Serj Tankian’s `Elect the Dead’ gets classical re-mix

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Published: Wednesday February 17, 2010

Burbank, Calif. – Reprise Records and Serj Tankian have teamed up with
theatrical distributor Cinema Purgatorio to present a series of
nationwide screenings of Tankian’s Elect the Dead Symphony – a very
special orchestral interpretation of Tankian’s critically acclaimed
solo debut Elect the Dead. The dynamic one-off performance was
recorded and filmed in HD by six cameras at the majestic Auckland Town
Hall in New Zealand with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

The dramatic result has been captured in the Elect the Dead Symphony –
a CD/DVD that will be released by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records on
March 9th, 2010. Confirmed screening dates are below with more in the
works. Many of the shows have been suggested by fans and are being
organized in conjunction with the Armenian-American community,
including the Armenian National Committee of America (anca.org).

A pre-order for Elect the Dead Symphony has begun exclusively on
iTunes. Fans who pre-order the audio album now will receive access to
their download on February 23rd – two full weeks before the album is
available in stores and from all digital service providers.

With the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at his side, Tankian’s epic
songs and operatic vocals on Elect the Dead Symphony take on a whole
new sense of grandeur when performed by a full 70-piece orchestra,
while the DVD’s sweeping edits showcase the drama of the concert. This
unique meshing of two very different musical worlds was a vision
Tankian has long wanted to make a reality. What sets Elect The Dead
Symphony apart from other successful pairings between rock artists and
orchestras is that Tankian specifically rearranged his songs to be
performed with only orchestral instruments.

"I was elated to have the opportunity to arrange my songs from Elect
the Dead for a full orchestra with the APO," Tankian says. "The
arrangements are quite different than those on the record, including
bonus tracks never played live." Both bonus tracks, "Gate 21" and "The
Charade," have never been released and are included on the CD, CD/DVD,
and vinyl formats of Elect the Dead Symphony. The DVD also features
rare and intimate backstage footage, as well as one-on-one interviews
with Tankian and various members of the Auckland Philharmonia
Orchestra.

The album contains elements of rock morphed into classical, and skewed
time signatures that Tankian has made his own, all of which were
scored by Tankian himself and orchestrated for the full ensemble by
respected New Zealand composer John Psathas. The album has been mixed
by Dutch musician Junkie XL, known for his remixes for such artists as
Britney Spears, Beastie Boys, Coldplay, Michael Bublé, Madonna,
Scissor Sisters, Sarah McLachlan, and many more.

Elect the Dead was released by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records on
October 12th, 2007 and received glowing reviews from various media,
including the Los Angeles Times, which called it "brutally engaging
guitar-rock" with "steely lyricism and throttling textures," while
Rolling Stone noted that it "delivers amped, intricate, and political
hard rock."

Confirmed screening dates for Elect the Dead Symphony are as follows:

2/19 Portland, OR The Hollywood

2/19 Indianapolis, IN Republic Theatres

2/19-20 Bloomington, IN The Ryder at the Fine Arts

2/19-21 New Concord, OH Muskingum University

2/20 Providence, RI The Cable Car (9 pm)

2/20 Seattle, WA Northwest Film Forum

2/21 San Antonio, TX Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes

2/21 New York, NY The Leonard Nimoy Theatre @ Symphony Space

2/22 Somerville, MA The Coolidge Corner

2/26-27 Salt Lake City, UT The Tower

2/27 New Haven, CT Criterion Cinemas (8 pm)

3/04 Syracuse, NY The Palace Theatre

3/06 Shreveport, LA Robinson Film Center

3/07 Chicago, IL CIMM Festival at Lincoln Hall

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress