Jon Dolmayan

[System_Of_A_Slipknot]

What you guys think about john. i think that he is very good drummer and i like system of a down a lot. tell me your opinion

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/John_Dolmayan.html

[Doom]

I like him alot and he comes across as a good drummer but he's never really impressed me. Thats not a big complaint and he certainly hasnt done anything I disagree with musically.

[slingerlandradioking55]

I think John is a good drummer. In fact, he was the guy who got me into System of a Down because i seen his drumming in the video Toxicity, and then i went out and bought the album. I love how he sounds on the new album.

[juanlopez174]

yeah hes pretty good listen to his drumming in songs like chop suey , aerieals , deer dance and X hes one of my favorites

[JohnnyDrums]

Ya hes always been an awesome drummer but i dont like Mezmorized as much as there old stuff it just dosnt have the same feel.

[Stu_Strib]

I took the Stu_Strib test with Dolmayan. Yep, that dude can play.

The test is, you listen to the music, then try to copy the style and feel of the seemingly easy sounding bits.

And damn, is his style unique and hard to copy.

Toxicity is a perfect example. Its not physically or musically challeging, its just really hard to nail.

[darkcherryfade]

Excellent drummer. Like Stu said, he has his own unique feel, very hard to match even if you can play the technical parts, which aren't necessarily that easy.

[Wegadrummer]

totally agree.. hard drummer to cody, great drumming..

[laurence_drummer]

i think jon is a great drummer, not tht he writes his own stuff but he contributes to it so much and makes the song wat it is!

he's not one of those drummers that just thrashes out on toms the whole time (joey jordison cough cough)...

the only problem is, he's c**p live!!

whot do u think of him?

[Smoky_McPot]

I think he's a great drummer!
Has a few quick changes, tasteful double kick work aswell.

[LordQuas]

I like his unique style. He doesn't sound like a "normal" metal drummer. I like System of a Down, too.

[Dyaxe]

im not a fan of the music he plays along with (SOAD) but i definetly like his style. He's never had me say "OMG!!!!111" but he's definetly an awsome drummer.

[Blue]

He's so unique. His choice of grooves and fills are so real and somehow unrepetitive (I don't get sick of it). The band itself is amazing. To articulate that much in that kind of style is not easy to do, with all of the crunching and low tones. They somehow manage to keep it interesting and dynamic. I really respect them, and I think that the drummer somewhat makes the band. He's so dynamic and full of energy. He has great chops, great feel, great timing.

[finnhiggins]

They do need to stop that damn guitarist singing though, he's severely mediocre. Serj is a much better vocalist, I can't stand the amount of lead time they took away from him on the new album in favour of hideous screeching. Urk.

[Doom]

Hehe, I definately agree with that. I dont know what possessed the band to let him sing when he is in no way a singer. I hope the second album this year from them has less of him. Stick to what he is good at.
In fact it leads to a complaint I have about SOAD. They have all the vocals coolness in Chop Suey for example but they cannot do it live at all. I've seen and heard them live (on videos and bootlegs) and they cant do it. I dont really like it when bands record things but then cant pull them off where it really matters.

[cdawg_2010]

I love the beginning of toxicty and the whole song i-e-a-i-a-i-o espically in the chorus with the floor tom thing. I think he's a great drummer

[rock_drummer91]

I think he's a great drummer. Although I don't too much like thier two recent albums.

[my charts]

I personally have been more inspired by john than any other modern rock drummer. He was my fav during a crucial part of my learning period on drums and he continues to be one of my faves. His style is completely his and he has a mastery of time, physically and conceptually. As for system, they continue to be one of my favorite modern rock bands, although I resent Daron singing so much on the new albums. If you don't like their releases this year, check out the self titled cd.

[Stu_Strib]

They do need to stop that damn guitarist singing though, he's severely mediocre. Serj is a much better vocalist, I can't stand the amount of lead time they took away from him on the new album in favour of hideous screeching. Urk.

I love the contrast of the two.

