 |
Self-Titled Interscope |
The debut from System of a Down’s Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan comes on like a good, stiff drink. Right from the initial take of opener “Serious,” there’s no walking home from this one. Dolmayan destroys the drums; his performance as chaotic and commanding as anything he’s ever done. And just when it feels like things have settled since Malakian mostly uses a simpler, more song-oriented structure, compared to SOAD, he goes dance crazy two-thirds of the way down, with filthy, freaky “Chemicals” and the deeper discodrive of “Enemy.” A moment for mellotron in the middle of “Lonely Day”-like lite-rocker “Kill Each Other/Live Forever,” Malakian singing Serj-shadowing harmony throughout, the heft and the breadth of their previous band, the new duo doesn’t disappoint.
– Eric Mitts
