A Unique Sound and a Strong Message:
“Aerials,” by System of a Down
Marco Schirripa
For thousands of years, music has been composed and performed in one way or
another for communication, praise, and enjoyment. What began as Gregorian chant
evolved into what we consider Baroque, and eventually into all of the diverse music we
experience today. Much vocal music began as sacred, performed to show appreciation
for God and other religious figures. However, music has over time become a form of art,
going much deeper than just sacred contexts. Composers began to use beautifully poetic
lyrics to tell stories or communicate some idea to the listener. In the present day, the idea
of communicating a message to an audience seems to be quite prevalent in popular
music. Bands like System of a Down are quite radical with their views and opinions, and
use their poetic (or sometimes blatantly crass and un-poetic) lyrics to communicate strong
and violent messages about war or government corruption to listeners. These words,
however, cannot accomplish their task alone, and are therefore strengthened by the music
that accompanies them. System of a Down has a unique sound as a band due to their
combination of common pop music compositional techniques with strong and
controversial subject matter, influences of Middle Eastern folk music, wide musical
diversity of the band members, and the sheer volume and power of their instruments. All
of the factors that contribute to the unique sound of System of a Down serve to solidify
and strengthen the strong messages present in their music. These examples can all be
exemplified in the song “Aerials,” from the 2001 album, Toxicity.
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Background
System of a Down is made up of four regular members: Daron Malakian, John
Dolmayan, Shavo Odadjian, and Serj Tankian. All of the members play multiple
instruments and take active roles in songwriting and composition for the group. This
alone adds the weight of several different minds to the mood of each album. In addition,
all four members are descendents of victims of the Armenian Genocide of World War I
(Wiederhorn). These factors lead to some of the defining characteristics of the band,
including their controversial song lyrics and subject matter as well as a strong devotion to
political and human rights activism. The group is sometimes criticized for speaking out
so strongly against aspects the United States government, but are at the same time praised
for not being afraid to make light of serious societal problems in a brutally vulgar and
honest, but poetic way.
The band has released five albums between 1998 and 2005, which each album
having a loose theme relating to war, government corruption, or the Armenian Genocide.
Toxicity was the second album to be released, and debuted at number one in both the
United States and Canada, selling 220,000 copies during the week of release (PR
NewsWire). “Toxicity” is defined as the state of “acting as a poison (“Toxic,” Webster’s
New World College Dictionary, 4th ed p. 1515),” and the album title could be considered
a metaphor for the damage that the United States government and society are bringing
upon the country. This ended up being incredibly controversial due to the release date of
September 4, 2001: one week before the infamous September 11th terrorist attacks.
Despite this potentially disturbing theme, the albums produced several singles that
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continue to be very well known and widely popular among listeners, with one of the most
prominent being “Aerials.”
It is also worth noting that System of a Down went on hiatus in 2006, and the
members all began to work on separate projects. Drummer John Dolmayan and bass
guitarist Shavo Odadjian formed a new band called Scars on Broadway, which produces
music similar in sound to System of a Down, but with less intense subject matter. Lead
singer Serj Tankian has released several solo albums with music similar in subject matter
to System of a Down, with a less distinct (and less popular) sound. This shows how the
band members fit together like a puzzle to create the unique sound required to adequately
convey the messages of their music.
“Aerials”
The harmonic makeup of “Aerials” is not too complex. The progressions are
essentially imitations of the melodic line, and almost every single chord in an open fifth,
or “power chord.” The song is in D minor and much of the music has a pedal D power
chord underlying, with the exception of the verses, which are the most harmonically
varied section. The beginning of the verse can really catch a listener by surprise on first
listen, as the first chord is an open fifth on Bb, or VI in the key of D minor (example 1).
The melodic line is centered mainly about the pitch E, as it wavers between E and D for
the first three measures, with an F thrown in near the end. This is a little bit curious, as E
creates a dissonance with both Bb and F, the two pitches of the underlying power chord.
