Serj Tankian is best known as the colorful frontman of the more often than not politically charged art-metal outfit System Of A Down. Arto Tuncboyaciyan on the other hand is a widely regarded multi-instrumentalist who has contributed his many talents to a number of different albums from various artists over the past two decades, the most notable of which are probably from Al DiMeola. Combine the two and you have Serart, a sophisticated yet free-form existential record that knows no boundaries and draws upon nearly everything under the sun for its influences and inspiration.

Expectedly Tankian handles most of the albums vocal duties, but while he often sounds like some distant narrator in an ever evolving dreamland, he is also readily backed up by Tuncboyaciyan's tribal chants, samples, and various other vocal embellishments that become the crux of this release. A departure for Tankian to be sure, more melody is emphasized overall while lyrical content is also much more loosely wound. In line with this, eccentricity is perhaps the most stabilizing thread throughout this release as everything from drum n' bass to metal, jazz and a wealth of world music are exercised with admirable skill and execution. In fact, almost ramshackle in orientation, this album feels quickly assembled with a number of uneasy alliances and yet that is also its true beauty. As samples of gunfire and bombs dropping melt into haunting build ups and musical forays with a worldly charm, the listener is taken through an expansive aural journey that is not soon forgotten.

Recorded for the most part as one-take sessions with little polish or hindsight production, this album is riddled with interesting ideas and intersections that, because of the way they are implemented, actually transform their occasional flaws into integral parts of the material. Truly, credit must be given to Tankian as most frontmen of a multi-platinum band in the ever close-minded genre of metal would never go out this far on a limb; While credit must also be given to Tuncboyaciyan for his ever impressive creativity (playing everything from Coke bottles to buckets full of water is no easy task). Artistic, organic and entirely encompassing, this album is a perfect break from the norm for more progressive minds. Those looking for a System Of A Down related affair should beware however, for this is an entirely different musical excursion that will leave most mainstream fans scratching their heads. But then again isn't it always that way with most 'art' anyway?