Animals As Leaders - The Madness Of Many

Guitar master Tosin Abasi is ready to show his skills again on Animals As Leaders' new record The Madness Of Many. His complex playing goes beyond djent rhythms and spidery riffs, spreading into some different instrumentation and electronic sounds.

The album begins as you'd expect, but still with a twist. The song 'Arithmophobia' kicks the album off with an Indian vibe, a sitar-esque instrument sounding and bending its note. The familiar djent rhythms soon return, powerful and spidery guitars soon sounding high above the thick punches. There are some very crazy and innovative guitar sounds on the album, some tinged with electronica will others feature variations of Abasi's signature delay.

Frantic and evil sounds continue to serve as a recurring theme throughout the record - it carries right into the next track 'Ectogenesis,' beginning with ominous electronica before the frantic guitars build the track, the rhythm tight yet sporadic. 'Private Visions Of The World' sounds like good fighting evil; the song's dreamy textures sound beautiful as the high guitars soar as if they were flying. The nightmarish djent soon kicks in, contrasting the dreamy guitars in a violent dance as the two fight stand off in a heroic battle.

What's most refreshing about this album is it's end - electronic experimentation gave the intro some color, and the acoustic guitars make the record as fresh as the start. The album's lead single 'The Brain Dance' is the first of the two acoustic-centric tracks, and is a blend of the distorted nature of the band and a light acoustic side. Our review of the song complimented its refreshing sound, and that remains unchanged in the record. It still serves as a powerful track with a sweet blend of acoustic and electric. Closing track 'Apeirophobia' ends the record on a fully acoustic note. 'Apeirophobia' is the fear of eternity, and the song, in a way, reflects that. It's a cinematic song, sounding very elegant and classical. It's gentle, but also frantic, as if running from something. The track's infinite atmosphere gives it a lot of dimension that helps it sound beautiful in its fear.

Animals As Leaders really know how to channel emotion through their art. The Madness Of Many is a solid record, and though some tracks are pretty standard for the band, it definitely shows the mastery they have at their instruments and their willingness to expand on it. A new era of Animals As Leaders is coming - The Madness Of Many is just the start.

Favorite Tracks: Apeirophobia, Private Visions Of The World, Arithmophobia

Least Favorite Track: The Glass Bridge

Rating: 79 / 100