“We are System of a Down! And we f—ing suck!” With those immortal words from guitarist Daron Malakian, we celebrate the career of metal’s most beloved traffickers of weirdness, System of a Down.

If you hopped on SOAD’s fan wagon in the late ‘90s, you may have seen the band live at System’s most bizarre. Unknowing audience members may have thought they stumbled into some sort of cult ritual rather than a rock show, as SOAD would often present themselves in body paint and futuristic interstellar jumpsuits.

Rising up, seemingly out of nowhere, System kept the odd aura alive as the band became massively successful. Daron Malakian would often open shows with a “we’re on drugs” mantra and invite fans to take part in a “f— you” exchange, both of which would air on live television. Speaking of which, System even managed to slip an f-bomb past NBC’s censors during a performance of “B.Y.O.B.” on Saturday Night Live.

System of a Down never shied away from important political topics either, even canceling a performance in Turkey because SOAD wasn’t guaranteed freedom of speech by the Turkish government to discuss the Armenian genocide. Over a decade later, System would take the stage for a historic gig in Armenia to bring awareness to the genocide’s 100th anniversary.

Check out these Unforgettable System of a Down Moments and more in the video above!

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