System of a Down Announce Livestream Benefit for Armenian Soldiers
System of a Down will launch a special livestream event this weekend to raise money for Armenian soldiers who have lost limbs and suffered chemical burns in battle. The event is the Armenian band’s latest action in response to the ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
The conflict is being fought over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is legally part of Azerbaijan. However, in the 1980s, war broke out after the region voted to become a part of Armenia, and it has since been controlled by separatist ethnic Armenians backed by the Armenian government. Following a ceasefire in 1994, sporadic clashes took place in the region, leading to the second Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020.
To support Armenian soldiers, System of a Down announced the live premiere of a video for “Genocidal Humanoidz,” along with a livestream featuring surprise guests. “The freedom fighting soldiers of Artsakh and Armenia have suffered war crimes at the hands of Azerbaijan, later abetted by Turkey. Even after the ceasefire signed on November 10, 2020, those heroes wounded in the recent conflict remain in dire need of prosthetics, advanced treatment, and medical care,” System of a Down write.
“We are hosting a fundraising livestream event in order to raise money to rehabilitate and outfit the nearly 1,000 soldiers who have lost arms and legs with life-changing prosthetic limbs. The funding will also benefit the introduction of groundbreaking laser therapy for the treatment of white phosphorous chemical burns and the reduction of scarring and agonizing pain. All proceeds from the livestream will be donated to this cause.”
“We welcome you, along with our list of special guests, to join us this Saturday, January 30, at 9AM Pacific / 12PM Eastern to support our efforts – exclusively on our YouTube channel. The official video premiere for “Genocidal Humanoidz” will immediately follow the live event. Subscribe to our channel now at YouTube.com/SystemOfADown to stay updated. We look forward to seeing you this weekend.”
The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict inspired System of a Down to release their first new songs in 15 years, “Protect the Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz.” The songs came following SOAD’s unsuccessful attempt to write a new album together, allowing a band experiencing a creative impasse to put their differences aside for a greater cause.