Spiders is a song by the nu metal band System of a Down from their self-titled debut album System of a Down. It was released on February 10, 1999. Spiders, like many of System of a Down’s songs, is written in the key of C minor.
The song relies heavily on the Cm, B♭, and E♭ chords, as well as Fm, Gm, A♭, B, and D♭. Spiders uses 4/4 time at a slow tempo, and employs drum-rolls and syncopation in the verses. The music can be described as haunting, ominous, dark, frightening, and depressing with its dark melody and echoing vocal overdubs.
Serj Tankian‘s vocals, while low and melodic in the verses, become more energetic and dissonant in the refrains. The song’s minor-key intro serves as a musical motif for the rest of the song; it repeats throughout the song in its normal and raised third forms.
After the second refrain, Daron Malakian delivers a solo bridge that creates harmonic tension with its B and D♭ (non-key) chords. The song ends with a soft vocal version of the intro motif.
