Review: Serj Tankian – Harakiri

Serj Tankian – Harakiri
Label: Reprise/Warner Bros.
Released: July 10th, 2012

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Many people say that “variety is the spice of life”, meaning life is more interesting when it changes frequently and you have many different experiences. To me this also applies to music. Albums which you can’t tell one song from another often become grating and boring. Luckily for music fans there are artists like Serj Tankian. His latest album “Harakiri” is a bit of a “usual” Tankian album but all the variety and all the melody sure is fun.

Tracks like “Reality TV” and “Forget Me Knot” sway sonically back and forth between mellow vocals and fast, catchy melodic guitars and drums. Where as tracks like “Uneducated Democracy” speed along at lightning pace with chaotic vocals and chugging guitars, rarely letting up.

“Harakiri” has a bit less of a metal feel than previous efforts. Some might consider it more of a rock album, but it’s melodic and heavy enough to keep most metal fans listening. “Harakiri” keeps that similar Tankian feel of bouncing and pounding melody mixed with fast, crunching guitars and heavy beats. With some piano thrown in here and there for good measure. All this with Serj’s very distinct vocal style, an instrument all to itself, sitting front and center. Much of the wacky ultra-chaotic vocal styles he’s used in the past is toned down as well for most of the tracks.

“Harakiri” is an album for those who appreciate melody, a dash of crazy and some heaviness to what they listen to. The variety among all the tracks on “Harakiri” allows each track to stand on their own, yet all of them work together well as a complete work. Something that can be hard to accomplish but works so very well when it happens. If you’re a fan of Serj’s previous albums, I think you’ll like “Harakiri“. If you haven’t heard Serj’s work then what are you waiting for?

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