Ancestral Sounds

 

“Arto’s voice is very honest, and it comes from an indigenous setting,” adds Tankian. “And you can’t be more honest than an indigenous sound, whether you’re Native American, or Aborigine, or Maori or anything. All indigenous cultures had the same source of religion, because they were all nature-based. They lived their lives in accordance with the laws of nature and not the laws of man, like we do in modern civilization. That’s why everyone can relate to it.”

That’s Serj the sage for you, which makes it all the more surprising that in Serart he brings his intensity down a notch or 10 and is content with displaying his softer side, especially on the spoken-word “Claustrophobia,” one of the few songs with lyrics (“As long as there’s a maze the mouse will prevail/But when enclosed and bordered my health will fail”). “The challenge is not the lack of words,” he says. “The challenge is explaining how the lack of words is more of a necessity to musical culture than the piling of them. Lyrics are overrated, words are overrated.” Okay, now he’s gone too far — these words come from a man who not only fronts one of hard rock’s best sociopolitical mouthpieces, but who also recently published a book of poetry and co-founded the nonprofit Axis of Justice with that other delegate of the downtrodden, Audioslave’s Tom Morello. (Listen for their regular music-’n’-more program on KPFK.)

With all of the album’s complicated instrumentation and Serj’s plate-spinning, Serart won’t be heard live anytime soon. The two would rather have the music marinate in the hearts of listeners, so when they do hit the stage, you can wail and chant along with Arto and really know what he is or isn’t saying.