Animals as Leaders - Animals as leaders Review

Damn, its November already? Where'd this year go? Have I been that drunk this whole time? Will I keep asking rhetorical questions to myself?

Anyway.

Lets get the month started off right: with a review of one of the first true guitar gods to come out of this generation. Animals as Leaders (at the time of this epic release) was a one man project by the legendary Tosin Abasi, with the seemingly omnipresent Misha Monsoor taking the helm as engineer. This album, while instrumental, has everything. The sheer musicianship on this album will be enough to put you in a semi-meditative state. You'll be helpless to do anything but listen with an awestruck look on your face as you listen to Tosin do things to a guitar that will make any shredder, jazz guitarist or any self-proclaimed badass player want to set fire to his instruments. The drums, programmed by the aforementioned Bulb (Misha) will give any djent-head more than enough to process. These aren't just syncopated, basic polyrhythms. Nothing on this album is basic, actually. Lets dive a bit deeper.


Lets start with the guitars. Tosin Abasi (aptly-named xnextgtrgodx on YouTube) is on a level all own on this offering. His furious speed, otherwordly chord progressions, nimble-fingered tapping runs and incredible jazz solos all make for an incredibly addicting album. "Tempting Time," the album opener, provides a perfect example of what this album has to offer: ridiculously speedy shredding, tapping riffs that make you wonder just how many hands Tosin really has, and smooth (sometimes jazzy) chording. To top it all off, the song has a great melodic break towards the end that provides a perfect counterpoint to the frenetic fret-abuse that takes place in the earlier minutes. From all-clean breaks to whole-tone solo sections, this is a virtuoso you just cannot afford to miss hearing at least once.

Now, for drums...I can't decide whats more impressive. The sheer complexity of the programmed drums, of the fact theres an actual human out there (Navene Koperweis, to be exact) who can play them live and even extrapolate on them. Check him out here, playing the aforementioned Tempting Time. But, for the purpose of this review, lets stick to whats on the album. In a word? The drums are brilliant. The way they complement Tosin's playing makes the avid listener think that surely Misha captured most, if not all of what the mastermind behind this project wanted from the rhythm section. While able to keep up with the guitars, they often become more organic and seem to develop a mind of their own. The same could be said for the bass parts, although they're admittedly hard to distinguish form the bottom two strings of Tosin's 8-stringed monster. however, when the bass does definitively cut though the mix, it manages to be both driving and easygoing all at the same time.

Look, I can't say enough good things about this album. It's an instrumental testament to the fact that there IS still talent left out there in the modern musical universe. Come to this album with an open mind; you can't possibly knows whats coming around the corner. It's got progressive elements, its got metal, its got rock and jazz and ambient qualities. Its got everything for the guitar nerds out there, the drum heads, and (as always) for anyone like me that just loves music in all of its forms. Buy this album, listen to it, fall in love, and then find yourself inspired by the prowess showcased on it. 

Tracklisting:

1. Tempting Time
2. Soraya
3. Thoroughly at Home
4. On Impulse
5. Tessitura
6. Behaving Badly
7. The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing
8. CAFO
9. Inamorata
10. Point to Point
11. Modern Meat
12. Song of Solomon