“Somebody requested me just lately about being a nü-metal’ band. And I’ve a special outlook on nü-metal. It’s not a method. It was an period the place bands performed heavy music, however did it in one other method.
They didn’t do the essential ’80s heavy. They combined rock-metal with one thing completely different, whether or not or not it’s hip-hop, punk rock, eclectic stuff, difficult, progressive stuff, psychedelic prog.
Individuals did various things. For instance, Deftones had that Portishead vibe that they introduced into metallic. It’s so freaking cool. There’s an entire fashion now — there’s an entire Deftones-style music proper now popping off on TikTok.”
Nonetheless, as with many scenes earlier than it, nü-metal’s recognition grew skinny as its affect was more and more diluted by cash-in’s, copycat artists and bitter personnel blowouts. After driving excessive for a number of years, the output of lots of the main artists within the style additionally started to falter because the meteoric success and calls for of touring fostered not solely clashing egos, however a tradition of substance abuse that extracted a heavy toll.
The longevity of the style was additional stifled considerably by the exceptional breakout success of the likes of Linkin Park, Evanescence, Child Rock and extra. With main labels snapping up bands in a subsequent signing spree, the stress was on to ship.
This led to many artists altering their sound with business intent, whereas up and coming artists had been hardly ever given the possibility previous a primary album — if even just a few singles — to land successful or face the axe.
Finally the New Wave Of American Heavy Steel, metalcore and indie rock scenes quickly took over, leaving nü-metal to be mocked very similar to glam metallic was by grunge. Nonetheless, latest years have seen audiences each younger and previous return to the style. That change in tastes has been exhibited by the slew of profitable excursions and festivals carried by among the style’s unique brightest stars.
Odadjian is conscious of weathering the post-nü-metal growth too, telling Pinfield:
“If you concentrate on it, bro, despite the fact that we received villainized a little bit bit — the nü-metal factor was tacky for some time as a result of each period comes out and it’s cool. Then some bands come up that ruined that cool vibe… Heavy metallic was nice within the ’80s. Then these bands got here out that form of ruined it, the cheesier glam metallic bands got here out. I don’t wanna title ’em, however some tacky bands got here out.”
Whereas System Of A Down appear relegated to a legacy dwell act amid their prolonged artistic deadlock, Odadjian has for his half served because the nucleus for a brand new, extra trendy metallic enterprise, Seven Hours After Violet. That supergroup finds him joined by members of Left To Endure, Winds Of Plague and extra. Their self-titled debut album was launched this previous October.
