Disturbed delivered a captivating performance of “The Sound Of Silence” on Conan.

Simon and Garfunkel, the folk-rock icons, and the heavy metal band Disturbed are as different as can be. However, everyone was taken aback when Disturbed decided to take on “The Sound of Silence.” Why the sudden shift in genre?

David Draiman, the lead singer of Disturbed, shared in an interview that the band doesn’t pre-plan their covers. They only consider doing covers when they’re in the studio working on new music. Below, you can see a live studio audience enjoying their rendition of “Sound Of Silence.”

While working on their “Immortalized” album, drummer Mike Wengren suggested they cover this famous song, a track he often played during household chores. Known for their intense and often fierce sound, the band, particularly guitarist Dan Donegan, was keen on trying out something softer and more melodious this time.

David Draiman’s ability to adapt to this softer singing style isn’t as surprising as it might seem. He was trained as a Cantor in his youth, a role that involves leading Jewish congregational prayers and requires considerable vocal prowess. This background helped David bring a new dimension to the cover.

“Immortalized” hit the shelves in August 2015 and topped the charts in the US, Canada, and Australia. The single “The Sound of Silence” also reached number one in the US and was met with critical acclaim. The music video on YouTube attracted massive viewership. Around the time they were set to perform on Conan O’Brien’s show, Paul Simon’s manager reached out to get David’s email, leading to a thrilling wait for David.

Eventually, Paul Simon himself emailed David, praising his Conan performance. Understandably, David was thrilled and shared the news with everyone around him.

Paul Simon didn’t just stop with an email; he spoke about the performance in interviews and shared the Conan appearance on his social media. This exposure likely played a role in the cover’s music video amassing over 812 million views on YouTube.

The cover has won over not only Disturbed’s fans but also many who loved the original, bringing a fresh perspective to the classic song. One comment captures the sentiment well: an 82-year-old fan of Simon and Garfunkel’s original expressed being captivated by Disturbed’s version, calling it a testament to the power of great music. This collaboration of different musical styles has created something truly magical.