[Reflux own your mum]

They do need to stop that damn guitarist singing though, he's severely mediocre. Serj is a much better vocalist, I can't stand the amount of lead time they took away from him on the new album in favour of hideous screeching. Urk.
Agreed, especially considering what a versatile vocalist serj is, i can't quite believe how much they use the other guy now. dissapointing.

[ewanlaing]

i like john's work on "sugar" from their debut album. very jazzy. by the way, does anyone else think the prison song is pretty damn hard to keep up with?

[LordQuas]

i like john's work on "sugar" from their debut album. very jazzy. by the way, does anyone else think the prison song is pretty damn hard to keep up with?


Yeah, I like Sugar very much. A very great song.
And yes, I totally agree with you about the "prison song".

[lfdy]

I love the contrast of the two.

Yup, i agree.

And yeah, Dolmayan is a great drummer, his style fits SOAD perfectly.

[zildjian_dude101]

I love System, but there old stuff is better than their new stuff. Even though their new stuff is more complicated musically, their old stuff is more catchy. John's a great drummer, but nothing mind boggling. Most of it's simple.

[ewanlaing]

i do find some of their newer stuff i little hard to swallow at first yeah, but some mesmerise songs were very imnpressive.

[drumminfi3nd]

John is a great drummer. one thing i notice about him is that he loves to use his hi-hat alot. I gotta say he's got great coordination, for BYOB listen to what he does in the chorus. His feet are doing totally differnt things . Then throw in his hands, pretty coordinated dude.

[ewanlaing]

it was the song after that on the album that struck me for co-ordination. not sure of the title.

[rjsteinbach]

that would be revenga, I had an idea how he played then I saw them live, boy was i wrong. long story short i still cant do that damn ride bell part

[MooseMasterBass]

Saw that dude live, and i thought he might have trouble following his studio versions live. I was very wrong, that guy nailed it all spot on, he was probably one the first drummers i admired to the point of motivation enough to get into drumming, back in the Nu Metal days of my youth.... lol oh lord.

[Tamadrummer778]

I think that his style fits great with System of a Down, but I want to see him drumming by himself and see what he can really do.

[lfdy]

I've only seen live video's of them, but from what i've seen, he's really good...

[promark010]

I think he's a great drummer. Although I don't too much like thier two recent albums.

I agree with you 100%, i like the old system much better

[jp!]

Howdy do,
I dig the new albums =P they're just developing their sound and the rest.
I was just reading browsing wikipedia, and the article on Dolmayan mentions he has a unique "hi-hat to snare combo" that can be heard on Deer Dance, IEAIA!O, and Question!.
Do any of you guys/gals know exactly what lick is being referred to?
Cheers.
Oh and the track She's Like Heroine is sweet. I'm not going to say either Daron or Serj is the "better" vocalist, but they both contribute really well to that tune. Check it out!

[finnhiggins]

Oh and the track She's Like Heroine is sweet. I'm not going to say either Daron or Serj is the "better" vocalist, but they both contribute really well to that tune. Check it out!

Ugh. Heard it. Hated it. Burned a CD minus that track. That Daron guy just plain can't sing.

[fkleiner]

Well I can't speak much for his new stuff, I just won't waste my time on it. I can't even give the music a chance cuz of Daron Malakian's whine.... I'd much rather jam out to "Soil" from their first album, they had some real balls then.

But back on the discussion at hand, John is a very suitable member for the band. Somebody worth looking up to for new perspectives on the feel of a song.

[cdawg_2010]

I feel the same way about deron. I like some of there newer songs and when i looked at them they were all sung by serg! If you dont like deron i suggest checkin out This cociane makes me feel like im on this song, or revenga, but i think some of there better stuff was when it was heavier from toxicity and the first one

[finnhiggins]

I love the contrast of the two.

You mean, if you let that screechy guy sing then Serj sounds like Maire Brennan in comparison? Yeah, I guess that kind of works.

[ewanlaing]

i am very impressed at his ability to incorporate many stlyes within the normally very constrictive genre of heavy metal. although a large amount of his stuff you could hear from many drummers, he seems to have a sort of swing to his playing, which is interesting in the context of soad.

