The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war was an armed conflict between Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh together with Armenia, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories. It was the latest escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but partially governed by Artsakh, a breakaway state with an Armenian ethnic majority.
"Protect the Land" was written by System of a Down's guitarist and second singer Daron Malakian. In late September 2020, after a new war broke out between Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, the band members started using their platforms to raise awareness of the issue. The band's lead singer Serj Tankian, whose grandfather survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide, told The Fader that he sees a "high probability of genocide of Armenians" in Artsakh being carried out by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey.
In March 2021, Romanian band B-Ton, with the participation of Vartan Garabedian, has released their own cover version of the single "Protect the land" as a sign of support for the plea of the very first country to adopt Christianity in the world.