D and F are both chord tones of Bb major, however, so the melody seems more as an
unstable wavering between dissonance and consonance, with the dissonance prevailing at
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the end of the first four measures of the verse. This can be related to a metaphor such as
light and darkness, as many other musical elements of the song can. The following four
measures of the verse are just instrumental, where the first two beats of each measure are
eighth note power chords on D, followed by a jump to G, F, E, and D an octave higher in
each measure, respectively (example 2).
These eight measures of harmony repeat a total of three more times during each statement
of the verse. For repeats three and four, however, the melodic rhythm is altered, and
another voice is added, doubling the melody in thirds. While the melodic rhythm before
has a good deal of running eighth notes to begin, and became more syncopated in the
third and fourth measures, the new rhythm contained a new syncopated rhythmic idea,
followed by declamatory eighth notes for the third and fourth measures (example 3). The
addition of an extra voice and a new rhythm contributes to a build in excitement leading
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to the chorus, which oddly has much less volume and energy than the verse prepares the
listener for.
While the harmonic makeup up the first is still quite simple, it causes the tonic
center to seem ambiguous for a while. This song is not modal, but System of a Down has
several other songs that use modes or traditional Middle Eastern scales. In tonal classical
music, composers can show tonic centers through cadences and leading tones, but it
becomes trickier when using modes, since leading tones are generally weakened or taken
away altogether. A composer must approach affirming a tonal center through other
means, such as repeating a pitch many times melodically, and starting and ending on said
pitch. The first four measures of the verse start and end on E, and contain mostly E’s
throughout. The E acts as a suspension and resolves down to D in the beginning of the
fifth measure, but for the first four measures, E is clearly the prominent pitch.
Furthermore, this is all over a Bb power chord, which only has one common tone, F, with
the tonic D, and since D always appears as a power chord as well, the F is not even a
common tone in this context. This does not seem like a direct modulation, however, but
just an attempt to briefly skew the listener’s perception of tonic for four measures.
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The chorus is also harmonically simple. There are eight measure phrases, just like
the chorus, but the melody consists only of scalar passages in D minor. The first four
measures contain two groups of three descending pitches, while the final four measures
contain an arch-shaped line, with a smooth scale rising from scale degree 3 to 6, then
back down to 1 (Example 4).
This melodic line could exhibit an example of “text painting” in the song, similar to how
German lieder composers such as Schubert would compose rhythms and melodic
contours to match the text of the music. While the interpretations of “Aerials” vary
greatly, upon first listen one might think “Aerials” to refer to airplanes. The gradual
rising and falling of the melody in the chorus reflects the rising and falling that an
airplane goes through in flight. In combination with the dark lyrics, this really helps to
put an existential air over the music.
The introduction and chorus also have a prominent guitar “riff” that is presents in
the background for several long sections, starting right at the beginning of the song. This
motive is mainly made up of arpeggiated D minor chords, ascending from F to D. The
contour of this riff follows the same idea brought about by the text painting in the chorus,
as the repeating ascending contour can symbolize a plane taking off right at the beginning
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of the song (Example 5).
This is also the only time in which an accompaniment voice contains the third of a chord.
Upon closer look, one can see that the line contains changing harmony, but the
arpeggiated A to D stays the same, and the first of each three eighth notes moves and
mostly outlines the main melody of the verse. The difference is that E is left out of the
melodic motion of this section, and is instead replaced with another F. This could be
simply from a composition standpoint because having an E in the progression would
cause stacked perfect 4th for one and a half beats, which may sound awkward in context,
especially within the one of the first measures of the song.
Finally, the beginning of the studio recording of “Aerials” contains solo cello
throughout the introduction. The song begins with four measures of cello whole notes,
starting at the end of the preceding track, and the cello comes back once the guitar
arpeggiation motive is established with a lyrical phrase floating above the texture. The
odd part about the presence of cello is that nothing heard from the cello relates to the rest
of the song. All of the material in the cello seems to be almost rhapsodic. The cello
melody beginning in the 11th measure is accompanied by the D minor guitar riff, but
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starts and ends on G and, in isolation, would appear as clearly centered around G
(Example 6).