[pinkdaffodil]

PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU ARE JOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOD and Slipknot uses the same drummer?????? (system of a slipknot is the title, so.,.I am hoping I am wrong)....

I have always thought of them as two different (one good, and one ....not to my liking....at all...in any way...by any strech of the word ) drummers.

I like what I hear from System of a Down, and sure, he is fast in slipknot, but fast is not always good. All he does is double pedal and around the toms (it gets really booring after the first couple of seconds). absolutely no imagination, nothing inovative, no nothing....(in my oppinion, I am sure a lot of people will like him...I mean no disrespect to them. This is my oppinion, and my taste only...and before anyone feels the need to kill me...I am no authority in music, so relax)

Ofcourse I am in no position to belitle anyone. I am sure he is better then me, but I would never listen to that...

Maybe I am too blinded by my dislike for slipknot But WOW, I would have never guessed....

I am trailing off on a sidetrack..but...wow...I am surprised. I would have never guessed from just listening to them.

[ewanlaing]

no its not the same guy. that would be WEIRD though. imagine that. in fact, i never realised how many differences there were between the two.

[RammsteinBurns]

They do need to stop that damn guitarist singing though, he's severely mediocre. Serj is a much better vocalist, I can't stand the amount of lead time they took away from him on the new album in favour of hideous screeching. Urk.
I totally agree with you, however I don't agree with the guy who said that John was C**p live, because I have been to numerous System concerts, and I think he was awesome, I know I couldn't play that for an hour and a half!

[Drummer Karl]

Many people I know think that John is a player with the motto: I JUST WANNA HIT IT HARD!!!! but I think John is an exellent player! they often swap the groove: for example, 5/4 into a 7/4 or so...music isn`t my choice but the drumming really is head work!

[MSUMetal]

I think Jon is awesome, I've been thinking recently what people on here would say about him and I'm happy with the results. As for their two new albums, I like them a lot, it just took some getting used to. I agree that their harder and earlier albums kick A** (this is definately not counting Steal This Album, which I dont see anyone really mentioning I believe).

But yeah, this guy seems creative and doesn't stand out and wow you, but the more you listen to SOAD the more you like him.

[RammsteinBurns]

Hey, has anyone noticed how John seems to be a cymbal addict. I just noticed it lately, and now every time I listen to SOAD, I can't help but laugh, his drum kit is all cymbals!

[secondXheartbeat]

Jon Dalmayan is one of those great players that are technical, but also no when technicality is needed and when to just stay in the pocket.


Chad Sexton does that alot too, but thats for another thread!

[ewanlaing]

i just saw a really cool endorsement ad for paiste cymbals, with john and his kit underwater! very cool.

[~tamadrummer~]

i thought he used zildijian...

[ewanlaing]

so did i. i think he may have changed fairly recently.

[-{SiC}-]

I like the sound he make on his ride cymbal! Otherwise, he's a good drummer;)

[deadbirdsoup]

he i really like his sound, great drummer. also system are a great band.

[Cool Cat Magee]

Ive got every SOAD cd. The only "metal" band I like.

Their song "ddevil" is fun to play.

[cdawg_2010]

ya there one of the only metal bands i like too. I know all of thier songs, and everytime i listenin to a song, i like jons playin even better. He's a lot better on the new albums, he just seems to play what needs to go there, and it fits perfect.

[heartwork]

he is good drummer, not a extreme metal drummer like flo mounier (cryptopsy) or inferno (behemoth) but he have style and filling when he is playing, a good drummer.

[da cheese walks]

Jon Dolomayan is quite very good!!

I love his playing in "Violent Pornography" from Mezmerize....its really really really class!!

he does a really nice bit on the "betcha didnt know" bit....where he does some crash grabs an a few lovely rolls an it sounds superb!!hes not really one to overdo things....

Sugar is a lovely drum bit.....

oh an noones mentioning "steal this album" as a whole because most of it was tat

[tambian89]

Jon Dolmayan is a good, solid drummer. In no way am I a fan of System of a Down, but Dolmayan has skill. His beats and sense of phrasing are up to par, and he is probably the most talented member of the group.

