Tuesday, February 16, 2010

“Symphony of the Dead” film screens at IU

Here’s something unique that Ryder viewers can see on the IU campus this weekend. It’ll be like a concert at Auer or the MAC, but not quite.

The opening credits for “Elect the Dead Symphony” roll. An orchestra queues up as the lights dim. Dressed in a white suit, Serj Tankian walks out onto the stage, stepping up to the mic like an opera singer. And at times, his soaring voice makes you forget he’s the frontman for hard rock group System of A Down, or that his lyrics and melodies aren’t quite the normal classical music fare.

On his “Elect the Dead” solo debut, Serj mixes elements of psychedelia, classical and surrealism with skewed time signatures, and you can definitely trace back to SOAD days. While this is decidedly a rock album, the “Symphony” concert takes it to a whole new level. The sweeping scores, arranged by Serj specifically for the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, capture the energy and scope of Serj’s songs. They’re sprinkled throughout with hard-driving political and social commentary on the world today. The two-hour film unfolds like a unique, special concert that the Auckland audience is sharing with us after their excitement and cheers swell and fade. And cry “encore.” You can hear the rock influences in the repertoire, but nary a single electric guitar or hard driving drumbeat. From “Sky Is Over” and “The Unthinking Majority” to “Money,” “Feed Us” and “Beethoven’s C***,” Serj’s words come through with the help of violins, triangles, horns, clarinets, and of course, his powerful (at times intentionally very nasal) vocals.

Saul Williams writes on Serj’s official site that the “Lebanese-born Armenian-American poet gone wild has blossomed beyond voice and hair into true fire and brimstone, melodic visionary perched on a cannonball soaring light speed through the heavens.” On his solo project, Warner Bros artist and Grammy winner Serj plays “just about every instrument” and “shows more range than the US Missile System.” His debut project showcases his frantic inventiveness as first seen via SOAD; this film is yet another step in that refreshing direction.

The numbers pass and the show ends on a powerful, singalong note. You won’t find much in the way of behind-the-scenes documentary style, though; this not “This Is It.” For curious instrumentalists and musicians and classical enthusiasts, as well as hard/alt-rock fans, you might find “Dead” to be quite lively.

• posted by Kristina   |   filed under movies, music   |  
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