System of A Down frontman Serj Tankian has set "Empty Walls" as the first rock radio single from his debut solo album, "Elect The Dead". The track will make its way to stations on September 10. Another song, called "The Unthinking Majority", will surface a little earlier on college radio and metal specialty shows. The album itself will arrive on October 23 through Tankian's Serjical Strike label.

Tankian told Launch why it was the right time for him to step out on his own with a solo project. "We've been a band for 11 years, put out five records, and myself personally, I felt I needed to do other things. I've been wanting to put out a solo record for many, many years and it's not about just the vanity of putting out your own record kind of thing. It's more about having songs and having a vision and having a place to voice that. So I've been looking forward to doing that and it's making me really happy doing that right now."

System of A Down drummer John Dolmayan and ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Brian "Brain" Mantia both play on "Elect The Dead".

System of A Down has been on hiatus since last year while its members pursue individual projects.