-Marc

[DrumProgressive]

so did i. i think he may have changed fairly recently.

John has been a paiste drummer since 98'

[da cheese walks]

Jon Dolmayan is a good, solid drummer. In no way am I a fan of System of a Down, but Dolmayan has skill. His beats and sense of phrasing are up to par, and he is probably the most talented member of the group.

-Marc

ah i think that Serj is a brilliant vocalist too.....they totally downplay his abilities!i mean he has a brilliant vocal range....

[DrumProgressive]

Yup Serj totally rocks. I don't wat to offend John but it's Serj who makes system of a down for me.

[Daleacus]

Anyway. Someone asked about his cymbals - he's a Paiste user as far as I know. Have you heard Needles live? There's some nice cymbal work in that.

I want his old drum kit - I believe it was a Swingstar but with four toms, maybe? Whatever, I want one, but the only swingstars I could find had three toms - I guess it was a custom job. I copy a lot of his work, which he actually said he disliked in an interview, but his music is just so fun to play. He also said that he always plays to compliment the songs on the albums which I've noticed - his live playing is a lot more technical and, well, violent. He holds back a lot on the albums which is a shame in a way. He should release an album where he drums as hard as he wants - he also said (I swear, I'm not a stalker) that, because they record albums THEN play them loads live, he gets into songs once the album is out so his playing style changes altogether. I know it would never happen, but I'd like to hear them re-record Toxicity.

End of asskissing. Summarised: I like Dolmayan.

[drumfury]

its a great style hard to copy but all people have there own styles and no one can copy them perfectly because they are not them

[D.B.F.]

i love john dolmayan, he is a gfreat drummer (D.B.F. stands for dolmayans biggest fan)
and i wanted to ask why drummerworld offers no solo from him!

[drumbum]

i don't know what i can add that everyone else hasn't said. Jon D is definately one of my favorite drummers. he also influenced my drumming at a really important time in my development as a drummer.

i can add something about the guitarist's voice. i completely disagree when people say that he can't sing. it's definately not as easy as they make it seem to harmonize together (Serj and Daron) and they do it very well. i have friends that are talented singers who heard the album playing and commented on how well they harmonized together. obviously when Daron does the yelling/screaming thing it's not going to sound very good vocally, but, besides that, what he does vocally is not easy. try and sing along, not with Serj singing the melody, but with Daron singing the harmony...

[Wormsrock]

I think John is an amazing drummer, even on songs that aren't too fast and complex like Hypnotize, I found it hard to tell what he was doing! Love his work on toxicity!

[~tamadrummer~]

its a great style hard to copy but all people have there own styles and no one can copy them perfectly because they are not them
.....what?
20 charathfdhsf

[~tamadrummer~]

his name is john dolmayan

[tambian89]

I like John Dolmayan, but I do not like System of a Down. His drumming is, however very interesting. Toxicity had some cool parts throughout (although I did not like the album), and from what I have heard of him recently, he is good at double bassing. I also like his tuning, as it is not all "clicky" and triggered.

- Marc

[~tamadrummer~]

i like everything except his bass...its hard to hear and almose non-existant

[cdawg_2010]

i like everything except his bass...its hard to hear and almose non-existant
except in the prechourus in B.Y.O.B. with the "marching forward, hypocritic......" part with the 16th note triplets i think

[DrumProgressive]

except in the prechourus in B.Y.O.B. with the "marching forward, hypocritic......" part with the 16th note triplets i think

Yes that part is great. I once sang it with 7of my friends in a pub at maximum volume. I swear u get to see really weird faces of the people around u.

[osamasgoat5467]

He's amazing. Listen to I-E-A-I-A-I-O from Toxicity.

[osamasgoat5467]

except in the prechourus in B.Y.O.B. with the "marching forward, hypocritic......" part with the 16th note triplets i think
I know!!! It adds this whole different feel to that part of the song.

