Slowly the word has been leaking out, so DCist is gonna jump in and just open the floodgates altogether.

System of a Down, the LA-based band known for their political stances, Armenian heritage, and ground-breaking brand of schizophrenic hard rock, has announced that they will be playing a surprise show at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, May 11. Tickets will be available only at the 9:30 box office and only the day of the show, though DC101 began giving away a limited number of tickets this morning. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., but there is no confirmation on whether or not any opening act will perform.

The show is part of series of small-venue performances around the U.S. in anticipation of their upcoming album “Mesmerize,” which is set to hit stores May 17. According to the band’s website, this will be the last of their performances in the U.S. until late June, when they return from a tour in Europe.

System of a Down received critical acclaim for 2001’s “Toxicity,” an album that spawned four hit singles and sold more than six million copies. The first single from the new album, “B.Y.O.B. [Bring Your Own Bombs],” recently reached local radio stations and has been receiving regular airplay since.

Image from the band’s website.