Please note the poltical views imposed/implied by the author are the author's own views and should not be affiliated with the entirety of The Doodler.

'THE ROCK 'N' WAR SERIES' is a series by The Doodler dedicated to covering rock songs that cover political themes regarding war. This series aims to show the outlook of musicians and artists on war, the ways rock music deals with political themes, and especially the ways rock musicians help bring to light severe issues in war and society. The primary author for this series is none other than Jeevessh Tiresh, Head of Illustrations, strong anti-war advocate and passionate musician.

Picture this.

You stand, shattered, at the heart of a devastated battlefield, exhausted and on the brink of madness. You limp steadily through the land your leaders now possess, a piece of shrapnel plunged deep into your ankle, throbbing with every step you take. Your once green uniform has been stained with the blood of your friends and enemies. Death came minutes before a ceasefire, driven by ego and greed.

You look at your hands. They’re a bright red.

“Soldier Side” by Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on their 2005 album ‘Hypnotize’, shines light on this very scene. However, unlike “War!” a song from their self-titled debut album ‘System Of A Down’ (1998), which magnifies the reality of war for the people, this nu-metal ballad explores the often-ignored mental states of veterans. Soldier Side is a haunting anti-war artwork on the tragic cost of conflict, uncovering how ordinary soldiers bear the suffering and sacrifice of wars started by the heartless, selfish, and quite frankly idiotic people in power. 

The title ‘Soldier Side’ itself is a clever use of wordplay – side is meant to represent ‘cide’, which is used as a suffix to represent killings. Examples of the usage of this suffix include, suicide (killing one’s self), genocide (killing/destruction of a large group), and homicide (the killing of a human by another). In the light of the song’s critical stance regarding war, the song is implying that war is nothing but inevitable death for soldiers. Incidentally, the working title of the song was ‘Soldiercide’.

 “Dead man lying on the bottom of the grave, wondering when saviour comes.” This hook paints a tragic image of a fallen soldier - eternally awaiting a saviour who never came. Daron Malakian, writer of “Soldier Side” uses this imagery to suggest that the impacts of war are carried beyond the grave. This symbolises the futility and broken promises of ludicrous leaders.

Other lines, like “God is wearing black.” The colour “black” is usually worn as a sign of respect or mourning at funerals. The phrase could suggest the bloodshed and unnecessary death depict God, a being who is usually illustrated as bright and white, as wearing black. During the time Soldier Side was released, many countries were struggling with the devastating impact of the ongoing Iraq War, in which roughly 280,000 to 315,000 had died, including civilians, soldiers, and fighters. the human cost of war was too high.

The song serves as a potent reminder of the true cost of war. Through soul-splitting imagery and symbolic lyrics, it focuses on the physical and psychological scars carried by ordinary soldiers and the broken promises that often accompany it. Eventually, Soldier Side pulls listeners to reflect on the human suffering behind war and to question the corrupt, hypocritical system and ignorant, “peace-loving” criminals who send soldiers into battles that cause merciless devastation. It brings us to a question we need to reflect on. Why are we allowing criminals to rule a broken nation? Or in the words of Daron Malakian, "What is in us that turns a deaf ear to the cries of human suffering?"