System of a Down – Holy Mountains

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Can you feel their haunting presence?
Can you feel their haunting presence?

Liar, Killer, Demon
Back to the river Aras

Someone's blank stare deemed it warfare

Liar, Killer, Demon
Back to the river Aras

Freedom, Freedom, Free, Free

Can you hear the holy mountains?

Liar, Killer, Demon
Back to the river Aras

Someone's mouth said paint them all red

Liar, Killer, Demon
Back to the river Aras

Freedom, Freedom, Free, Free

They have all returned
Resting on the mountainside
We have learned that you have no

They have returned
Resting on the mountainside
We have learned that you have no

Honor, Murderer, Sodomizer
Back to the river Aras

They have returned
Resting on the mountainside
We have learned that you have no

Honor, Murderer, Sodomizer
Back to the river Aras

Freedom, Freedom, Free, Free

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Lyrics submitted by Genowyn

Track duration: 05:29

"Holy Mountains" as written by Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Holy Mountains song meanings
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129 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:It was the river ARAX in Armenia.
    my great-grandparents were living there on the river Arax befor the genocide.
    Flag talinchon June 14, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It mean kurdish people who living on turkey mountains
    Flag rockmateon January 16, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Yes, this is about the Armenian genocide in 1915. 1.5-3 million Armenians were brutalized, tortured, and slaughtered by the Turks. The few survivors sought sanctuary in other countries, including Southern California, USA.
    Until Turkey acknowledges this systematic cleansing of the Armenians, the United Nations will not officially declare this as "genocide". Personally, I feel the fact that up to 3 million people of one race were targeted and murdered within a year speaks for itself.

    Serj, the lead singer of SOAD, has confirmed this is what the song is about.

    In addition, Adolf Hitler was impressed by the efficient, mass slaughter of an ethnic group, later using it to back his own convictions that the Jews should meet a similar fate. And likewise, the world wouldn't know/care about the Jews, either, stating "Who now speaks of the Armenians?" His use of death camps and marches may have been strongly influenced by the Armenian genocide.

    Anyone who denies this genocide, including the Turkish government, is blind and stupid. View the photos. Do your research. This isn't a fabricated story. These things happened . Similar things happened to my own family. This is very much real and I WILL NEVER FORGET. This song is a good reminded that, even if it's ninety-seven years later, future generations will still demanding acknowledgment of these atrocities.
    Flagged newahevniteon July 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its about the Armenian Genocide... "Liar, Killer, Demon Back to the river Aras" the river Aras is the border basically for turkey and Armenia, so what he is saying is the Turkish are lairs murdered and unholy so they must retreat to their homeland. someones mouth said paint them red... the sultan deemed the Armenian population rebels and a security threat to the turkish nation. It is believed 600,000 to 1,500,000 Armenians were killed in this genocide.

    (Fuck the Turks :P)
    Flagged BRAHitsDANIELon June 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:of course, the song may be a metaphor, but it DOES describe the Armenian Genocide.
    It speaks of the Armenians who fled to Mt. Ararat, actually into the Ottoman Empire, to avoid arrest/execution. Then they went "back to the River Aras", part of the Armenia-O. Empire border, when the fighting was over.
    Flag bobbnesson February 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:im not actually sure what it means but i dont think it exactly means genocide
    but im pretty sure its a complicated biblical reference

    holy mountains... river aras its a river in iran its metchioned in the bible
    Flagged ianrepicon October 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I Don't think the word "Freedom" Has ever hit me so hard, I have listened to this whole album up and down left and right, but when I heard it was about the Armenian Genocide, It just gave me more reason to look into these lyrics.

    "Freedom"
    Flag Metalrevolver89on May 15, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is about the Armenian Genocide. Daron had an article in a magazine and the interviewer asked him about this song. He said that those "Holy Mountains" are Armenian mountains, and that the Turks stole them from the Armenians. It's a really good song in my opinion.
    Flag Hypnotic0Thoughton February 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think there is no genocide. so this song is about nothing except insults.
    Flagged anfalason September 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the armenian genocide was a horrible thing, my great grandparents were killed, i have a fucking turkish surname cause my great grandparents had to change it to avoid being killed, even tho they were killed anyway.

    so dont hate on me armos, but the fact that turks and armenians are still fighting over the events of 1915 is silly, if you ask me the genocide should resemble why we SHOULDNT hate eachother, i mean, i dont hate turks, we need less hate in this world.
    Flag parkwayydriveeon September 17, 2008   Link

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