Respect where it is due. Heavy metal titan, political activist hero and System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian has yet to offer up a project or product unworthy of the intense and continued attention of those who love music, love the world around them and care deeply about the overt inadequacies of those entrusted with its protection and future.
The expert and epic vocalist’s new EP Perplex Cities (Serjical Strike) – yes, it’s full of highlighted “perplexities”, as well as righteous protest – is no exception; an engrossing, electro-fied adventure and another sonic treat with a mind full of mindful concerns.
The Lebanese-born American-Armenian, 55, is still reaching out, experimenting, delivering a river of words and ideas. Dive in – the flow is seductive and, if there is often a lack of clear visibility and some of it may be over your head, Serj will always try to keep you right.
On first listening it might seem this collection of songs isn’t as accessible (nor incendiary) as the peaks of Tankian’s legendary work with System or the very, very best of his solo output. Give it time.
His last EP, Elasticity, contained tracks that could easily fit an SOAD album – some were originally intended for exactly that, as the story goes – and with the vital and superb ‘Electric Yerevan’, Serj kept Armenia to the fore and delivered a “power to the people” message that’s perhaps more relevant now, throughout Europe and around the globe. Surely one fine day, or in some alternate universe, when all is right with the world and with the band, ‘Electric Yerevan’ will become a recurring and indelible stage favourite for System fans – and we all might be able to easily afford to light and heat our homes.
From the Perplex Cities EP, the melancholic, melodic and arresting ‘Rumi Loves His Cars’ (Tankian’s son is called Rumi, also the title of another strong track on Elasticity) would not be out of place on deliriously diverse SOAD classics Mezmerize or Hypnotize. The same could be said of ‘Forgive Me Father’, full of religio rumination and patriarchal pondering, recalling (System’s) ‘Chop Suey’ and its: “Father (father)/ Father, into your hands I commend my spirit/ Father, into your hands …”
But, as the man himself puts it, the sound of this EP is “more electronic, subtle and deeper in terms of its layers of presentation musically”. Opener ‘Pop Imperialism’ thrums, pulses and throbs as it builds a dynamic soundscape with a depth, scale and luxuriousness reminiscent of a movie soundtrack by Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight; Inception; Dune).
‘The Race’, the longest track of the five, checking in at over four minutes, opens with acoustic guitar before developing again a rich, eddying fillip for the ears, while Eastern influences abound on the ruminating and existential ‘I Spoke Up’ (“I Spoke Up” could be Serj’s mission statement, like Usain Bolt’s mission statement would be “Speed”).
Vocals throughout are of the usual high standard, idiosyncratic and versatile, with many a warble but nary a wobble, ranging to the operatic, reaching for the outer limits, flying to the stars. While others aspire to vocal gymnastics and/or acrobatics, Serj adds trampolining.
All the members of SOAD have, of course, delivered solo stuff or contributed to various side projects and I for one will always have a soft spot for Daron Malakian’s (with John Dolmayan) Scars On Broadway – the likes of ‘World Long Gone’ and ‘They Say’ are tracks I just keep going back to. But it’s Tankian’s solo work that carves out the most interesting path while best echoing the great band’s legacy, enduring political relevance, world-view philosophies and sheer musical majesty. With Perplex Cities, the truth is again simply self-evident – Serj never lets you down.
Buy the EP here: https://serjtankian.com/
9 / 10
CALLUM REID