When Disturbed‘s cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound Of Silence first appeared on the radio, many longtime fans of the band were left feeling a bit Stupified.
Because, as all truly Disturbed Ones know full well, the schizophrenic metal act’s primary songbook is a world away from the syrupy orchestral ballad that smashed commercial charts earlier this year.
Back in 2000, it would have been nearly impossible to imagine Dave Draiman, a terrifying heavy metal frontman who’d become famous for his psychotic animal growls, rhyming “fuck” with “fuck” (Stupify) and famously screaming “No mommy! Don’t do it again! You stupid sadistic abusive fucking whore!” (Down With The Sickness) to be standing on a stage on primetime Aussie reality TV, surrounded by candles like some kind of shiny bald Phantom of the Opera, belting out an operatic Simon & Garfunkel cover to the applause of mums nationwide.
But that’s exactly what happened on The X Factor Australia last night, when Draiman and company made their controversial cameo after defending themselves for agreeing to perform on the programme.
And whether you’re accusing him of selling out by betraying his heavy roots to court mainstream success, or else cheering him on for (as he puts it) “representing rock in a pop world”, you’ve got to admit: home boy can fucking SING.
Watch him nail S&G in a goosebump-inducing performance that could probably even make Sad Affleck smile, below (but maybe just try to imagine it’s not happening on X Factor).
And ICYMI: Disturbed are touring Australia with local legend Twelve Foot Ninja this month too.
Watch: Disturbed – ‘The Sound Of Silence’ On ‘X Factor Australia’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmppsCE_Glw
