DOWN WITH A HARD-ROCK SYSTEM.

Byline: Fred Shuster Daily News Music Writer

Armenian rock - it may just be the Next Big Thing.

System of a Down - made up of four young Armenians from the Valley - built up such a buzz on the club scene that major labels launched a bidding war.

In the three years the group has been plying its trade, its eclectic, aggressive sound has won fans in Europe and the Netherlands.

Lead singer Serg Tankian says it's merely a coincidence that System of a Down's four members are Armenian, but concedes that the common bond may have something to do with the music's strength.

``Maybe being Armenian has allowed me to see more clearly injustice in the world,'' said Tankian, 30, of Sherman Oaks, referring to his country's troubled history. ``We're in touch with our heritage and culture, and we're proud of it.''

System of a Down's Rick Rubin-produced self-titled debut on American/Columbia is due Tuesday. The unusual band name stems from a poem by the quartet's guitarist Daron Malakian.

``The meaning is open to interpretation,'' Tankian said. ``It can mean different things for different people.''

The hard-rock genre has never been famous as pop's United Nations, but System of a Down - which blends metal, rap, rock and even Middle Eastern melodies - isn't the only ethno-metal outfit.

This week's hard-rock chart features East German band Rammstein and Brazil's Soulfly with ex-Sepultura singer Max Cavalera.

``We built up interest on the street by playing clubs when nobody was interested,'' Tankian explained. ``We entered the scene from nowhere.''

System of a Down, which recently opened a short tour for label mates Slayer, is currently on the road with Ozzfest, the hard-rocking summer trek featuring Ozzy Osbourne and others.

``The Slayer crowd is very intense,'' Tankian said. ``We got a tremendous response, taking into consideration that Slayer is the heaviest band you could ever open for. When we started out with them, we were wondering what would ever become of us. But whenever I went into the crowd after a show, kids were coming up and saying how much they liked us.''

Tankian said the game plan for his band involves lots of steady touring.

``From the first day, we never did this knowing we'd get played on the radio,'' the singer said. ``We don't even have a video concept or a single figured out yet. Building our roots is what's important right now. We do what we do and if it hits radio, fine.''

System of a Down's diverse sound (which sometimes includes a cover of Berlin's angsty '80s radio hit ``The Metro'') comes from the wide-ranging listening tastes of the band members, Tankian claims.

``We're into goth, jazz, hip-hop, pop, alternative, Armenian music - all sorts of things,'' said Tankian, who grew up in Hollywood. ``In other words, whatever is good. Someone told me there's no magic in finding good music but you know it when it hits you.''

Tankian, whose group has played often at such Sunset Strip clubs as the Viper Room, the Whisky and the Roxy, says there's more camaraderie than competition among bands on the local scene.

``The way I see it, the idea of competition is more an invention as far as I'm concerned,'' he said. ``On the street, everyone's just trying to do their best and be themselves.''

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Photo

Photo: System of a Down members Serg Tankian, left, Shavo Odadjian, John Dolmayan and Daron Malakian share an Armenian heritage.