For more than two decades…
Fans believed they knew the name of the hidden track at the end of Toxicity.
Turns out…
They didn’t.
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Most listeners have always called the song « Arto. »
But according to guitarist Daron Malakian…
That was never its real title.
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The hidden track is actually an ancient Armenian spiritual hymn called « Der Voghormia, » which means « Lord, Have Mercy. »
The confusion came from Arto Tunçboyacıyan, the Armenian musician who performed on the recording.
Fans eventually started referring to the song by his first name…
And the nickname stuck for over 20 years.
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But for System Of A Down…
The song has always carried a much deeper meaning.
Daron explained that whenever the band performs it live…
It’s dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians killed during the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
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It’s a reminder that Toxicity isn’t just one of the most influential metal albums ever made.
It’s also an album deeply connected to the band’s Armenian heritage and long-standing commitment to preserving that history.
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So after more than 20 years…
One of rock’s longest-running misconceptions has finally been cleared up.
It was never really « Arto. »
Its true name…
Was « Der Voghormia » all along.
