Following the fall 2024 release of Seven Hours After Violet’s self-titled debut album, System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and the rest of his heavy supergroup have now shone a spotlight on the record’s mental health-centered “Float.”
A new music video for “Float” is being premiered today (April 29th) at Revolver, just ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month, with the band noting in a press release that they hope the song and video can be a conversation-starter for folks facing anxiety and depression.
“The song speaks to the threat of suicide, but more than that, it’s about hope — the push and pull between pain and recovery,” Odadjian explained. “We want this track to be a beacon for anyone battling those inner wars.”
Vocalist Taylor Barber adds: “‘Float’ is about the feeling of waking up with depression rooted deep inside you. Feeling like a ghost in a shell — existing, but not living. It’s about being consumed by the weight of the world without confronting the inner battles. It’s important for us to express our emotions and let people know they’re not alone.”
The tune takes on a more mournful, but nevertheless distortion-crushed outlook than some of SHAV’s more deathcore-geared material. Lyrically, the track has Barber and guitarist-vocalist Alejandro Aranda (a.k.a. Scarypoolparty) screaming and singing of sinking feelings, overwhelming sadness and fractured personal dynamics (“I needed space, you needed help”).
The video mixes performance footage from SHAV with a fictionalized look at one woman’s challenges with her mental health. The video comes with a slight content warning as it includes images that reflect themes of suicide and self-harm, but you can view the powerful clip up above. It ends by promoting To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit “dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.”
Seven Hours After Violet are next set to hit the stage May 18th at Daytona, Florida’s Welcome to Rockville festival. They likewise have a bunch of European concert dates on deck in June, and will be appearing at this fall’s Aftershock fest in Sacramento, California. You’ll find all of SHAV’s upcoming live dates here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out immediately to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.