Daron Malakian Calls for Unity During System Of A Down’s Sick New World Set: “If We Can Be on Stage Together, You Can Be Too”

System Of A Down guitarist and vocalist Daron Malakian used the band’s headlining set at the 2026 Sick New World festival in Las Vegas to deliver a message about unity, friendship, and working through differences.

Malakian shared footage from the performance on social media on April 27, pointing to the band’s ability to function despite having members with very different beliefs and perspectives.

“Let me tell you something. System Of A Down is not a cult. System Of A Down is a band, with four members. Four members who are good people, who have different beliefs about different things, different solutions about complex problems. Stop letting the media divide you. Stop letting the government divide you. If we can be on stage together and have different thoughts and different beliefs, you can be together too. For those of you who disagree with me, pull the tapeworm out of your ass.”

The band then launched into “Needles” from its multi-platinum album ‘Toxicity‘.

In recent years, System Of A Down has often been part of broader political discussion because of the contrasting views held by its members. Serj Tankian has long been associated with left-leaning activism, while drummer John Dolmayan has made headlines for his more conservative views, including support for Donald Trump.

Those differences have occasionally created tension within the band and among fans, but Malakian’s comments framed that divide as something the group has learned to manage rather than be defined by.

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