[driver]

hey i know this thread is a little far back but i just wanted to share something i found on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KX-MfVv2ueE&search=system%20of%20a%20down%20live

nice mini quick solo. dont often see him do that kinda stuff. not sure if it has been posted before. enjoy

[ege_the_drummer]

Dont usually see him do that but that was pretty good. Good find driver.

[Mikkel]

John is very good, on the "Toxicity" album he does a great job, after what I've heard he should be much better on the two new albums, Mezmerize and Hypnotize, but I haven't heard them yet, but he's a awesome drummer, for sure!

[ewanlaing]

John is very good, on the "Toxicity" album he does a great job, after what I've heard he should be much better on the two new albums, Mezmerize and Hypnotize, but I haven't heard them yet, but he's a awesome drummer, for sure!
those three albums showed me than he is always on top of the drumming. his speed is very impressive, as is his stamina. and i think he's struck a good balance between complimenting the song and displaying his talent.

[fijjibo]

john dolmayan is fortunate enough to be the drummer in one of the tightest and together bands of out era. his playing on X is amazing!

[Tam]

I like cause he dosent take things over the top but he still keeps a solid unique drum thing going and i totally agree with you the new malekin stuff sucks and soil rulz.

[leewale]

i personaly got into drumming from listening to jorison and dolmayon, the sheer changes in speed from dolmayan shows real talent, and his uniuqe style is jst insane, on a side note, i would like to say that, although he isent the best out there, what he plays sounds good, and after seeing him live he nevver missed a beat, on yet anouther siden ote, i personalyl ike the contrast between daron and serj, although serj isd the much better vocals, daron dus sound apsolutly horid live.

[rendezvous_drummer]

I really like this drummer. I've just recently got into System of a Down and i love his style.

[nathaniel]

i think he is a lot better than joey jordison and is one of the best metal drummers in the world. he has very good speed and endurance.

[averypoordrummer]

his playing blew me away when i heard "Mesmerize".
just the tightest, most solid drumming i think i've ever heard

[DrumProgressive]

He's amazing. Listen to I-E-A-I-A-I-O from Toxicity.

That song is form 'steal this album' my friend.

[~tamadrummer~]

Great drummer, great band...what more is there to say? I think he's one off the best rock drummers out there...maybe a little behind Danny Carey.

[Class A Drummer]

i agree with what most people are saying, i belive he is a great drummer, like probably great at grooving and stuff, and of course recording. But i want to know how great he is at soloing. He is probably like me, not the greatest at soloing, but alot better at jamming.

[~tamadrummer~]

i agree with what most people are saying, i belive he is a great drummer, like probably great at grooving and stuff, and of course recording. But i want to know how great he is at soloing. He is probably like me, not the greatest at soloing, but alot better at jamming.

Theres a mini solo at the top of the page. You really need to stop talking.

[Class A Drummer]

Theres a mini solo at the top of the page. You really need to stop talking.
maybe i didnt click it. jeez chill out. ill say it one more time, your a jerk.

[~tamadrummer~]

I could care less what you think. I'll say it one more time, stop posting. Really I mean, have you ever contributed to a thread at all? Ever actully gave good advice? Ever help someone out? I didn't think so.

[ewanlaing]

chill out. you both think he's great, whats the problem?
you're senior members too. not really helping to promote a civilised style of discussion to newcomers.
i think jon's solo is really good, but i think he's more comfortable playing along to something. my favourite metal drummer, but then i'm no expert.

[~tamadrummer~]

Its not like this is the first thing...read some of his posts/threads.

[daviddrummer]

I think John is definetly a good drummer and his style is unique. I also am a fan of System of a Down.

[KLittle123]

I could care less what you think. I'll say it one more time, stop posting. Really I mean, have you ever contributed to a thread at all? Ever actully gave good advice? Ever help someone out? I didn't think so.
Oh Ouch, and the truth comes out.

[Audun_D]

Very kewl drummer. Interesting fills and grooves. A very good drummer indeed. But I agree that his latest stuff is not as good as his older stuff.

