{"id":2392863,"date":"2026-04-28T12:45:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2392863"},"modified":"2026-04-28T12:45:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:45:16","slug":"watch-system-of-a-downs-serj-tankian-sing-heartfelt-prayer-for-genocide-victims-at-sick-new-world-last-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/watch-system-of-a-downs-serj-tankian-sing-heartfelt-prayer-for-genocide-victims-at-sick-new-world-last-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch System Of A Down\u2019s Serj Tankian sing heartfelt prayer for genocide victims at Sick New World last weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-d3d9ab30-7381-4713-9df3-d5c9a294ad99\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/artist\/system-of-a-down\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/artist\/system-of-a-down\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"\/artist\/system-of-a-down\">System Of A Down<\/a> singer Serj Tankian made a powerful speech against genocide and led an Armenian prayer during the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/the-top-10-essential-nu-metal-albums\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/the-top-10-essential-nu-metal-albums\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/the-top-10-essential-nu-metal-albums\">nu metal<\/a> band\u2019s set at Sick New World last weekend.<\/p>\n<p>During the Armenian-American four-piece\u2019s headline performance at the Las Vegas festival on Saturday (April 25), Tankian acknowledged Armenian Genocide Rememberance Day, which is recognised annually on April 24 to honour the victims of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to \u201917.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-d3d9ab30-7381-4713-9df3-d5c9a294ad99-2\">The 58-year-old then performed a rendition of <em>Der Voghormia<\/em>, a traditional Armenian prayer, the title of which translates to <em>Lord, Have Mercy<\/em>. He previously sang the prayer on <em>Arto<\/em>, a hidden folk track from System Of A Down\u2019s 2001 album <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/system-of-a-down-toxicity-every-song-ranked\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/system-of-a-down-toxicity-every-song-ranked\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/system-of-a-down-toxicity-every-song-ranked\"><em>Toxicity<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYesterday was April 24, the 111th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, where millions of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians were massacred during World War I by the Ottoman Turks,\u201d Tankian said onstage on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe problem is that genocide still occurs today, around the world. We have not learned our lesson of people over profits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added, \u201cIt\u2019s time to relieve ourselves of these idiotic fucking leaders around the world,\u201d which was met with cheers from the live audience.<\/p>\n<p>Guitarist Daron Malakian played a melody on his instrument to accompany Tankian\u2019s prayer, while bassist Shavo Odadjian is seen crossing his chest. The band, rounded out by drummer John Dolmayan, then segued into a performance of <em>Holy Mountains<\/em> from their 2005 album <em>Hypnotize<\/em>. Watch footage of the moment below.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-t6qHE5rbotNEfvKbyfguH3\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-t6qHE5rbotNEfvKbyfguH3 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Sign up below to get the latest from Metal Hammer, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Elsewhere in the show, Malakian made his own political statement, urging fans, \u201cStop letting the media divide you. Stop letting the government divide you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we can be onstage together, and have different thoughts and different beliefs, you can be together too,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The speech, which Malakian uploaded a video of to his social media page, comes approximately six months after the guitarist divided fans with a post <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DOcD3SnElOa\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DOcD3SnElOa\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">where he declared himself<\/a> a part of the \u201cfar middle\u201d, explaining that he didn\u2019t wholly align with the politics of either the left or the right.