Chop Suey was released by System of a Down in 2001 as the lead single from their album Toxicity, with vocals by Serj Tankian. The track's sudden Wake up shout and stop-start dynamics made it an early internet favorite, spreading through YouTube compilations, gaming montages and later TikTok edits. Creators latched onto the three-second burst because it works as both a joke alarm and a hype cue. Two decades on, its raw nu-metal intensity still cuts through short-form video, which keeps the clip in constant rotation.
About this sound
Short clip from System of a Down's Chop Suey featuring Serj Tankian's explosive wake up shout. Popular meme sound for dramatic edits, reveals and punchlines.
This is a razor-short burst from System of a Down's Chop Suey, built around Serj Tankian's frantic, half-sung, half-shouted delivery over crashing distorted guitars and pounding drums. In just a few seconds you get that jarring dynamic shift the band is known for, from tense whisper to full-throated scream, with the iconic wake up cry cutting through the mix. It hits like an alarm, instantly grabbing attention and injecting chaotic, early-2000s nu-metal energy into any edit, making even a mundane clip feel urgent, dramatic and absurdly intense.
