Customer Reviews

Animals As Leaders

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm going to start off this review by saying this is a profound advancement in technical and progressive metal. This album is a true reflection of an incredible amount of skill that does not overbear a wonderful sense of musical taste. Overall the album is hardly repetitive, constantly shifting in mood and intensity from heavy, rhythmically interesting riffs to subtle melodies and pleasing phrases, giving this album an incredible depth and texture most new musical projects fail to deliver.

The first track, Tempting Time, seems to be a logical place to start. This song is truly staggering in every way imaginable. Beginning the song with careful use of synthesizer and sampling effects lays the foreground for a monster jackhammer riff courtesy of Tosin Abasi. The technical skill in this song is unbelievable, with such sonic intensity created and the surprising thing to note is none of this is repetitive or tiring to listen to. Midway, the song shifts to a cleanly executed 7 finger tapping line, one of my favourites in the whole album; a clear indication of the phenomenal writing and technical ability of Tosin.

The contrast of this album is a feature I find to prominent. The wonderfully delicate and tasteful Soraya almost resembles the musical variation of Scale the Summit. The jazz fusion influence is noticable throughout the album, and adds a unique dimension to each song's development. "Behaving Badly" and "The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing" are examples of this. Coupled with shifts in time signature numerous times hint an obvious Meshuggah influence, but this is definitely not even close to a Meshuggah clone album in any respect. Each song develops in its own unique way, offering a wide range of distinct musical tones that intrigue every part of the listener.

Modern Meat is another example of a wonderfully orchestrated jazz influenced track played on a detuned acoustic, which provides a reefreshing break from the onslaught of intense shift in time signature and aggressive lead playing. The lack of accompaniment gives the carefully chosen guitar phrase to develop beautifully. My only grievance is it only goes on for 2 minutes!

Overall, this album is a masterpiece. The involvement of Periphery's Misha "Bulb" Mansoor on the album of whom I am a huge fan only makes me look forward any and all new material from the project. Do not hesitate for a second. Buy this album and you will never regret it.

I'm going to start this off by saying that I didn't have a clue what I was getting into when I got this album. I was just going off the advice of a friend to "just buy, don't think", and I had only heard a couple songs posted on their MySpace that I wasn't really even all that crazy about. What a great gamble that turned out to be. This album quickly made me forget that I even had expectations, and it has already become one of my all-time favorite albums, despite only having it for a little over 2 weeks. I'm dead serious.

"Animals as Leaders" is leaded by guitarist/songwriter Tosin Abasi (ex-Reflux), and is the first progressive metal band I've heard that really can't be put into a genre. Even "progressive metal" is a label that would make people think they're going to sound like Dream Theater or Rush, which is absolutely not the case. "Experimental" might be a good label, but that's also a bad, terrible label, in that it simply clumps together all the musicians who sound nothing like anybody else or each other. This album is fresh, it's instrumental, it's heavy, it's very progressive (both rhythmically and melodically), it's uplifting, it's EPIC, and it's utterly beautiful. No need to genre-ify it.

Anyways, there is nothing more important to this album than the musicianship of Tosin Abasi. I'm no guitarist, but I can easily say that he makes his music come alive with passion and heart, and I'm worried that his guitars might explode if he keeps making such awesome music. The drum work is phenomenal, too. I've been playing drums for 11 years, and some of the stuff I hear is like nothing I've ever heard. I just wish I knew who wrote/played them (may have been Tosin for all I know, some multi-instrumentalists are skilled at everything).

The two tracks currently posted on MySpace "Tempting Time" and "Song of Solomon", are good examples of the heavier side of the album. While those are damn good songs that will make you rock out no matter where or how you listen to them, they're not my favorites - those would have to be the more laid-back tunes with the jazzier-classical influences, like "Soraya", "Behaving Badly" and "The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing". Hearing an atmospheric jazz-fusion-esque sound combined with redonkulous 5/16 time, meshuggah-like polyrhythms, and a classical guitar-like composition is the coolest thing in the world! Though, even the songs I didn't mention are absolutely amazing! I just haven't had enough time with the album yet to develop a sense of how to describe them (it's that way with most of the album, actually). I'll just let you find out for yourself what it sounds like.

However, don't get the idea that just because I mentioned which ones are my favorites, that there are songs or parts of songs that are just OK or filler! There is not a single wasted second on this album. There is nothing repetitive, nothing that will bore you, nothing that will leave you disappointed or underwhelmed, nothing that will even make you think about skipping to the next track. This is an album that after your first listen, will leave you feeling as though you've rediscovered music. It was good enough that it's been in my car's CD player for the last couple weeks straight, and I haven't gotten tired of it. I can't say the same for the new Mastodon, the new Isis, or the new Obscura, which I thought were all great albums that really pushed the limits of metal. Will I call this the best metal album of 2009? Absolutely, and possibly the best metal album of the last few years (right up there with the latest Meshuggah, Opeth and Gojira albums, and a few other other great bands that thrive on how original they can be).

People, get this album. A smart man once said "What mama don't know can't hurt her", but he's obviously never heard Animals as Leaders before. Buy it now, you won't make a better decision for a long time.

This album cover to cover absolutely blew me away the first time I heard it. This is progressive metal at it's best! I've never even heard of these guys before I bought this album. Every track on this album is a work of art, an epic journey. Tosin Abasi is a musical mastermind. All instrumental, no vocals, just raw talent. I simply cannot stop listening to this record! I must see these guys live! Best $9 bux I've ever spent.

Their are literally thousands of excellent bands going unheard by the main populace of the Metal lovers world wide, however very.. Very few even grasp this level of musicianship, creativity and sheer brilliance. Tosin Abasi formerly of the much overlooked group Reflux is the heart, soul and mind behind this modern masterpiece that Metal and Hard Rock fans can not afford to overlook.

The album starts off with a unique blend of jazzy rhythm backed by trance styled synth then erupts into a barrage of technical pummeling rhythm guitar and crushing drum work. Soon all that is overtaken by soaring technical and mesmerizing leads and soon the jazzy beat and synth returns and slows things down as Tosin lays down some superb acoustics then the track explodes into a barrage of crunch rhythm and powerful leads.

After only hearing the first track I knew immediately this one man was easily one of the best guitarists and all around musicians in the industry. I can agree that this music is difficult to label but it is most definitely somewhere in the grey area between Progressive and Technical Metal. But honestly labeling something so fresh, new and inspiring is unfair, simply enjoy the music.

The follow up to the opener is a far more melodic track loaded with tranquil acoustic guitar, unique leads and engrossing atmosphere. This at the very beginning gives you a dramatic contrast to how this man can perform several spectrum's of music flawlessly. The follow up to the melodic second track is a chaotic Tech Metal song, that wouldn't be out of place on a Meshuggah album.

As a guitarist myself I am inspired to improve my own skills after listening to what Tosin has accomplished with this release and I am sure other guitarists will also be very pleased with the album. Only two more known bands come to mind when listening to this album, first is the obvious Meshuggah on the heavier side of the music and Cynic on the lighter end of the spectrum. Yet Animals As Leaders still holds it's own and is impossible to simple toss it off as a rip off of what others have done.

In my opinion this is possibly one of the most singular significant releases in the past ten to possibly twenty years for the Metal Industry. Few groups (aside possibly thos already mentioned) can pull off such a unique sound, creativity and the engrossing amount of musicianship. Tosin Abasi has proven himself a master of his art and all we can hope is that Prosthetic Records keep him in the loop, but after hearing this I can't see how any record label could toss him.

Fans of Progressive and/or Technical Metal obviously will enjoy this and is a must own. Fans of Instrumental Metal will also be another obvious fan base as the album has no vocals what so ever. People who enjoy Metal that has a more Eclectic and unique style can also appreciate this as well as the music from beginning to end stands next to none.

All in all I think all fans of the Metal universe need to listen to this at least once.. It is a ground breaking release from a man that is basically unknown in the industry except within small circles few and far between. Pick this up and support an artist that truly has the skills others claim to posses. In my opinion this album just went straight to the top of the list and is the best Metal Album of 2009 to date. Do not overlook this one. Thank you for reading.

OK, really now... all five star reviews? How can this be? Family members? Non-critical thinkers? Easily swayed by published opinions? Nope... Believe the hype. This is music of virtuosic talent, both technical and artistic. A couple of times I found myself with goosebumps and talking outloud. I am beyond impressed. The depth of musical reference on display here is mind boggling. It has been well described previously, so I wont go into that. I will say however, that descriptions alone are impossibly inadequate. This is the rarest of pairings- gifted, creative music compositionally that is not limited in any way by technical skill level boundaries.
There are gasp inducing moments throughout, but that is not particularly unusual. Lots of people can do cool stuff that is difficult to play. After you've heard it a few times, the circus trick type stuff loses novelty and goes into the pile of somewhat disappointing but acceptably good CDs. This is not one of those CDs.