[drummer_dude_48]

You're right. his new stuff isnt as good as his work on the original CD or Toxicity for example. I think hes a great drummer though, with some interesting grooves. it fits well with the rest of the band. If anyone disagrees with me and says that he sucks, go back and have a listen to I-E-A-I-A-I-O, Know and Toxicity. those three will change your mind.

[infernal drummer]

PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU ARE JOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOD and Slipknot uses the same drummer?????? (system of a slipknot is the title, so.,.I am hoping I am wrong)....

I have always thought of them as two different (one good, and one ....not to my liking....at all...in any way...by any strech of the word ) drummers.

I like what I hear from System of a Down, and sure, he is fast in slipknot, but fast is not always good. All he does is double pedal and around the toms (it gets really booring after the first couple of seconds). absolutely no imagination, nothing inovative, no nothing....(in my oppinion, I am sure a lot of people will like him...I mean no disrespect to them. This is my oppinion, and my taste only...and before anyone feels the need to kill me...I am no authority in music, so relax)

Ofcourse I am in no position to belitle anyone. I am sure he is better then me, but I would never listen to that...

Maybe I am too blinded by my dislike for slipknot But WOW, I would have never guessed....

I am trailing off on a sidetrack..but...wow...I am surprised. I would have never guessed from just listening to them.

dude. title is "jon dolmayan" . the writers name is "system of a slipknot" :)

p.s. i like john's setup, with all those cymbals..

[infernal drummer]

Theres a mini solo at the top of the page. You really need to stop talking.

i really wouldnt call that a solo.. we wanna see more :)

[Smoky_McPot]

I polished up Question! and Cigaro to jam with my guitarist the other day, Jon's drumming is great and fun to play. I think a small amount of grooves in Hypnotize / Mezmerize have been overdone, but not to the detriment of the music imo. I-E-A-I-A-I-O is one of my faves, as is Mr. Jack.

[daddyyabjee]

PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU ARE JOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOD and Slipknot uses the same drummer?????? (system of a slipknot is the title, so.,.I am hoping I am wrong).....

No. Charlie Benante played for SOD, but I'm assuming you meant 'System of a Down', which John Dolmayan is the drummer. Joey Jordison plays for Slipknot (obviously). And System of a Slipknot is the thread starter's user name.

[Zchnullmund]

Jon Dolmayan is a good, solid drummer. In no way am I a fan of System of a Down, but Dolmayan has skill. His beats and sense of phrasing are up to par, and he is probably the most talented member of the group.

-Marc


well I don`t think shavo the bass player do so much special but if you look at some live scenes you see that he often only play with one hand and do gestures with the other.

anyway john is a great player and SOAD is my fav band. but I didn`t know that he playes in the south park series...cool

[0cean]

I actually met him like a month ago... well.. im young. lol.. andm y mom plays keyboards.. she was rehearsing next to system at third encore. so yeah i met all of system but serj. John even showed me his kit.. its REALLY cool.. the shell.. it has comics customly drawn on it. well not comics but comic characters. He said that he really likes comics so he had that done. He also said that he'd been playing for either 14 or 17 years. i forgot... haha...

[aahznightsky]

One thing I don't understand is why people say to take a listen to I-E-A-I-A-I-O if you want to hear his drumming for real. Because there really isn't anything special to the drumming in that track. Not that I don't like the song. But if you want to show others his drumming ... IMO his best playing is on Mezmerize

Show the groove section of B.Y.O.B. for sure.
And then the section in Revenga, with the offbeat hi hat and that figure on the ride ... a very cool part.
And then Question has some nice work in the odd time parts ... how he orchestrates both the 9/16 and 3/4 sections before the chorus is very well done! My two favorite SOAD songs are Question and Aerials for sure.

[tmc]

maybe i didnt click it. jeez chill out. ill say it one more time, your a jerk.

Not to be mean, or anything, but don't they teach the fundamentals of grammar and spelling anymore? If you're in such a hurry (giving you an out here), why bother posting... I hate CAPS lock as much as the next guy, but ill really doesn't come close to I'll, and your means something completely different from you're. Here, I'll give you an example... Your arguments carry a lot more weight when you're a better commnuicator. See, now that wasn't too bad, was it? You may eventually become a great drummer, but nobody will know it if you can't communicate clearly and effectively away from the kit.

