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To See Or Not To See: Serj Tankian

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  • To See Or Not To See: Serj Tankian

    TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE: SERJ TANKIAN
    By Mark Powell

    Metro
    Sept 1 2008
    UK

    Pro: Political activist, environmental campaigner and voice of
    alternative metal band System Of A Down, Serj Tankian has never
    followed a conventional rock career.

    Con: Might that have contributed to the fact that he's now effectively
    a solo artist, following the announcement in 2006 that System Of A
    Down were on indefinite hiatus?

    Pro: He's more likely to be found working alongside Rage Against
    The Machine guitarist Tom Morello on behalf of Axis Of Justice, the
    non-profit humanitarian organisation that the duo formed in 2002,
    than falling out of a bar drunk.

    Con: How the hell are you supposed to end up in Heat magazine behaving
    like that? Come on, Serj! A paparazzi-courting week in rehab wouldn't
    kill you.

    Pro: Last autumn, Tankian's solo debut, Elect The Dead, was released
    to positive reviews, expressing relief that the singer had abandoned
    the obscure Armenian folk of previous side project Serart.

    Con: Then again, if you're not prepared for the odd dalliance into
    orchestral jazz-noise-rock fusion, then you just don't know Serj.

    Pro: Although evidently keen to stretch himself artistically,
    Tankian has not abandoned his rock roots, with this rescheduled UK
    tour predominantly based around material from Elect The Dead.

    Con: But System Of A Down were fascinating precisely because of those
    fresh-sounding influences from the South Caucasus. Serj should've
    continued boldly on in that territory.

    Pro: Physically, he resembles a traditional depiction of Beelzebub
    more closely than any other creature on the planet.

    Con: If the Devil has all the best tunes, then Tankian, who evidently
    prefers having the weirdest, is arguably the more evil of the two.

    Tue Sep 2, Carling Academy, 11-13 Hotham Street, Liverpool. 7pm,
    18.50 adv. Tel: 0844 477 2000. www.serjtankian.com
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