<\/p>\n<p>After multiple people commented on the post disagreeing with his stance and quoting a lyric from System Of A Down\u2019s 2001 song <em>Deer Dance<\/em>, <em>\u201cWe can\u2019t afford to be neutral on a moving train\u201d<\/em>, Malakian issued a follow-up comment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFar Middle doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t have beliefs and just sit and watch on the fence,\u201d he wrote. \u201cFar Middle means you\u2019re not on a team or part of a group of Sheep. You think for yourself. NO GROUP THINK!!!!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Drummer Dolmayan has also faced criticism for his political statements, having vocally supported sitting US president Donald Trump on multiple occasions. During a discussion with Australian YouTuber Lilian Tahmasian last year, he said that Trump\u2019s 2024 election victory \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/system-of-a-down-john-dolmayan-donald-trump-brings-little-sanity-back-1235917394\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/system-of-a-down-john-dolmayan-donald-trump-brings-little-sanity-back-1235917394\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">brings a little sanity back<\/a>\u201d to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>System Of A Down will play two shows at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on May 27 and 28 before hitting Europe for a stadium tour in late June. Queens Of The Stone Age and Acid Bath will support. See dates and get tickets <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.systemofadown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.systemofadown.com\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">via the band\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-video youtube-facade\" data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"elk-4x0HT6Kuh9s\">\n<div class=\"video-aspect-box\">\n<div class=\"watch-on-iframe-4x0HT6Kuh9s\" data-yt-video-token=\"4x0HT6Kuh9s\" title=\"System of a Down Live at Sick New World 2026 Full Show - YouTube\">\n<span class=\"youtube-video-title\">System of a Down Live at Sick New World 2026 Full Show &#8211; YouTube<\/span><br \/>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"play-button\" viewbox=\"0 0 234.67 165.33\"><path fill=\"red\" d=\"M229.763 25.817c-2.699-10.162-10.65-18.165-20.748-20.881C190.716 0 117.333 0 117.333 0S43.951 0 25.651 4.936C15.553 7.652 7.6 15.655 4.903 25.817 0 44.236 0 82.667 0 82.667s0 38.429 4.903 56.85C7.6 149.68 15.553 157.681 25.65 160.4c18.3 4.934 91.682 4.934 91.682 4.934s73.383 0 91.682-4.934c10.098-2.718 18.049-10.72 20.748-20.882 4.904-18.421 4.904-56.85 4.904-56.85s0-38.431-4.904-56.85\"\/><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m93.333 117.559 61.333-34.89-61.333-34.894z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"watch-on-youtube-4x0HT6Kuh9s\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4x0HT6Kuh9s\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4x0HT6Kuh9s\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">Watch On <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"youtube-logo\" viewbox=\"0 0 507.9 113.39\"><g fill=\"#fff\"><path d=\"M64.792 80.99V32.396l42.082 24.297zm93.803-63.285a20.285 20.285 0 0 0-14.32-14.32C131.642 0 80.99 0 80.99 0S30.337 0 17.705 3.385a20.286 20.286 0 0 0-14.32 14.32C0 30.338 0 56.693 0 56.693S0 83.049 3.385 95.68A20.285 20.285 0 0 0 17.705 110c12.632 3.386 63.285 3.386 63.285 3.386s50.652 0 63.285-3.386a20.284 20.284 0 0 0 14.32-14.32c3.385-12.632 3.385-38.988 3.385-38.988s0-26.355-3.385-38.988m94.473 74.326c.887-2.314 1.332-6.098 1.332-11.35V58.556c0-5.097-.445-8.822-1.332-11.178-.888-2.355-2.452-3.533-4.69-3.533-2.163 0-3.69 1.178-4.577 3.533-.888 2.356-1.332 