If this is true, it would be G Dorian mode, but the main harmonic purpose seems to be to
create a sense of distance between the melody and accompaniment. The different in
tonality and modality makes the cello sound detached, and solemnly floating above the
music.
The form of “Aerials” is pretty standard for pop music. It is a compound AABA’
form with an introduction and a coda. The reason it is considered “compound’ is because
the A section does not contain just a verse, but a verse followed by the chorus, acting
together as the section (Covach 6). Following the introduction, this happens twice, the
second repetition of which leads into the bridge. The bridge is short, however, totaling
only eight measure in which the guitars merely state the melody from the chorus again in
parallel power chords, leading back into two more statements of the chorus with vocals.
The final repetition of the chorus is the most varied however, as the two voices are
singing the melody on a neutral “ah” syllable, harmonized in parallel sixths with the
exception of a perfect fifth whenever the line reaches tonic.
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Shortly after the song appears to have ended and the sound dies down, the call of
an Armenian duduk1 breaks the silence. After a rhapsodic and cadenza-like passage, a
tribal groove begins, with a simple chant melody being played over the groove on duduk.
After the duduk finishes the melody, several men’s voices emerge, vocalizing the melody
on the neutral “ah” syllable, in parallel octaves. The groove continues for a few more
seconds before abruptly ending the song and the album.2 The chant melody used in this
section of the song is actually an arrangement of an Armenian Church hymn entitled “Der
Voghormya,” or “Lord Have Mercy,” when translated to English. This is a common
traditional melody in Armenian culture use to pray to God and ask forgiveness for
failings (Hayastan.com) (Example 7).
1
The duduk is a traditional Armenian double reed instrument.
This is true for the studio recording of the song. Live performances usually do not
contain the second half of the song due to obvious limitations in personnel, though there
are instanced of the band performing arrangements of other Armenian folk songs on
stage. The radio edit also contains only the first half of the track.
2
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This information causes one to think about the context of this music and how it relates to
the first part of “Aerials,” implying that the subject matter may be even darker than
originally thought.
While the members of System of a Down all play multiple instruments, the duduk
player for this song is Arto Tuncboyacian, a world famous avant-garde folk musician. His
collaboration with the band is not only limited to this song, however, as his work can also
be heard on the song “Science” from the same album, and “Bubbles,” from Steal this
Album! (2002). These songs to do not share any obvious thematic link, and the band has
been known to just enjoy collaborating with Tuncboyacian, but it is no coincidence that
he was asked to play for the end of “Aerials.” It is only natural that this traditional hymn
be performed on a traditional instrument of the culture.
One could argue that the presence of Der Voghormya is not part of “Aerials,” but
instead just an added bonus to the end of the album. Compositional and performance
practices imply, however, that this inclusion was intentional and artistic. At the end of
“Aerials,” the chorus is stated for the final time on the neutral syllable “ah.” This is the
first time neutral syllables are used in the song. When the vocals come in during Der
Voghormya, they are on the same neutral syllable almost as if the end of the final chorus
was meant to prepare the listener for the folk song. Der Voghormya is in a different key,
however. The centric pitch is C and the mode is Aeolian. This is a whole step lower than
the first half of the song, but this also fits into the theme of descending scalar patterns
present in the song, as the harmony drops even one more step after descending down to D
multiple times throughout it.
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Interpretation
Upon first listen, one could imagine based on the lyrics that “Aerials” refers to the
September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. As the song is
followed by the Armenian chant Der Voghormya, the meaning seems even clearer. This
caused some controversy following the release of the album not because the song was
about 9/11, but because it actually came out on September 4th, 2001. This is one week
before the terrorist attacks occurred, meaning there is no way that the song could have
been referring to them! Most of System of a Down’s songs, including “Aerials,” were
temporarily removed from the radio for several weeks following the attacks, as many
similar media was. With this interpretive idea aside, the lyrics of the song become more
ambiguous (example 8).
Example 8
Lyrics to “Aerials” by System of a Down
Life is a waterfall,
We’re one in the river and one again after the fall.
