System of a Down – B.Y.O.B

System of a Down’s B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bombs) is a chaotic, politically-charged metal anthem filled with razor-sharp riffing, aggressive rhythms, and unexpected tempo shifts. At LickLibrary, we’ve broken down every element of this explosive track in a detailed, note-for-note guitar lesson that challenges and inspires intermediate to advanced guitarists. This is more than a song breakdown—it’s a toolkit of vital techniques used by one of metal’s most inventive players. Richard Shaw breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Song & the Guitarist

“B.Y.O.B.” was released in 2005 on the Grammy-winning album Mezmerize. The track is driven by the unconventional and brilliant guitar work of Daron Malakian, who serves as both lead guitarist and co-vocalist for System of a Down. Malakian’s style blends thrash metal aggression, Armenian folk influences, and punk-rock unpredictability. His guitar parts veer between manic and melodic, constantly shifting gears and demanding both technical precision and creative flair from the player.

Malakian’s influence in modern metal cannot be overstated—his riffs are often rhythmically challenging, harmonically interesting, and tonally aggressive, offering guitarists an opportunity to explore new ground far beyond typical power chord fare.

Song Breakdown & Guitar Techniques

Crushing Palm Muted Riffs

The intro and verse sections are marked by percussive, palm-muted riffs. These demand rhythmic precision and excellent control over pick attack and right-hand muting. You’ll need tight execution to get the punchy, chugging feel Malakian delivers.

Benefit: Builds rhythm accuracy and dynamic control essential for all styles of heavy guitar playing.

Intense Galloping and Syncopated Rhythms

“B.Y.O.B.” is driven by fast-paced galloping rhythms and syncopated accents. These patterns appear throughout the song and are especially crucial in transitions and chorus sections. They add a sense of urgency and movement that makes the track so explosive.

Benefit: Sharpens your timing and teaches how to control complex rhythms, essential for metal and progressive rock genres.

Power Chord Mastery and Open-String Riffing

Throughout the track, you’ll find creative uses of power chords paired with open-string riffs. These give the song its thick, heavy backbone while allowing for a broader harmonic palette.

Benefit: Enhances your rhythm playing and teaches how to use open strings to add depth and aggression to riffs.

Alternate Picking Speed and Clarity

This lesson emphasises alternate picking during the faster passages, especially in the verse and bridge sections. Consistency and control are key to executing the rapid-fire down-up strokes required.

Benefit: Builds the foundation for speed and precision, especially in metal, punk, and shred styles.

Chromaticism and Dissonant Flair

Malakian uses chromatic note movement to add unease and unpredictability to the song’s riffs. These passages often create tension before resolving back into more stable chord progressions.

Benefit: Expands your melodic vocabulary and understanding of how dissonance can enhance songwriting.

Screaming Pinched Harmonics

Certain lead accents and riff peaks are punctuated by pinched harmonics, giving them a fierce, squealing edge that slices through the mix.

Benefit: Improves your articulation and adds expressive bite to your lead and rhythm work.

Fluid Slides and Smooth Legato Phrasing

Slides and legato lines are used to transition between phrases, especially in lead moments that contrast the song’s heavier parts. These add flow and finesse to otherwise rigid riff sections.

Benefit: Improves fretboard navigation and helps you play with more fluidity and expression.

High-Energy Tremolo Picking

Some passages require aggressive tremolo picking to maintain intensity, especially during bridge and instrumental transitions. These fast, repeated notes give a frantic energy to the track.

Benefit: Builds endurance and right-hand control, useful for both lead playing and atmospheric effects.

Why You Should Learn “B.Y.O.B”

This lesson is a goldmine for guitarists looking to add variety, speed, and precision to their playing. It introduces a range of modern metal techniques that will:

• Improve your rhythmic accuracy through complex patterns.
• Increase picking speed and coordination.
• Expand your use of dissonance and chromatic movement in riff writing.
• Add expressive articulation with harmonics and legato phrasing.

Whether you're into metal, punk, or experimental guitar work, learning "B.Y.O.B" will boost your confidence in handling tempo changes, odd phrasing, and high-energy performance.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Palm Muting
• Power Chords
• Alternate Picking
• Galloping Rhythms
• Syncopated Rhythms
• Open-String Riffs
• Chromaticism
• Pinched Harmonics
• Slides
• Legato
• Tremolo Picking

Get inside the mind of one of modern metal’s most creative guitarists. Learn every note of “B.Y.O.B.” with LickLibrary’s detailed guitar lesson—and take your playing to the next level.