When inspiration strikes, it can be turned around quickly. After learning of the Armenian fighters that took part in a four-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh (in the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan) in April, Serj Tankian penned a new song called "Artsakh" and he's just released a video to go along with it.

"These people have lived on those lands for thousands of years," the singer writes in an intro at the top of the video. "They have struggle but also great beauty written on their foreheads. The whimsical appropriation of land by an empire (Stalin) placed them under Azerbaijan. They have since gained their independence and have lived a prosperous existence for the last 20 or so years. I do not believe in wars and ultimately borders but I deeply believe in self-determination and life without oppression. Therefore it is time for the world to recognize them as the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)."

According to the Washington Post, the war sparked in early April, with Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory. But the violence worsened before a ceasefire was declared on April 5.

"It's a crazy provocation," Tankian explained to Rolling Stone, who premiered the video. "It's a land that these people have lived on from the beginning of time, from time immemorial, with children springing from the rivers and generations coming from their mountains. There is a national liberation struggle embedded within their character, their public mask, if you will. It goes on through trying to create peace. We will ultimately win with culture and all this beautiful stuff."

In the clip, Tankian plays the folky track on acoustic guitar sitting out in a windy wooded area, and while the song is not sung in English, the emotion behind Tankian's words is definitely felt in the performance. The English translation to Tankian's words can be viewed below.

We've always lived on these lands,
Reaped and Harvested these fields,
Generations sprung from your rivers,
Children born from your mountains,

The public mask of tradition,
The struggle for liberation or death,
The enemy's gaze at your terrain,
Our smiles at your bosom,
At your bottomless will.

We're going to sing with our fists
With the tricolor flag of justice,
Humanitarian love of peace
With the holy blessing of a child's face,
We are going to prevail with culture
We are going to prevail with culture
We are going to prevail by being Armenian.

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