Swimming through the void we hear the word,
We lose ourselves but we find it all.
‘Cause we are the ones that wanna play,
always wanna go but you never wanna stay.
We are the ones that wanna choose,
Always wanna play but you never wanna lose.
Aerials
In the sky.
When you lose small mind, you free your life.
Life is a waterfall,
We drink from the river then we turn around and put up our walls.
Swimming through the void we hear the word,
We lose ourselves but we find it all.
‘Cause we are the ones that wanna play,
always wanna go but you never wanna stay.
We are the ones that wanna choose,
Always wanna play but you never wanna lose.
Aerials
In the sky.
When you lose small mind, you free your life.
Aerials
So up high,
When you free your eyes, eternal prize.
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One possible interpretation is that the song is about striving to achieve one’s
dreams. The first line of text, “Life is a waterfall,” could refer to life always bringing
people down, or being discouraging. The reference to “swimming through the void”
symbolizes people being shrouded in darkness both about what they want in their lives,
and how to attain it. The final line of the first verse, “We are the ones that wanna
choose/Always wanna play but you never wanna lose,” is a statement about how many
individuals have dreams, but are afraid of failure. The use of the word “we” during the
verse strengthens this message, as it implies that the singer is not just addressing the
listener, but making a statement about himself as well, along with the rest of humanity.
In the chorus, the words “Aerials” refers to lofty dreams and how high and unattainable
they can seem. The final phrases of each chorus, however, “ When you lose small mind,
you free your life,” and “When you free your eyes, eternal prize,” tell the listener that
they can achieve those goals with an open mind.
One of the easiest ways a musical artist can express the meaning behind a song in
through a music video. In the case of “Aerials,” the music video does not relate to the
above interpretation of the song. The video features a very odd looking boy that for some
reason receives unlimited attention. The boy is wearing a striped shirt and overalls, and
his face looks like a cross between a cartoon alien and a human. When seen from the
side, it appears that the boy is made of plastic. The video shows many different scenes in
which the boy is always accompanied by many followers, always including two tall,
attractive women in red dresses. There are large pictures of the boy on many of the
buildings in the video, and there are scenes in which he is being harassed by paparazzi
and walking down the Hollywood walk of fame with the two woman that accompany
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him. The boy has an unpleasant scowl on his face throughout the entire video, with the
exception of one shot at the end, where he is standing with the two women in the middle
of a flurry of money and smiling. The video ends with the boy lying either asleep or dead
all alone.
The video implies an interpretation of the song relating to the downfalls of fame,
and how one’s life can be ruined once he or she becomes successful. The loyal followers
and pictures of the boy all over the city show the boy is famous, and his odd, plastic
appearance symbolizes how he is now seen as different from regular people. Many of the
lines of text, such as “’Cause we are the ones that wanna play, always wanna go but you
never wanna stay,” and “We are the ones that wanna choose, always wanna play but you
never wanna lose,” are references to materialism and greed in the minds of the famous
and successful. “Aerials” is a label given to those who have “risen above” the rest and
become successful, but “when you lose small mind, you free your life,” addresses how
happiness in life cannot be attained until the one-track mindset of money and materialism
is overcome. The end of the video, where the boy is left lying alone and motionless with
his eyes closed can correspond to the line “When you free your eyes, eternal prize.” This
appears to refer to either death or sleep, and how they are the only escapes from the
emotional torture the boy is experiencing.
The choice of including the Armenian hymn “Der Voghormya” on the album
makes sense in line with both interpretations of the music. The phrase “Lord have
mercy” can be applied to both the situation of one striving to attain their goals, and the
situation of the famous, but miserable boy wanting an end to the emotional turmoil. It is
almost as if the two interpretations are similar, but from two different sides of the
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situation. The Armenian chant is a request for the Lord to have mercy on all people
caught in this conflict.
