Home > New York Music > CD Review > Serj Tankian, "Elect the Dead"

Backstory: After nearly a decade of metal dominance, the four members of the critically acclaimed (and commercially monstrous) System of a Down took a break and began to pursue their own projects. The result? Three new bands, including a solo debut from enigmatic frontman Serj Tankian, who wrote and performed most of his new record by himself.
 
Why you should care: Do you like System’s oddball noise assault—you know, the mixture of political allegory, nonsensical vocal tics, Middle Eastern–influenced guitar leads and spastic breakdowns? Then you’ll love Tankian’s record, which sounds pretty much like an above-average SOAD disc, with some Danny Elfman–style orchestral theatrics (“Sky is Over,” “Lie Lie Lie”) thrown in.
 
Verdict: Tankian hasn’t lost his touch for offbeat proclamations (“Take them by their filthy nostrils/Put them up in doggy hostels!”), and his enthusiasm shines through a record that doesn’t necessarily rock the System boat…but does, emphatically, rock.
 
X-Factor: Tankian played his first solo shows this fall with guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave/The Nightwatchman), his partner in the politically motivated non-profit group Axis of Justice.

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