Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

News

System Of A Down Guitarist Daron Malakian Clarifies Origins Of ‘Toxicity’ Hidden Track ‘Arto’

Daron Malakian took to social media to set the record straight regarding the composition’s true origins and its deep cultural significance.

Daron Malakian 2025

While System Of A Down‘s landmark 2001 sophomore album, Toxicity, stands as one of the most influential metal records of its era, a misconception about its closing hidden track has persisted for 25 years.

The unlisted final track is widely recognized by fans and official streaming platforms as “Arto“. The title stems from the guest appearance of avant-garde Armenian-American musician Arto Tunçboyaciyan, who later collaborated directly with System Of A Down vocalist Serj Tankian to form the musical project Serart.

However, in observance of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day on April 24, guitarist and vocalist Daron Malakian took to social media to set the record straight regarding the composition’s true origins and its deep cultural significance.

To clear up the ongoing confusion and highlight the historical weight of the piece, Malakian issued the following statement:

“There is a hidden track at the end of the Toxicity album that fans call ‘Arto.’ However, the composition is actually a spiritual Armenian hymn called ‘Der Voghormia‘ (‘Lord Have Mercy‘).”

“The piece is often used to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, like in this video depicting priests performing Der Voghormia at the Genocide Memorial in Armenia, over a century later.”

“When we, as System Of A Down, perform the song live, we do it to remember the 1.5 million souls who lost their lives in 1915.”

System Of A Down will return to the stage tonight, April 25, to headline the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. The group has also scheduled a highly anticipated run of international stadium dates for later this year.

System Of A Down 2026 Tour Dates:

Sick New World Festival:

  • 25 Apr – Las Vegas, NV – Las Vegas Festival Grounds

With IDLES:

  • 27 May – Mexico City, MEX – Estadio GNP Seguros
  • 28 May – Mexico City, MEX – Estadio GNP Seguros

With Queens Of The Stone Age and Acid Bath:

  • 29 Jun – Stockholm, SWE – Strawberry Arena
  • 02 Jul – Paris, FRA – Stade de France
  • 04 Jul – Paris, FRA – Stade de France
  • 06 Jul – Milan, ITA – Ippodromo Snai la Maura
  • 08 Jul – Berlin, GER – Olympiastadion
  • 10 Jul – Dusseldorf, GER – Open Air Park Dusseldorf
  • 13 Jul – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • 15 Jul – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
  • 18 Jul – Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy
  • 19 Jul – Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy

Sick New World Festival:

  • 24 Oct – Fort Worth, TX – Sick New World
Written By

Ogorthul: Immersed in the bone-shattering world of death metal and beyond. I'm here to excavate the latest news, reviews, and interviews from the extreme metal scene for you.

You May Also Like

News

Acid Bath closed their set with a rare and highly anticipated performance of "The Blue".

News

Deftones frontman Chino Moreno experienced an unexpected mishap during the band’s performance at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.

News

Four former and current members of the classic late-1980s King Diamond lineup have united to form a new heavy metal band, Lex Legion.

News

Former Misfits lead singer Michale Graves has officially signed a new contract with Epochal Artists Records.

© 2026 Metal Stop. All Rights Reserved.