10 Hard Rock Bands Who Kept The Same Lineup

There are only a handful of bands that you could say had lightning in a bottle. Only once or twice a generation, a band comes along that is so singular in their sound that they seem to transcend the confines of their respective genre. People probably didn't expect that out of the nu metal craze, but System of a Down were the counterpoint to the whinier side of hard rock.

With albums like Toxicity and Mesmerize to their name, the band created some of the most engaging nu metal ever, as they make bold indictments about everything from drugs to politics to the broken prison system. It's easy to get lost in the guitar riffs from Daron Malakian, but Serj Tankian's vocals are some of the most delectable musical pieces of the 2000s. It may seem a bit nasally at first, but Tankian's accuracy of pitch is almost mind-boggling.

Even in the rhythm section, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan help propel the band forward, creating riffs as well as transitioning from hardcore punk heaviness to slow and controlled in no time at all. Though the band has been active off and on for decades now, there's no getting around the chops each of these members possess.