Disturbed delivered a powerful rendition of “The Sound Of Silence” on Conan

When you look at musical genres, Simon and Garfunkel’s folk-rock and Disturbed’s heavy metal are worlds apart. That’s what made Disturbed’s rendition of “The Sound of Silence” so unexpected. But what led to this musical twist?

David Draiman, the lead singer of Disturbed, shared in an interview that the band doesn’t pre-plan their covers. It’s only during album preparation in the studio that they consider adding any. Below, you’ll find a live studio audience performance of “Sound Of Silence.”

The idea to cover this classic song came from their drummer, Mike Wengren, during the brainstorming for their “Immortalized” album. He suggested the song, noting it was a family favorite during household tasks. Disturbed is known for its intense sound, but for this cover, guitarist Dan Donegan pushed for a gentler, melodic approach.

David Draiman’s ability to adapt to this softer singing style isn’t as surprising as it might seem. In his youth, David trained to be a Cantor, a lead singer in Jewish worship, which requires considerable vocal talent. This training helped him embrace and showcase a different vocal style in the cover.

“Immortalized” was a hit, reaching the top charts in the USA, Canada, and Australia upon its release in August 2015. “The Sound of Silence” single also topped the charts in the USA. The song and its video were well-received, amassing hundreds of thousands of YouTube views. Then, just before their scheduled performance on Conan O’Brien’s show, Paul Simon’s manager reached out for David’s email.

David was understandably anxious but eventually got an email from Paul Simon, praising his performance on Conan. This was a huge moment for David, who couldn’t wait to share the news with everyone around him.

Paul Simon’s support didn’t end with the email. He talked about Disturbed’s performance in interviews and shared their Conan appearance on his social media. This attention likely contributed to the cover’s music video reaching over 812 million YouTube views.

The cover has won over not just Disturbed fans but also lovers of the original, rejuvenating the classic song. An 82-year-old fan expressed being captivated by Disturbed’s version, highlighting the emotional depth and the magical fusion of two distinct musical styles.