Serj Tankian casts doubt on future System Of A Down tours: "it's not really something where I'm at right now."

Despite rumours recently circulating online that System Of A Down were planning something big for 2023, it seems that frontman Serj Tankian is in no rush to commit to any more major future System activity, even suggesting he might be done with full tours for the band due to some recent health issues.

Asked by Metal Injection whether he'd entertain the idea of anniversary tours for Toxicity (which turned 20 last year) or Steal This Album! (which turns 20 in 2023), Serj was unabashedly negative in his response.

"Toxicity by itself is too short to play as a set," he replies. "Right, so that's one. But second is that I have, you know, based on my health issues and kind of redundancy in doing the same thing over and over again in terms of touring, it's something I'm not very interested in doing at this time. Not just for System, for my own stuff, for orchestra or solo stuff. I just haven't been touring. I also had back surgery last year."

"I've got certain issues that I'm getting over that are health issues that are affecting my mobility," he adds. "I mean, I walk fine and I'm able to do stuff and I could perform. But the travel of a tour really, really affects me at this point. That and, to be honest with you, it's not in my creative purview, you know? So a show here and there we've done and might still do. But as far as doing a specific thing, it's not really something where I'm at right now."

System Of A Down surprised-released two new songs, Protect The Land and Genocidal Humanoidz, in 2020, but haven't released a new album of material since 2005's Mezmerize and Hypnotize. While Serj notes in the Metal Injection interview that he is open to doing new System music again, we wouldn't hold our breath on that one quite yet. Serj's latest solo EP, Perplex Cities, is out now.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.