-Michael

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

TMC, can you please give me a hug? Bad grammar and spelling are two of my biggest pet hates around here. Not to pick on anybody, but translating from 'idiot' sometimes takes a while.

[beatsMcGee]

i like Jon.. hes smooth, quick, knows the groove and how to lay it... i liked SOAD's earlier stuff but some of their really dumb songs get on my nerves..

[tmc]

TMC, can you please give me a hug? Bad grammar and spelling are two of my biggest pet hates around here. Not to pick on anybody, but translating from 'idiot' sometimes takes a while.


Dude, consider yourself hugged...

Rock on!
-Michael

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Dude, consider yourself hugged...

Rock on!
-Michael

Hooray! You just made me very happy on the inside.

[tmc]

i like Jon.. hes smooth, quick, knows the groove and how to lay it... i liked SOAD's earlier stuff but some of their really dumb songs get on my nerves..


Hey beatsMcGee.

Jon is good, I like listening to him. I agree about their 'dumb songs", but I am impressed with their discography. In fact, I'm looking forward to their next album.

-Michael

[Jason Strange]

I took the Stu_Strib test with Dolmayan. Yep, that dude can play.

The test is, you listen to the music, then try to copy the style and feel of the seemingly easy sounding bits.

And damn, is his style unique and hard to copy.

Toxicity is a perfect example. Its not physically or musically challeging, its just really hard to nail.

He is the reason I started playing in bands. He is my biggest influance. I actully gets to me when people write him off as an ok drummer.

[torben]

I took the Stu_Strib test with Dolmayan. Yep, that dude can play.

The test is, you listen to the music, then try to copy the style and feel of the seemingly easy sounding bits.

And damn, is his style unique and hard to copy.

Toxicity is a perfect example. Its not physically or musically challeging, its just really hard to nail.

I tried it too, but it's partly made hard because there is no band playing with me to give my playings fell a setting if you know what i mean...

[AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken]

I don't understand why people bag on "Steal This Album". It's one of my favorites - definitely higher on my list than their last two. I guess if you like SOAD because you're really an angry angst-filled person that album might upset you because it's so damn fun. Catchy and pointless and fun. Great for long drives.

[Gil_drummer]

Personally, I lost interest in System of a Down when they released "Mesmerize" and "Hypnotize." They really had the metal sound going for them in the self-titled debut. I enjoyed the anger on that album. "Toxicity" was a more mature album, but still had that metal sound to it.
Despite my lost interest in SOAD, I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Dolmayan's drumming. Being Armenian like he is, I see where he gets some of his licks from. He is influenced by Armenian and Middle Eastern music, and the smooth way in which he incorporates those influences is extremely impressive. Solid. Just solid.

[mariana_soad_john]

John is very...very...very Armenian!;)armenians will understand me=)
And he is so sweeeet!!!That's why I can't stop thinkin of him=(

[mariana_soad_john]

...and he is the BEST drummer in the world!(...in my opinion;)

[drumzot]

John is an awesome drummer and soad rules. Why do you hate their last albums? Holy mountains, hypnotize, soldier side... they 're all brilliant songs!

[DWfan20005]

His drumming style is quite possibly the most original of all the new metal bands. U can listen to a new metal band and tell its soad because of John Dolmayans drumming. I do not agree with his choice of cymbals though. Paiste=bad.

[driver]

Paiste=bad.

I love his cymbals. His crashes mix so well with the music. Blend in nicely. Its all personal

[Mr. Pasquini]

I'm sad to say: Daron should quit singing forever. He's a fine guitarist, but the boy should quit singing. He was the downfall of Mes/Hyp. I loved Steal This Album and System of a Down, and toxicity was pretty good, but Daron didn't sing. John is a great drummer though. His more exotic rhythms and grooves are always fun to listen to.