6.081-1.332 11.178V80.68c0 5.25.424 9.035 1.275 11.35.848 2.318 2.392 3.475 4.633 3.475 2.239 0 3.803-1.157 4.691-3.475zm-17.953 11.122c-3.207-2.16-5.486-5.52-6.835-10.079-1.352-4.554-2.027-10.617-2.027-18.185v-10.31c0-7.644.771-13.784 2.316-18.417 1.544-4.633 3.956-8.011 7.24-10.135 3.282-2.123 7.587-3.186 12.916-3.186 5.251 0 9.459 1.082 12.626 3.243 3.165 2.162 5.482 5.542 6.95 10.136 1.466 4.595 2.2 10.715 2.2 18.36v10.31c0 7.567-.714 13.65-2.142 18.243-1.43 4.595-3.747 7.955-6.951 10.077-3.205 2.124-7.548 3.186-13.03 3.186-5.64 0-10.06-1.082-13.263-3.243m248.053-57.981c-.81 1.005-1.352 2.646-1.621 4.923-.272 2.278-.404 5.734-.404 10.367v5.097h11.697V60.46c0-4.555-.155-8.011-.463-10.367-.309-2.355-.868-4.014-1.678-4.98-.812-.966-2.067-1.449-3.766-1.449-1.7 0-2.954.503-3.765 1.506zm-2.025 29.886v3.591c0 4.557.132 7.974.404 10.251.269 2.279.828 3.94 1.68 4.982.849 1.041 2.16 1.564 3.938 1.564 2.392 0 4.035-.927 4.923-2.781.887-1.853 1.37-4.942 1.447-9.268l13.785.812c.077.62.116 1.469.116 2.548 0 6.565-1.795 11.47-5.387 14.712-3.589 3.242-8.669 4.865-15.232 4.865-7.876 0-13.398-2.47-16.564-7.414-3.168-4.94-4.75-12.586-4.75-22.935V63.589c0-10.657 1.641-18.436 4.924-23.342 3.281-4.903 8.9-7.355 16.854-7.355 5.482 0 9.691 1.004 12.626 3.012 2.933 2.01 5 5.137 6.197 9.383 1.197 4.247 1.796 10.117 1.796 17.607v12.163h-26.757m-284.953-1.33-18.187-65.68h15.869l6.37 29.77c1.623 7.339 2.82 13.594 3.591 18.766h.464c.54-3.706 1.738-9.922 3.591-18.65l6.603-29.886h15.869l-18.417 65.68v31.51h-15.754v-31.51M322.115 34.23v71.007h-12.511l-1.39-8.688h-.347c-3.399 6.564-8.496 9.845-15.291 9.845-4.71 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.348 5.426 1.043 6.776.695 1.353 1.853 2.027 3.475 2.027 1.39 0 2.722-.423 3.996-1.275 1.274-.849 2.22-1.928 2.838-3.241V34.229h15.986m81.995.001v71.007h-12.511l-1.391-8.688h-.345c-3.402 6.564-8.498 9.845-15.292 9.845-4.711 0-8.186-1.543-10.426-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.358-7.915-3.358-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.347 5.426 1.041 6.776.696 1.353 1.855 2.027 3.476 2.027 1.391 0 2.723-.423 3.996-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241V34.229h15.985\"\/><path d=\"M365.552 20.908h-15.87v84.329h-15.637v-84.33h-15.869V8.05h47.376v12.858m76.811 53.636c0 5.174-.215 9.229-.639 12.162-.424 2.937-1.139 5.021-2.143 6.255-1.004 1.236-2.357 1.854-4.053 1.854a7.404 7.404 0 0 1-3.65-.927c-1.12-.618-2.026-1.544-2.722-2.78V50.796c.54-1.93 1.467-3.513 2.78-4.749 1.313-1.234 2.74-1.853 4.285-1.853 1.623 0 2.876.637 3.766 1.91.886 1.275 1.505 3.418 1.853 6.43.348 3.011.523 7.297.523 12.857zm14.652-28.964c-.967-4.478-2.531-7.721-4.692-9.73-2.163-2.007-5.136-3.011-8.919-3.011-2.935 0-5.676.83-8.224 2.49a16.926 16.926 0 0 0-5.908 6.545h-.117l.001-37.416h-15.405v100.777h13.204l1.622-6.717h.347c1.235 2.393 3.088 4.285 5.56 5.675 2.47 1.39 5.213 2.085 8.225 2.085 5.404 0 9.382-2.491 11.931-7.471 2.548-4.982 3.823-12.76 3.823-23.341V64.23c0-7.953-.484-14.17-1.448-18.65\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.loudersound.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>System Of A Down singer Serj Tankian made a powerful speech against genocide and led an Armenian prayer during the nu metal band\u2019s set at Sick New World last weekend. During the Armenian-American four-piece\u2019s headline performance at the Las Vegas festival on Saturday (April 25), Tankian acknowledged Armenian Genocide Rememberance Day, which is recognised annually [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2392864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2392863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Watch-System-Of-A-Downs-Serj-Tankian-sing-heartfelt-prayer.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2392863"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2392865,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2392863\/revisions\/2392865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2392864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2392863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2392863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2392863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}