With System of A Down making their highly anticipated return last week, the band had raised over $600,000  for the people of Artsakh in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh War. The band released two new tracks last Friday, November 06 called “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz“, on that day via Bandcamp. The proceeds from them were donated to Armenia Fund. The two new songs were the band’s first release of new music in fifteen years, with the group deciding to get back into the studio last month to raise awareness and funds for the Armenian people in Artsakh suffering as a result of the ongoing war.

The band had issued a statement saying “We are overwhelmed with gratitude for your incredible support of our campaign for the people of Artsakh, and for helping us raise over $600k in donations to provide for those in dire need via the Armenia Fund. They continued to say

“Because of you, we will be able to help displaced civilians, young and old, who are affected by the hideous war crimes inflicted upon Artsakh by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Please take a few minutes to watch our full interview to get a more intimate look and understanding into why we came together to release “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz.To the four of us, it’s extremely important to share these truths with you. It is for our ancestors, our culture, and our nation. Help us spread the message. Watch the interview in full below.”

According to the PRP, the origins of the two songs date back several years with “Protect The Land” originally penned for guitarist Daron Malakian‘s Scars On Broadway project roughly a year and a half ago. “Genocidal Humanoidz” was also penned by Malakian, having come together several years back during the band’s failed writing sessions for a new studio album.

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado