ChrisDerSark@ucla.edu
Sako, Mike, Hovhannes, and Harout jammed together for the first time in 2003. Incidentally, the “musical sex” they created did not just serve as a pleasureful pastime, but gave birth to their new lifestyle - rock music.
The members of 24Black include Harout Ichlokmanian (Rhythm Guitar/ Lead Vocals), Hovannes Donelyan (Drums), Sako Dovlatyan (Bass Guitar/ Backup Vocals), and Michael Solis (Lead Guitar). The band met in 2001 as “The Merceneries,” regularly performing on the Sunset strip at venues like the Roxy, Whisky, the House of Blues, and the Knitting Factory. “We have fun in Hollywood; it’s a great music scene,” said lead-guitarist Solis. The band is well known at the sunset venues, where they share their passion with diehard fans.
Heavily influenced by Metallica, 24Black has brilliantly fabricated an original sound that is very melodic and extremely aggressive, yet contains strong ethnic influences. “Our music truly reminds people of the old classic rock sound, but sounds a lot more modern,” drummer Donelyan said. (Other influences include: Pink Floyd, Tool, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Guns N Roses, Iron Maiden, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Korn, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Godsmack, Fleetwood Mac, the Muse, Nine Inch Nails, Manson, AC/DC, and Deep Purple.)
24Black has performed with bands like Gnarls Barkley and Red Snow, in Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco, and even Wisconsin. “It’s always a party when we’re on stage,” the band said.
The band members met in January of 2001 with similar interests in music. They had all taken music lessons at one point, but were always against their music teachers’ view of how their music should be. “We had our own ideas on how to play music, not their idea,” stated Donelyan.
They began to mesh their individual skills to form their distinct style. Seven months later, they performed together for the first time at the Whiskey in August. A couple years of rapidly growing fame, an album, and a five-song demo later, the Mercenaries started recording with Chris Johnson, an acclaimed producer who also produced Evanescence.
It was in 2007 that they became 24Black and started recording their first album together, Recorded. The band was named after their overwhelming luck on a roulette wheel at a trip to Vegas, the preferred vacation spot for 24Black. The album is important to the band because it preserves their hard work and musical revolution for years to come. All the lyrics have alternate meanings, but mostly refer to having a good time and being “dangerously excessive” in whatever they attempt to do.
Naturally, the recording process is very long and tedious. “The songs change a lot when you’re recording. Our producer worked a lot with us; he gave us a lot of pointers. We pretty much put the icing and cherry on top,” Dovlatyan said.
However, it is always music before lyrics. “We all come up with bits of a song separately and it eventually comes together. Our main focus is the melody, and the lyrics come later and are changed several times,” Hovannes said. According to 24Black, the lyrics in the new album all have alternate meanings; they are meant to trigger feelings and leave you thinking.
The song “Hollywood Monroe” on their new album is dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, whose mystical picture can be found hung in the studio. The order of the songs on the CD are carefully placed to optimize the listener’s pleasure, as each song segways into the next, leaving the audience craving more. The album is designed to sound best when on repeat; the last song leaves you empty and leeches you back to the start of the album, coming in full circle. It is mind-blowing, to say the least.
The band enjoys each other’s company more than anything, so the studio is a great place for them to chill out and relax after long rehearsals. They love to gamble, hang out, smoke hookah, look at guitars, play fooseball, and basically have a good time. Even when the band is not practicing, they are seldom separated. “We’re like family… and what we do is a lifestyle,” the band said.
With the release of their new CD Recorded, the band hopes to return to the stage and keep rocking out for years to come. “We plan to remain rockstars til the day we die,” bass guitarist Dovlatyan said.
You can find more information about the band at www.twentyfourblack.com. The site also has links to Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, where you can download all their music for free, buy band merchandise, and join the mailing list for updates on upcoming shows. 24Black is scheduled for a show in October. Expect high energy, moshpits, and a great time.
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