Scars on Broadway, the much-anticipated collaboration between guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan - best known for their Grammy-winning, multi-Platinum success in System of a Down - announce that they will headline their first North American tour. Malakian and Dolmayan will be joined by guitarist Franky Perez, keyboardist Danny Shamoun and bassist Dominic Cifarelli on the six-week, cross-country trek which kicks off Sunday, October 19 in Atlanta, taking the band into late November. The tour is in support of Scars On Broadway's self-titled debut album which was released July 29 (Interscope). With more shows to be announced, the confirmed itinerary is below. With Malakian sitting in the Scars' producer chair, he and Dolmayan entered the studio last September, recorded nearly two-dozen songs for the album, and then whittled down the final track listing to 15 songs. Many of the Scars on Broadway songs had their genesis years ago. "I like to let my songs marinate over time, that helps determine which ones speak to me the loudest," explained Malakian. Malakian, who penned or co-penned SOAD classics such as "Aerials," "Chop Suey!," "Hypnotize," and "B.Y.O.B.", wrote the Scars songs mostly on keyboards and a drum machine. On the new scars material Malakian injects more rock than metal, citing influences from Iggy Pop to David Bowie to Neil Young. Different from the chaotic/alt/metal sound of SOAD, the Scars tracks are more song-based and showcase Malakian's varied writing style, from the simmering rock sound of "World Long Gone" to the melodic yet desolate "Universe." On the politically-tinged "3005," Malakian proves he is still as provocative as ever with the lyric, "Let's clap our hands for the president and Jesus Christ/And don't forget Charles Manson..." And "They Say," the first track leaked to the public, is heavy, but in more of a 1970s punk fashion. Some of the other confirmed tracks include "Enemy," ""Stoner Hate," "Babylon," and "Cute Machines." Scars on Broadway has already played a handful of live shows, including Coachella 2008, where the Los Angeles Times singled them out as "one of the festival's hottest highlights." They also opened for Metallica at an L.A. benefit gig - SPIN said that their set "made it clear how little System's hiatus has dulled each man's hyperactive creativity." On a recent promo tour of Europe, the band played a small club in London; in its live, 5-K review, the UK hard rock Bible Kerrang! wrote, "...what shines the brightest tonight are the songs...these are more mainstream songs than System ever wrote, songs that reflect Malakian's desire to write music that people will think about rather than just mosh to...As he performs them, delivering lyrics that veer from bitter to poignant, from self-loathing to pointed, he manages to convey both an intensity of feeling while remaining entirely engaging..."