[driver]

I dont think Daron should stop all together. Listen to Ego Brain with your headphones on and just focus of his vocals. For me it really makes the song. The early albums he didnt sing much but I think they got it spot on for Steal. Its the perfect ammount of Daron which isn't much and its more harmonies than a full on annoying song like Lonely Day (this coming from a huge soad fan that still loves every album so much) but saying that anyone who saw System on their tours for the mez/hyp tours has to agree that Serj's voice is not what it used to be and hopefully a long break is what he needs to get it back.

But to move back on topic I think its a huge shame that John is not planning to do any drumming in the break, just his comic store. I'd love to hear what he can do in some diffrent styles.

[Mr. Pasquini]

Yea, I was wrong in saying he should quit altogether, but he doesn't have the voice to be a lead singer at all.

[drummguy731]

i think jon is a great drummer, not tht he writes his own stuff but he contributes to it so much and makes the song wat it is!

he's not one of those drummers that just thrashes out on toms the whole time (joey jordison cough cough)...

the only problem is, he's c**p live!!

whot do u think of him?

crap live???? what are you talking about? have you ever seen the live videos. he's solid as heck! awesome drummer.

[DWfan20005]

crap live???? what are you talking about? have you ever seen the live videos. he's solid as heck! awesome drummer.

He was at his best on some MTV Europe awards show but other then that theyre good live.Check them out on youtube.

[Eye of the Beholder]

SOAD would have sounded totally different without john, probably like just another metal band

[drovja]

Prison Song is so crazy and fast. This guy's a great drummer!!

[BrynnerAgassi]

Johns a good drummer. I dont know how well he does with dynamics, of course SOAD is rock, and really does not call for too much dynamics, but he is good... I would like to see him do some different type of drumming for bands though, see what he can bring to the table.

Brynner

[Resok]

But to move back on topic I think its a huge shame that John is not planning to do any drumming in the break, just his comic store. I'd love to hear what he can do in some diffrent styles.

Havent you heard of scars on broadway? Him and Daron are in that.
John is such an original drummer, he influences me in nearly everything that I play.

[m1ck]

i like john's work on "sugar" from their debut album. very jazzy.

I'm trying to learn it. There's nothing in there I can't play, with practice, but it's trickier than I initially assumed. There are a few parts where I can't pick apart exactly what he's doing, so I Googled drum tab for the song.

Question. How can you know that a transcription is correct? You see differences from transcript to transcript, and sometimes it's hard to tell from a recording - even a good one - exactly what's being hit. Even their own play-along material does not seem to match what you hear on the album, in places.

BTW, I'm a big fan of SOAD and wanted to revive this thread about their drummer, whom I think kicks @ss.

[mrsbarker17]

john as the coolest drumset i have ever seen. i love the amount of flour toms he has and all the cymbals. some day i will have the SAME exact set
GO TAMA

[ugotpwnd]

its a shame that soad broke apart really like their flow. Just not feeling scars on broadway as much.
john is still an awesome drummer though, he was a big influence why i wanted to start drumming, he left a lasting impression.

[Pavlos]

SOAD is great and so is Dolmayan. What I like is how many different parts there are to their songs and how quickly they change it up. You would think this would make their music disjointed, but it really works well for them. A very original sound all around too. I think Dolmayan is a very underrated drummer.

[Anne Beeche]

He's not a bad drummer. I like some of his beats. (He uses a really nice one you can hear in ADD and Innervision, two of System's best songs.)

Actually, System of a Down the first band I listened to where I appreciated all aspects of the music besides lyrics. Without System I probably would never have learned to appreciate Rush.

[HOUSTON 94]

John may be going to The Smashing Pumpkins

My favorite quote, "Its like making love. Sometimes you feel like doing it slow, sometimes you feel like f***ing really hard, same thing with music"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVz7Jpz0Eos&feature=related

[Buddy9832]

I used to be a huge SOAD fan when I was younger, and I did learn a few tricks from John Dolmayan's drumming.

But as a few others have said, he doesn't necessarily impress me. There's nothing that really catches my attention in his drumming.