System of a Down Announce 25th Anniversary Reissue of Toxicity
Armenian-American band System of a Down have announced a 25th anniversary reissue of their second album, Toxicity, alongside a new run of commemorative merchandise. The album originally came out on September 4, 2001. The band teased the merch line last week, covering vinyl, CD, T-shirts, a skateboard deck, and an ashtray. According to NME, the new vinyl went on sale via the band's official web store at 9pm PT on September 3.
What's in the reissue
The CD edition comes with new cover artwork and settles a long-running naming dispute: the hidden track fans have long called "Arto" is now officially titled "Der Voghormia", named after a traditional Armenian hymn.
The vinyl is pressed in a special color variant and comes with a bonus 7-inch single featuring "Johnny," a track that had previously only appeared on a handful of rare Toxicity editions.
The merch line
- A reprint of the T-shirt originally given out at the 2001 Toxicity release party — an event that was reportedly cut short by police intervention
- Earrings shaped like Chinese takeout boxes, themed around "Chop Suey!"
- A pocket mirror
- Several new T-shirt and hoodie designs
- A skateboard deck and an ashtray
Where's the new music?
System of a Down haven't released a studio album since 2005's Hypnotize. Bassist Shavo Odadjian told NME in 2024 that he'd make new material happen in a heartbeat if he knew the formula — it comes down to whether all four members line up at the right time, in the right headspace, at the right point in their lives.
The band's recent show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London earned a five-star review from NME, which said the band "redefined stadium rock." Separately, frontman Serj Tankian recently said that drummer John Dolmayan no longer supports U.S. President Donald Trump.