 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.
by MARK POWELL - Sunday, August 31, 2008 (original title: To see or not to
see: Serj Tankian)
Metro.co.uk
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