Aerials

“Aerials” was released in June 2002 as the third single from System of a Down’s second album Toxicity, which itself was released in September 2001. It was critically and commercially successful; the song was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2003 Grammy Awards. Although Daron Malakian said in some shows that “Aerials” doesn’t mean anything, the overall theme of the song is our mistaken views of ourselves as being individual and isolated from the rest and how we actually are a tiny part of something greater, from which we come when we are born, and to which we go when we die. It speaks of clinging to life and not accepting death, because we see death as an ending, not as another step of existence. When we die, our matter is decomposed and is transferred to things like worms that feed on us, to the atmosphere in the form of gas, and to the ground and plants that feed on him. We are always moving through the circle of existence, there is no stillness, only movement, and transformation. On many CD issues, “Aerials” is listed as a single track with a length of 6:11. In reality, “Aerials” itself ends at around 3:54, while the rest of the length is taken up by a hidden track unofficially named “Arto.”

Writing

Daron Malakian, Serj Tankian

Production

Daron Malakian, Rick Rubin, Serj Tankian

Sampled by

All White Funeral — Lil Raven · Badlands — Brennan Savage · Horse of Flies — Gibusnipu

Interpolated in

Schizophrenic God Television — SKAeM · the ending to a movie where everyone dies — Syntax (AU) · Quiero — Pignoise

Covered by

Aerials — The Scratch · Aerials — EMEL · Aerials — Kadinja

GeniusMusicBrainz