Many members of popular bands have been tempted to go it alone, often to mixed results: for every Ozzy Osborne or Ronnie James Dio success story, there are countless forgettable side projects that time has left behind. Now, 19 years since System Of A Down’s last studio output, bassist Shavo has stepped back into the spotlight with his new band, ‘SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET,’ promising “the culmination of years of creative exploration.” Teaming up with producer Morgoth and deathcore vocalist Taylor Barber promises an eccentric combination of sounds, and the group’s self-titled debut is no less bizarre or unhinged than one might expect— the result, however, is somewhat uneven, making this an exciting but flawed project overall.

The album’s opening cut ‘Paradise,’ which was also the lead single, is a wonderful encapsulation of everything SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET have achieved on their debut release. Starting things off on a suitably thunderous, blistering note, the track races into a number of brutal hardcore riffs, each more violent than the last: Morgoth’s production allows the guttural guitars to really jump off the speakers, giving each passage a fantastic sense of impact, and Barber’s growls of “the devil sings for me— now sing it back to me” are just begging to be roared by legions of fans in a stadium. ‘Paradise’ also demonstrates itself to be a surprisingly diverse song, running through a full-on deathcore passage before sinking into a more melancholic, melodic mood. 

The song proves itself worthy of being lead single, acting as a momentous and catchy opening to the record, though it also signals some of the issues that will plague the LP moving forward. Barber’s clean vocals are consistently overproduced, sucking the life from his voice whenever he stops growling. In addition, many of the record’s more unconventional instrumental choices (such as the acoustic intro that opens the track) are similarly processed to high heaven, dragging down the numerous ambient passages. ‘Paradise,’ with its emphasis on the heavier elements of SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET’s sound, is mostly unscathed by this, though it does fall victim to an equally insidious issue: Shavo and company are far too skittish in their songwriting, jumping from idea to idea without breathing room. Take the very beginning to the record, for example, which jumps from an acoustic segment to multiple hardcore riffs, pulling the arrangement to and fro without allowing the listener to ground themselves. One could certainly argue that the band benefit from this disorienting soundscape, but the overall package is less confident and well-structured than is called for, and these issues will only compound as the record proceeds: ‘Paradise’ itself, however, is an impactful opener, and surely a fantastic live cut for the band.

SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET continue to expand on the sounds they’ve set up on the following tracks, packing each one with increasingly distorted timbres and crushing breakdowns. ‘Go!,’ with its unbelievably catchy chorus melodies and racing tempos, is undoubtedly a highlight, standing as the most consistent track on the entire record: the song may lose a small amount of momentum in its bridge, but the phenomenal breakdown the cut ends on— compounded by Barber’s callout of “get the fuck up”— more than makes up for it. ‘Alive’ is similarly bouncy, albeit a little less infectious, while ‘Float’ is a lovely bass-driven ballad full of pleasing melodies and a calming mood. The cut also features some of the record’s more impassioned vocals, singing about a destructive relationship on lines such as:

“I know you wanted out of here, and I know you want to see me break down. It’s been clear to see: you took the world and ripped it out from under me.”

Unfortunately, not every moment is quite so effective, and the band slowly lose their way over the course of the track list. ‘Sunrise’ is certainly a distinctive cut, sporting a frighteningly compressed and distorted guitar tone contrasted by softer, cleaner vocals: the odd sounds do outstay their welcome, however, and the track often stumbles its way into the next passage rather than flowing smoothly. A similar criticism could be made of a cut like ‘Glink,’ which ends far too soon to really explore its thrash-infused sound, or ‘Abandon,’ which features the most jarring and random ending of any track here. As the record becomes more melody-focused in its second half, the artificiality of the soundscape also becomes an increasingly noticeable issue: single ‘Radiance’ is harmed the most by this, dragged down by vocal production so unnatural and off-putting as to rival Sleep Token, but few tracks escape it completely, and the final product is fun by flawed as a result.

It’s certainly very exciting to see Shavo take on a daring new project, and SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET’s debut album is an enjoyable romp— we would defy anyone to listen to the breakdowns of ‘Go!’ or ‘Glink’ without whipping their head around in a frenzy, and the more impassioned moments work surprisingly well. The fact remains, however, that this is a mixed bag plagued by production and writing issues that hold many tracks back, and the finished project is likely to struggle to compete in the overcrowded landscape of modern metal. If Shavo weren’t attached, it’s hard to imagine this album gaining all too much notoriety or attention. Don’t let that discourage you, however: for the performances alone, SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET is an enjoyable listen, and we can’t wait to check the band out live.

A massive thank you to The Noise Cartel for the early copy