Distinct Sounds
Musical background, melodic, harmonic, and formal analyses, as well as lyrical
interpretations all contribute to the final musical product. These elements in combination
give System of a Down a unique overall sound that truly distinguishes them as a band,
There are also examples of interesting instrumentations, such as the usage of the
Armenian duduk in “Aerials,” and the usage of different modes, like can be heard in “Der
Voghormya” and in the cello part at the beginning of “Aerials.” The vocal style heard
“Aerials” is also quite distinguishing, as Serj Tankian has a low, soft baritone voice that
is not so common in the genre, and compositionally, the band uses meaningless syllables
such as the open vowel “ah” sound heard in the song. There are also several instances of
the melody being doubled by a parallel interval present, which is common in many songs
by the band. A final distinguishing characteristic of System of a Down’s music is simply
the sheer volume of the instruments. Even a more melodic, ballad like song such as
“Aerials” is quite loud throughout. While loudness is relative, and System of a Down has
several songs that can get unbearable with the screaming and guitar riffs, “Aerials,” as
one of the more tame songs, still has the potential make the listener reach for the volume
dial.
The ideas of loud music and open-vowel sounds are not exclusive to System of a
Down, but the combination of all of the above characteristics work together to allow the
band to clearly articulate what they wish to communicate. Simple melodies and oftenaccessible harmony combine with other sounds not common to Western music. These
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sounds engage the listener, who is then bombarded with harsh words and strong
underlying messages presented by the sometimes lovely, and sometimes violently
screaming voice of Serj Tankian. This is all wrapped up in a package of intense volume,
making each detail difficult to miss.
Overall, System of a Down’s unique musical sound serves to solidify and
strengthen the messages present in their music. “Aerials” is a prime example of many of
the elements that distinguish the group from others, though not the one good choice. The
band’s popularity proves the success of relaying their ideas to mass audiences and
opening the listeners’ eyes to the want and need for change in many aspects of society.
System of a Down truly shows that all you need is a unique sound and a strong message.
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Works Cited
Aerials. Dir. David Slade. Prod. Black Dog Films. Perf. System of a Down. Youtube /
System of a Down - Aerials. 2 Oct. 2009. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-iepu3EtyE
Agnes, Michael, ed., “Toxic,” Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th ed.
(Cleveland, Ohio: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004.) Print. p. 1515
Gaunt, David. Massacres, Resistance, Protectors: Muslin-Christian Relations in Eastern
Anatolia During World War I. Piscataway, New Jersey: Gorgias Press LLC,
2006. 535 p.
Hayastan.com. “Liturgy of the Eucharist,” 2001-2007. Retrieved 7 March, 2011.
http://www.hayastan.com/armenia/religion/badarak/index5.php
Harris, Chris. MTV News. “System of a Down Aren’t Breaking Up, They’re Going on
Hiatus: Guitarist Daron Malakian says bandmembers need a break ,” 2006.
Retrieved 3 March, 2011.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1530066/system-down-plan-hiatus-afterozzfest.jhtml
Lancaster, Mike. Glendale High School Newspaper, March 2003. [web site] “The
Daron Malakian Interview.” Retrieved 7 March, 2011.
http://www.glendalehigh.com/malakian.html
Malakian, Daron and Tankian, Serj. “Aerials.” (Time: 6:13) Toxicity. System of a
Down. American Recordings, 2001. CD.
Naregatsi Art Institute. “The Official Website of Arto Tuncboyacian,” 2006. Retrieved 7
March, 2011.
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http://www.naregatsi.org/Artoistan/index_html.htm
PR NewsWire. “System of a Down Mezmerizes Fans Worldwide,” 2005. Retrieved 7
March, 2011.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/system-of-a-down-mezmerizes-musicfans-worldwide-54516757.html
Spicer, Mark and Covach, John, ed. Sounding Out Pop. Ann Arbor, Michigan:
University of Michigan Press, 2010. 265 p.
Wiederhorn, Jon. MTV News. “System of a Down Plan Benefit for Genocide
Awareness: Show Set for April 24 in Los Angeles,” 2004. Retrieved 7 March,
2011.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485692/system-down-plan-benefit.jhtml
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