Most metal bands are raging against something or other.

But a band forged in the fires of genocide? Now there's a formula for intensity. It's that intensity that a million-and-counting fans tapped into this summer as they flocked to buy System of a Down's fourth album, Mezmerize, rocketing the disc to No. 1 o­n Billboard charts the week of its May 17 release.

In an interview in advance of the Armenian-American band's Sept. 19 concert at Pengrowth Saddledome, System of a Down's bassist Shavo Odadjian, 31, talked about how the Armenian genocide that occurred between 1915 and 1923 has shaped the group. In that time an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were expelled from the Ottoman Empire by the Turkish government in a campaign of murder, deportation and torture.

"When the genocide occurred, our families had nowhere to go," says Odadjian. "A bunch of countries helped the Armenians out. We were a Christian nation and even the Muslims were like 'Dude, this shouldn't be happening,' and they saved us. They took us into their countries.

That's why there's Armenians all over the world today." Odadjian was born in Armenia. His andmates, singer/keyboardist Serj Tankian and drummer John Dolmayan were born in Lebanon.

Singer/guitarist Daron Malakian was born in Hollywood, but his grandparents are currently living in Iraq. "I feel for Daron," says Odadjian. "Every time he hears something about Iraq (and its conflict with the United States) he trips out, because his family members are still there. It drives him nuts. It really does inspire his songwriting."

Odadjian, Malakian and Tankian attended an Armenian private school in Hollywood together, and when they became musicians o­n the Los Angeles rock scene in the '90s, this unique background drew them together. "I don't have a family tree," says Odadjian. "No o­ne knows about my family's roots before my grandpa. No o­ne knows his birthdate even.

(In System of a Down) we all share this common bond."That consciousness often creeps into the band's funky, thrash-metal stew. This has led critics to dub System of a Down the most political metal band since Rage Against the Machine. Fierce protests against the Iraq war and portraits of a disgraced Statue of Liberty o­n Mezmerize
contribute to that notion.

But Odadjian insists System of a Down is not a political band. "We are a life band," he says. "We are a social band. We are a band that raises awareness about issues we confront every day. But we don't wake up every morning trying to write songs about how Bush screwed up our country. . . . It's just that right now, politics plays such a major
role in all of our lives that we can't help but speak about it."

On Mezmerize, Malakian has stepped up as the band's primary songwriter. Still, Tankian remains a strong creative force, with the two balancing each other out perfectly. "Serj will write a song and it will be all metaphors. I won't understand it. He won't even understand it," Odadjian says. "While Daron is more straightforward.
. . Serj is more political, but if you sit down and listen to Daron, he's got some crazy views o­n life."

Another unique aspect of System of a Down is the way the band incorporates the music of its native Armenia into its attack.
 "Nothing is contrived," Odadjian stresses. "We never say 'This part needs an Armenian beat.' Actually, we're big Iron Maiden fans and they used a lot of Middle Eastern sounds. That's our main influence.

Mix that up with ABBA, Led Zeppelin and Frank Zappa and you get System of a Down."
It's that sort of adventurous spirit that led the band, along with producer Rick Rubin, to create Mezmerize. The  original concept was to release a double album. Ultimately, System decided against that, convinced that today's MTV-weaned rock fans don't have the attention spans to appreciate a double album anymore. "You can't release (an
album like Pink Floyd's) The Wall right now," he says.

To remedy the situation, the band divided the album into two.

Mezmerize was released last May, and the second half, Hypnotize, is expected to hit stores in November. "Individually, each o­ne is a piece of art, but together, they complete o­ne another," he says.

Were it not for the warped, hyper-wacky sensibility that comes through in much of their music, o­ne could definitely conclude that System of a Down is a band that takes itself very seriously. It's been called o­n that too.

Odadjian defends System's stance. "We're not politicians and we're not heroes," he says. "Serj wrote in o­ne of his lyrics 'You must enter a room to destroy it.'

"We've entered the corporate room of Sony-BMG and Columbia. "And for songs like Cigaro and B.Y.O.B to hit the radio or get played o­n MTV -- no way would that have happened 10 years ago even -- we've pretty much destroyed the room."

By  Heath McCoy, The Calgary Herald

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