Serj creates a sweeping symphony

When a full 70-piece orchestra meets the music of Grammy Award-winning singer Serj Tankian, magic is bound to happen.

Best known as lead singer and songwriter of System of a Down, Tankian decided to make a solo album in 2007 titled "Elect the Dead," on which he played the majority of the instruments. But as his new documentary, "Elect the Dead Symphony," makes clear, the ingenious songwriter, musician and political activist did not stop there.

The film follows him as he teams up with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in the beautiful Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand to perform 14 of his original songs. While "Elect the Dead Symphony" lacks any behind-the-scenes footage or interviews — it's more like a concert video than a documentary — it is successful in giving you a first-hand experience, as if you were on the stage yourself. There is no question of the entertainment value of this 62-minute show, even if you aren't a fan of Tankian's type of music. Just listening to the beautiful orchestrations as they delicately complement Tankian's wild metal and operatic vocals is a treat in itself.

One of the most enchanting things about "Elect the Dead Symphony" is Tankian's capacity to keep surprising us from every angle. Each song takes a different turn, some starting off with light string movements and then suddenly bolting off with sturm und drang. Tankian remains near the front of the stage for the entire show, performing with passionate facial expressions, unexpected changes in vocals and sudden arm thrusts to the music's ascension.

This is not your average concert movie. It's an amalgamation of two completely distinct varieties of musical expression. And it's also well directed. Dramatic editing supplements the rising intensity and graceful movements of the music, almost as if the visual experience is a symphony itself. Filmed in HD by six cameras, "Elect the Dead Symphony" throws us into the concert with smooth panning shots and close-ups that zoom past the musicians' shoulders to show them at work, making us feel as if we are sitting in the orchestra ourselves.

While Tankian's "Elect the Dead Symphony" is unquestionably a must-see for his fans, it promises to entertain any viewer's ear, regardless of musical taste. But for the fans, my advice: Don't wait to purchase the live CD/DVD combo on Mar. 9, when it is released in stores. See it on the big screen to enjoy the full magnificence of the show.

"Serj Tankian: Elect the Dead Symphony" is playing Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Leonard Nimoy Theatre at Symphony Space.