Daron Malakian - ON METAL (Part 2)
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
Daron Malakian, founding member of System of a Down, returns for Part Two of his heavy metal journey on the Tetragrammaton podcast. (00:24) This episode follows Malakian's personal evolution through metal's most extreme genres, from his early Metallica covers in garages to his profound connection with black metal. (08:00) He traces the progression from thrash and death metal through grindcore to Norwegian black metal, explaining how each genre pushed boundaries further than the last. (60:00) The conversation explores how these increasingly extreme sounds shaped his artistic identity and influenced System of a Down's unique approach to heavy music.
- Core focus: The evolution and escalation of extreme metal genres from the 1980s through the late 1990s, examined through the lens of a master songwriter's personal journey
Speakers
Daron Malakian
Composer, guitarist, vocalist, and record producer, Daron Malakian is a founding member of System of a Down, one of the most innovative metal bands of the past three decades. His songwriting has helped System of a Down sell over 40 million albums worldwide while maintaining their uncompromising artistic vision. Malakian's deep knowledge of metal history and his ability to blend diverse musical influences has established him as one of the most respected voices in heavy music.
Key Takeaways
Embrace Authentic Musical Evolution
Malakian describes how each metal genre emerged as a reaction to what came before, with bands constantly pushing boundaries to create something more extreme or different. (18:00) This pattern shows the importance of not simply copying what exists, but finding ways to take established forms to new places. Rather than repeating successful formulas, true artists must discover what's missing and fill that void with their authentic voice. This approach led to System of a Down's unique sound that combined metal with unexpected influences like Armenian music and vocal harmonies that no other heavy bands were using.
Master Your Influences Before Transcending Them
Malakian's story of playing Master of Puppets with Metallica at age 22 demonstrates the power of deeply knowing your foundational influences. (02:21) He had spent years learning Metallica songs in garage bands, which enabled him to seamlessly step in when James Hetfield was injured. This deep knowledge didn't limit him - it gave him the technical foundation and credibility to later push beyond those influences. Understanding the DNA of what came before allows artists to innovate meaningfully rather than randomly.
Find Beauty in Extremity
Throughout the black metal discussion, Malakian emphasizes how the most extreme music often contains hidden beauty and complexity. (65:00) He describes falling asleep to grindcore because of its consistent, almost meditative quality, and finding orchestral beauty in Norwegian black metal's atmospheric elements. This perspective reveals that intensity and beauty aren't opposites - they can coexist and enhance each other. The lesson is to look beyond surface-level impressions and discover the deeper artistic value in challenging forms.
Originality Emerges from Unexpected Combinations
Malakian explains how System of a Down stood apart from nu-metal by mixing influences no one else was combining - Beach Boys harmonies with metal, Armenian music with Western rock structures. (108:20) The key wasn't avoiding all existing influences, but rather combining them in ways that felt natural to his personal experience. This approach created something recognizably unique while still being accessible. Innovation often comes not from rejecting the past, but from connecting previously unconnected elements in authentic ways.
Respect the Underground While Building Bridges
The episode shows how extreme underground genres like death and black metal maintained artistic integrity while influencing more commercial forms. (110:00) Malakian describes how nu-metal initially drew from these underground sources to create something fresh, before becoming formulaic. The lesson is that commercial success doesn't have to mean artistic compromise if you maintain connection to authentic sources. Building bridges between underground innovation and broader audiences can expand music's reach while preserving its essential character.
Statistics & Facts
- System of a Down played in front of 60,000 people when Daron Malakian joined Metallica on stage during the Summer Sanitarium tour in 1999, despite their band being virtually unknown at the time. (03:09)
- The early Norwegian black metal scene centered around Euronymous's record store, which became the gathering place where the extreme ideology and aesthetics of second-wave black metal were developed in the early 1990s. (62:00)
- Multiple foundational death metal bands including Death, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Morbid Angel all emerged from Tampa, Florida in the late 1980s, creating an unexpectedly influential regional scene. (27:00)
