System of a Down

Armenian-American firebrands System of a Down push their socially-conscious, politically-charged messages into the mosh pits, incorporating '80s thrash, muscular alternative metal, and Armenian/Eastern European folk elements. Their dark and unpredictable style led them from a cult following to a full-blown movement with breakout hit Toxicity, which debuted at number one in 2001 and planted them at the top of the charts through the early 2000s with a pair of related albums, Mezmerize and Hypnotize. Soon afterward, the band took an extended hiatus, branching off into various sol...