Serj Tankian
Elect The Dead
4.5/5

Who It’s For: System fans who can’t get enough
Sounds Like: Exactly what a System Of A Down side project should sound like

With System Of A Down on hiatus, frontman Serj Tankian is not taking a break, but trying his hand at a solo project. That said, this disc is not all that different from more recent SOAD offerings and it’s still just as good. In the first minute of “Empty Walls” you get that heavy melodic feel that Tankian clearly creates wherever he goes making System fans feel right at home.

Tankian has combined his crazy slightly operatic vocals, SOAD’s metal-like style with a softer tribal feel that started poking its head out through SOAD’s previous two discs. Anyone who likes or loves Serj’s metal work will surely like this disc. His voice is spot on doing those spastic vocal arrangements that he has perfected. Doing his own back up vocals in his high and low pitches makes you able to see all of the elements he offers.

Elect The Dead’s subject matter is deep (touching on problems in society and government), but by using repetitive verses and choruses Tankian has found a way to get out his message without getting too heavy. It’s actually a brilliant concept, just think of the lyrics as more of a chant then a song and you will see how you begin to believe it. It also makes for easy to remember lyrics and you will be singing along sooner then normal.

No one is giving Tankian an award for breaking ground here, but he is definitely going for a consistently good career. He uses what he’s got and creates quality instead of going out to chart new territories and failing. SOAD fans will be sticking behind him for as long as this hiatus lasts if this is the level of work he will keep delivering.

Track Listing:

1. Empty Walls
2. The Unthinking Majority
3. Money
4. Feed Us
5. Saving Us
6. Sky Is Over
7. Baby
8. Honking Antelope
9. Lie Lie Lie
10. Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition
11. Beethoven’s Cunt
12. Elect The Dead

- Stephanie Joudrey