Animals as Leaders | |
Type: | studio |
Artist: | Animals as Leaders |
Cover: | Animals as Leaders - Animals as Leaders (2009).jpg |
Recorded: | 2008 |
Genre: | |
Length: | 52:00 |
Label: | Prosthetic |
Producer: | Misha Mansoor |
Next Title: | Weightless |
Next Year: | 2011 |
Animals as Leaders is the debut studio album by American instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders. It was released on April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records. In 2015, a reissue titled Animals as Leaders – Encore Edition was released with bonus tracks.
Before Animals as Leaders Tosin Abasi was a member of metalcore band Reflux that had been disbanded.[1] Reflux's former record label Prosthetic Records saw Abasi's guitar work and asked him to create a solo album for them. Abasi initially declined, feeling such an endeavor would be "egotistical and unnecessary".[2] Afterwards, Abasi enrolled in the Atlanta Institute of Music which helped give him new creative ideas for music composition.[1] Abasi later changed his mind saying that "doing a solo album seemed to make a lot more sense", and decided to take the label's offer.[1] However, he did not want the project's new album to just represent the idea of one person.[3] Abasi's school experience aided him in developing ideas for the album. While at school he learned fundamental harmony, jazz playing standards, and improved on playing classical guitar.[4]
Animals as Leaders was recorded in early 2008. Abasi recorded all guitar and bass tracks on the album; drums and various synthesized effects were programmed by engineer Misha Mansoor (Periphery, Haunted Shores).
Abasi and Mansoor are credited for composing the music for all tracks on Animals as Leaders.[3] All twelve tracks on the album are guitar driven instrumentals that are intended to showcase Abasi's guitar skills.[3] Abasi uses techniques such as tremolo picking, sweep-picking, two-handed tapping, fingerpicking, and slapping throughout the album.[3]
The album was released on April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records,[5] and was met with positive reviews. It was also called "the 12th best album of 2009" by metalsucks.net[6]
Ken McGrath of Rock Sound described the album as "a space-prog head-trip" and compared its sound to Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, 65daysofstatic, and Meshuggah.[7]
All tracks written by Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor.