System Of A Down has returned to the stage for a series of North American stadium shows, kicking off the tour with a powerful and poignant tribute to the late heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne. During their set at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the band surprised fans by performing a Black Sabbath cover for the first time in over two decades.
Before launching into the performance, guitarist and vocalist Daron Malakian took a moment to reflect on the band’s history with Osbourne, recalling their past association with the Ozzfest touring festival. He told the crowd: “We did a few Ozzfests. Some of you are old enough that you were there. Some of you weren’t even born yet. I want to thank Ozzy Osbourne. We want to thank Ozzy Osbourne.”
Following a heartfelt chant of the metal icon’s name, Malakian introduced the cover of Black Sabbath‘s 1972 track, “Snowblind.” The band had not performed the song live since 2002. They originally recorded their rendition for the 2000 album, Nativity in Black II: A Tribute to Black Sabbath. In addition to the surprise cover, the band’s setlist featured another notable rarity: the first performance of “Tentative,” from their album Hypnotize, since 2015. They also included brief medleys of The Go-Go‘s “Our Lips Are Sealed” and The Who‘s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” woven into other songs.
The band’s performance in New Jersey marks the beginning of a brief tour that will continue into early September.
System Of A Down – August 27, 2025 Setlist:
- “Soldier Side – Intro”
- “B.Y.O.B.”
- “Suite-Pee”
- “Prison Song”
- “Aerials”
- “Science”
- “Deer Dance”
- “Darts”
- “Radio/Video”
- “Dreaming”
- “Hypnotize”
- “ATWA”
- “Bounce”
- “Suggestions”
- “Psycho”
- “Chop Suey!”
- “Lonely Day”
- “Lost In Hollywood”
- “Snowblind” (Black Sabbath cover)
- “Tentative”
- “Mind”
- “DAM”
- “Toxicity”
- “Sugar”
System Of A Down North American Tour Dates:
With Korn, Polyphia & Wisp:
- 08/28 New York City, NY – Metlife Stadium
With Avenged Sevenfold, Polyphia & Wisp:
- 08/31 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
- 09/01 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
With Deftones, Polyphia & Wisp:
- 09/03 Toronto, ON – Rogers Stadium
- 09/05 Toronto, ON – Rogers Stadium