This effort is full of surprises. One big one is the song "The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing", which is titled ironically, as it is easily worth the price of the entire CD alone. The title does make sense in a somewhat descriptive way though. The seemingly contradictory statement that is the wording in the title is also the auditory marvel as well. It has an odd-meter almost floating time type of phrase that is repeated throughout. It is very relaxed, melodic, and open; breezy and calm with a classic jazz tone used to excellent effect. There are continuously more intense layers added underneath the repeated figure, which remains essentially unchanged. It still remains confidently relaxed and insistently steadfast, all the while, a storm rages around it that should surely wrest it from it's moorings. The tonal, meter, stylistic, and intensity contrast during this masterpiece is emotionally confusing and literally hair-raising. It is an intellectual delight beyond description. A work of remarkable musical depth. Nearly unbelievable.

This is but one excerpt. Buy this. It is at least as good as the reviews.






July of 2011- still impressed. Awesome CD.

Mr. L.E.J. Fischer's review is dead-on. I don't wish to rehash what has been said, other than to add - do yourself a favor and pick this up; particularly if you are looking for a wonderfully fresh perspective on highly technical guitar work. Make no doubt, Tosin Abasi is pure monster, with a wholly unique and inspirational approach.

To answer a below reviewer's comment on the drum work; it is programmed by Misha Mansoor, polyrhythmic 7/8 string-weilding maven of DC-based Periphery fame. Though not listed in the liner notes, I am pretty sure he uses DFH (Drumkit From Hell, Tomas Haake sample library).

This is an incredible piece of programming work, to say the least. The last time I was this impressed with percussion programming as a work of art was Meshuggah's Catch-33. The mix here is superior to the infamous Catch-33 recording, however. The kick and rhythm guitar tracks absolutely leap off this disc, just begging to be cranked on a high-end system.

Want. More. Now!

If you're a Metalhead, get this record. If you love music as a whole, get this record.

Every so often a band puts out something so profound and uniquely executed it moves a genre forward. I feel this one moves music as a whole forward. This record is a home run in all respects. It is the most original and dimensional metal I have heard. Ever. You don't need to be a pure Metalhead to get into this one; it's accessible to an extremely wide audience. I've been an audiophile for a little over 20 years, and this album might very well be in the top 25 records I've ever heard, in terms of originality and execution. It is simply a gratifying and deeply fulfilling record each and every time I hear it. I hate sounding like a fanboy, here, but it really is that good. I absolutely cannot wait until their next release.

I am probably on my two hundredth listen by now and I am still finding new things to hear. It's ground breaking. Add to cart; proceed to checkout. Huge.

I am an avid metal fan who has been listening to the likes of Slayer, Atheist, Sepultura, Death, and the like for over 25 years. I have grown to enjoy other types of music as well, and especially enjoy good musicianship. I like Rodrigo y Gabriela, Steve Morse, Kaki King, Michael Hedges, Blotted Science, and many other instrumental artists. I had previously checked out the samples of Animals as Leaders on Amazon, but just wasn't that impressed. But, after reading all of the positive reviews and considering it was on sale, I decided to download the whole album. I am rarely blown away by a new release, but this is absolutely incredible. Phenomenal muscianship, excellent groove, and great song writing. I highly recommend you purchase this release, even if you are not into death and/or thrash metal. I highly recommend you purchase this release, even if you are not into fretboard acrobatics. This release cannot be pigeonholed, and does not serve just one audience. And, again, you cannot gauge the mammoth tundra on which this slab of music rests by listening to the samples. That's like looking at a single cloud to define the sky.

I haven't heard a metal band that could hold my interest for more than 30 seconds in 20 yrs until now. No unintelegable barking scarecrow with a mic (and some marbles) in his mouth to befoul the music, just music. And, just when the banging might be getting to be too much it changes gears into jazz'ish or classical'ish interludes that are pretty seamless. The guitar work is outstanding, at times reminding me of Greg Howe, but for the most part very much an individual style. I have to give cudos to the drummer also, and even though on a couple of pieces it sounds like you're trying to listen to a cd with a helicopter hovering over your house, it works, and some of his timing changes are sublime. This is music worth owning.

As an amendment, I was reading recently on Pandora that all the guitars and bass are done by Tosin and all the drumming and other add ins are programmed. If that's truly the case, the programmer deserves kudos (and a grammy for sound), I would never think those weren't real drums, hope a live one does it justice.

Now let's start this off by saying that I first heard this whole album yesterday. In that time I have listened to it a minimum of 12 times through, front to back. An album usually takes me quite some time to really get into, especially something as complex and varied as this. For some reason this sound works so well I am instantly madly in love with it. The seamless blend of styles, tempo shifts and timing is something that cannot be overlooked, there is a reason this album has all five star reviews.

I am pretty sick of bands like Dream Theater masquerading around as one of the genre's top bands, their sound is dated and pretentious to the max. THIS is the sound of the future, THIS is the sound all modern prog-metal bands are looking for. Go buy this album.