With their band on a frustrating hiatus, most of the members of System Of A Down have remained busy with other projects: Serj Tankian’s solo material, Daron Malakian resurrected Scars on Broadway and John Dolmayan… well… let’s not get into that. What of bassist Shavo Odadjian, though?
A couple of quick projects here and there, a bit of DJing, but nothing that has really captured the imagination. That may well change now, as his latest band’s debut album is certainly a striking and immediate listen. Roping in former members of deathcore bands Winds Of Plague and Left To Suffer, Seven Hours After Violet is unquestionably the most extreme entity that Shavo has put his name to.
Opener Paradise certainly would be a shock to listeners who have never delved into music any heavier than SOAD, as a juddering tech-metal groove and snarling, guttural belch from vocalist Taylor Barber slaps you round the chops. There are hints of Shavo’s previous work in the stop-start rhythms of Sunrise, but that’s soon trampled by another chainsaw riff that drags it back into brutal metal territory.
Although the inclusion of Shavo will get most of the attention here, the clear man of the match is Taylor. The vocalist puts in a dexterous performance that ranges from delicate, whispered falsetto highs all the way up to throat ripping screams. Making the amalgam of US radio rock and something far heavier on a song like Float is very impressive.
All of these elements in isolation should make a fantastic debut album, but sadly, unlike Shavo’s day job, SHAV currently lacks enough distinct personality to fully stand out in a crowded genre. Plus, whilst songs like Radiance, Alive and Glink are bangers, around half of the album feels like filler. Iron out those kinks and Seven Hours After Violet could be a very good band indeed.
Seven Hours After Violet is out October 11 via Sumerian
