When musicians discuss their influences, they typically name artists from eras and decades before their time. While David Draiman cites the obvious big guns as having paved the way for DisturbedBlack Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica and even some grunge artists — he also notes more contemporary names such as Korn, Deftones and Tool as having made an impact on them.

"I actually have to lump in, the part that a lot of Wikipedia things and things of that nature often get wrong is like, they don’t take enough of some of the more modern aspects and influences of some of the artists," the vocalist admitted in an episode of Danny Wimmer Presents' "Offstage With DWP."

“The more current bands that I personally, and I know Danny [Donegan] as well, gained a lot of inspiration from are bands like Korn, Tool, Deftones, even Type O Negative and a guy like Peter Steele," he continued. "I would dare say that Disturbed would not have become Disturbed without the new wave of heavy metal that like came to fruition about ’97 and ’98 and really was at its apex at about 2003, 2004 – what a lot of people call ‘nu-metal.’"

Korn and Deftones' first records are what Draiman considered himself as "going to school." He also added that he's drawn vocal inspiration from not only Jonathan Davis and Chino Moreno, but also Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis.

"That fusion of rhythmic melody with that heaviness is what made us, us," he affirmed.

Watch the full interview below.

David Draiman - "Offstage With DWP"

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