“In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present: I am rising to the work of a human being.”
The fourth single from Disturbed’s Ten Thousand Fists was their cover of Genesis’ “Land of Confusion.”
Originally, Genesis wrote the track as a political protest song. Released on their 1986 album Invisible Touch, it addressed Cold War tensions, political division, social tension, and just general human selfishness. This was the decade of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, so there would have been a lot to rail against.
Released in late 2006, Disturbed’s cover reached number one on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, marking Disturbed’s first number one single on that chart. Their cover was a hit for a few reasons — it covered an eighties song with metal guitars very well; it seemed like a perfect fit with what they were doing for the album; mainstream listeners were ready for it, in a political climate led by the likes of George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and John Howard. Vocalist David Draiman stated that the purpose of their cover was “taking a song that’s nothing like us and making it our own.” The lyric “And the sound of your laughter” was replaced by “In the wake of this madness,” and the song’s bridge was replaced with a solo from guitarist Dan Donegan.
The animated music video was directed by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, who had previously directed Korn’s “Freak on a Leash” and Pearl Jam’s “Do the Evolution.” It depicts Disturbed’s mascot, “the Guy,” breaking free from bondage while soldiers beat civilians in a full-blown dystopian narrative. The villains are vague and amorphous, as are the institutions. The people on the street march with their fists in the air, the cause being… I don’t know, something. McFarlane described the concept as “a big view of the corporate world and how it all ties into just one big beast for me… The world is run by one giant thing, which is driven by greed and lust.”
And it worked. Disturbed took an existing song that sounds nothing like them and made it uniquely theirs. That’s what critics said, at least. Personally, I don’t think taking a synth part and transcribing it to an overdriven guitar is all that groundbreaking, but that’s just me.
Now, one can’t help but think about it in light of Draiman’s politics in the present day.
Draiman has been openly and strongly pro-Israel. In June of 2024, he drew some strong criticism when he posted photos of himself writing “Fuck Hamas” on Israeli artillery.
Points for keeping his focus on the militants, I guess.
He has extended family in Israel, which probably has something to do with his stance. But given the civilian casualties in the Israel/Palestine conflict, people have had strong opinions. He has attempted to separate the art and the artist. I get it. If you can do that, more strength to you, but some people just can’t. In 2025, he addressed the controversy, stating that people of all nationalities and backgrounds were welcome at his shows.
“The conflicts that are going on in this world don’t define us, because in this building, there is no fucking conflict,” he said during a concert in Amsterdam. “And it doesn’t matter if you’re Chinese or Taiwanese. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Indian or Pakistani, it doesn’t matter whether you are Israeli or Palestinian. Everyone is welcome in our house every fucking time we take the stage.”
A valid position in itself, but the question is whether it tracks with the earlier symbolism of signing artillery shells. For a lot of people, it doesn’t. And they’re going to feel that way, whether Draiman thinks they do or should.
I’m not here to tell him what to think, or how to vote. I wouldn’t throw a fucking milkshake at him if I saw him on the street. I will make this concession: I can grudgingly respect someone taking a stand for the motherland or whatever, far more than I would for some fucking neocon senator who thinks Christianity only exists in the U.S. for some reason. It’s not like Draiman is drafting bills. But again, he is a public figure, and people are going to talk. Signing bombs to be sent over the border is asking for attention, especially with the messages of his otherwise awesome music. Maybe I just figured wrong. I hate connecting music to politics, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.
But I’m glad everyone is welcome at their shows. I’m glad Draiman said that.
Peace, everybody. PEACE.
