SYSTEM OF A DOWN / SCARS ON BROADWAY Daron Malakian Breaks Down His Most Iconic Albums for Metal Injection

SYSTEM OF A DOWN and SCARS ON BROADWAY mastermind Daron Malakian has sat down with Metal Injection for a rare deep-dive into the albums that shaped his legacy. In a candid, story-packed conversation, Malakian opens the vault on his songwriting history — revealing the influences, environments, and unexpected twists behind some of modern metal’s most defining records.

Malakian reflects on early System of a Down material and the explosive era surrounding Toxicity, noting that tracks like “ATWA” carried a melodic sensibility directly inspired by The Beatles. He even shares that much of Toxicity was written while he was still living at home with his parents, crafting future anthems in the most unassuming setting imaginable. The conversation jumps forward to “B.Y.O.B.”, where he recalls the surreal moment the politically charged single won a Grammy — a milestone he still views as one of the band’s proudest achievements.

When talking about SCARS ON BROADWAY, Malakian makes it clear that the project stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his System catalog. He emphasizes that he’s equally proud of both bodies of work, and even admits that many Scars songs could have easily been System of a Down tracks had circumstances aligned differently. For him, Scars isn’t a side step — it’s a continuation of the same creative lifeblood.

This rare glimpse into Daron Malakian’s artistic world is filled with honesty, humor, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes only he could tell. For fans of System of a Down, Scars on Broadway, or simply the evolution of modern heavy music, this feature is essential viewing — a masterclass from one of metal’s most distinctive voices.