10 Strongest Voices In Alternative Rock Music
4. Serj Tankian
One of the unique voices in rock, Armenian-American Serj Tankian found fame when System of a Down burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album in the summer of 1998. This was at the height of the emergence of nu-metal, and the recording was engineered by acclaimed metal producer Rick Rubin after he had been impressed with their individual sound after seeing them grafting away unsigned in the LA club scene.
Their quirky style blended heavy riffs and moments of pure chaos, with melodic periods of respite, with Tankian’s singing lifting the music into uncharted territory with his impressive vocal range. Their second album, Toxicity (2001), debuted at the top of the charts in the US and Canada, with their single Chop Suey ruling MTV. However, the song was seeped in controversy due its lyrical subject matter of suicide.
System of a Down recorded another three albums together. Although they still tour from time to time, they have not released an album since Hypnotize (2005), due to musical differences between Serj and founding guitarist Daron Malakian. In that time, Tankian has also carved out an impressive solo career, releasing a number of innovative rock albums seeped in the inspiration of world music, specifically leaning on his Armenian heritage.