Animals as Leaders
Encyclopedia
Animals as Leaders is an American, Washington, D.C.
–based instrumental
progressive metal
band, formed by guitarist Tosin Abasi
in 2007 which now includes guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Navene Koperweis. The self-titled debut album
was released in April 2009 by Prosthetic Records
. Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes are also members of the supergroup T.R.A.M alongside former The Mars Volta
wind instrumentalist Adrian Terrazas and Suicidal Tendencies
drummer Eric Moore.
Their new album entitled Weightless
was released on November 8th, 2011 in the US, November 4th in Europe, and November 7th in the UK.
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". When Reflux disbanded, Abasi decided to take the label's offer. The name Animals as Leaders was inspired by Daniel Quinn
's 1992 novel Ishmael
, which addresses anthropocentrism
. Abasi coined the name as a reminder "that we're all essentially animals".
The project's first album, Animals as Leaders
, was recorded in early 2008. Abasi recorded most guitar and bass tracks on the album; a few guitar solos, drums and various synthesized effects were programmed by engineer Misha Mansoor of Periphery
and Haunted Shores. The album was released April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records.
In 2010 the band did extensive touring including the 2010 Summer Slaughter tour with such acts as Decapitated
, Vital Remains
, Carnifex
, The Faceless
, All Shall Perish
, The Red Chord
, Cephalic Carnage
, Veil of Maya and Decrepit Birth
and since Summer Slaughter have toured with more mainstream acts like Circa Survive and Dredg. Recently they have announced that new music has been recorded and this time will feature performances from all the members of the band. A non-album digital single was uploaded to iTunes later that year entitled "Wave of Babies". The song was met with critical aclaim.
The band embarked on a tour alongside Circa Survive
, Dredg
, and Codeseven
from mid 2010 to early 2011, and in early 2011, they toured alongside Underoath
, Thursday
, and A Skylit Drive
to promote Underoath's latest release, Ø (Disambiguation)
.
On May 26, 2011, Animals as Leaders took part in a Red Cross benefit show entitled "Josh Barnett
Presents The Sun Forever Rising" at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. Shortly thereafter, they headlined their first tour, which included opening acts Intronaut
, Dead Letter Circus
, Last Chance to Reason
, and Evan Brewer
. On July 27, 2011, during a show at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia, Tosin Abasi announced that they were recording the show for a live DVD.
The band has been billed as the first support of Between the Buried and Me
on their European tour in September 2011, also with the french band Doyle. As a follow-up to their self-titled album, the band released their new LP, entitled Weightless
, on November 8 in the United States.
Former
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
–based instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band, formed by guitarist Tosin Abasi
Tosin Abasi
Tosin Abasi is a Washington DC based virtuoso guitarist who is best known for playing in the instrumental progressive metal band Animals As Leaders. Before Animals as Leaders was formed, he was the guitarist for the technical metalcore band Reflux...
in 2007 which now includes guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Navene Koperweis. The self-titled debut album
Animals as Leaders (album)
-Release and reception:The album was released on April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records.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....
was released in April 2009 by Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
. Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes are also members of the supergroup T.R.A.M alongside former The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
wind instrumentalist Adrian Terrazas and Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
drummer Eric Moore.
Their new album entitled Weightless
Weightless (Animals as Leaders album)
All tracks written by Animals as Leaders.-Personnel:* Tosin Abasi – lead/rhythm eight-string guitar* Javier Reyes – rhythm/lead eight-string guitar* Navene Koperweis – drumsProduction* Navene Koperweis - engineering* Javier Reyes - mixing...
was released on November 8th, 2011 in the US, November 4th in Europe, and November 7th in the UK.
History
Animals as Leaders was formed after guitarist Tosin Abasi's previous technical metalcore band, Reflux, had been disbanded. The heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
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". When Reflux disbanded, Abasi decided to take the label's offer. The name Animals as Leaders was inspired by Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn is an American writer described as an environmentalist. He is best known for his book Ishmael , which won the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship Award in 1991....
's 1992 novel Ishmael
Ishmael (novel)
Ishmael is a 1992 philosophical novel by Daniel Quinn. It examines mythology, its effect on ethics, and how that relates to sustainability. The novel uses a style of Socratic dialogue to deconstruct the notion that humans are the end product, the pinnacle of biological evolution...
, which addresses anthropocentrism
Anthropocentrism
Anthropocentrism describes the tendency for human beings to regard themselves as the central and most significant entities in the universe, or the assessment of reality through an exclusively human perspective....
. Abasi coined the name as a reminder "that we're all essentially animals".
The project's first album, Animals as Leaders
Animals as Leaders (album)
-Release and reception:The album was released on April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records.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....
, was recorded in early 2008. Abasi recorded most guitar and bass tracks on the album; a few guitar solos, drums and various synthesized effects were programmed by engineer Misha Mansoor of Periphery
Periphery (band)
Periphery is an American metal band from Bethesda, Maryland , formed in 2005.- Formation and lineup changes :Periphery was formed by guitarist Misha Mansoor in 2005...
and Haunted Shores. The album was released April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records.
In 2010 the band did extensive touring including the 2010 Summer Slaughter tour with such acts as Decapitated
Decapitated (band)
Decapitated is a death metal band that formed in Krosno, Poland in 1996. The group comprises guitarist, founder and composer Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, vocalist Rafał Piotrowski and Austrian drummer Kerim "Krimh" Lechner. Decapitated have gained recognition as one of the genre's most widely respected...
, Vital Remains
Vital Remains
Vital Remains is an American death metal band from Providence, Rhode Island formed in 1988.- History :Created in 1988 by guitarist Paul Flynn, Vital Remains' first line-up consisted of guitarist Butch Machado, vocalist Mike Flynn, bassist Tom Supkow, and drummer Chris Dupont. Searching for better...
, Carnifex
Carnifex (band)
Carnifex is an American deathcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2005, they are currently signed to Victory Records and have released four studio albums...
, The Faceless
The Faceless
The Faceless is an American technical death metal band from Encino, California. They released their debut album, Akeldama in November 2006, and a follow-up, Planetary Duality, in November 2008.-History:...
, All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish is an American deathcore band from Oakland, California, formed in 2002. Currently, the band is signed to Nuclear Blast and have released four full-length albums through the label. Their latest record, This Is Where It Ends was released on July 26, 2011...
, The Red Chord
The Red Chord
The Red Chord is an American grindcore band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band is made up of vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, and bassist Greg Weeks. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album,...
, Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American grindcore band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos...
, Veil of Maya and Decrepit Birth
Decrepit Birth
Decrepit Birth is a death metal band from Santa Cruz, California, USA, signed to Nuclear Blast. They have released three studio albums through Unique Leader Records and a demo independently...
and since Summer Slaughter have toured with more mainstream acts like Circa Survive and Dredg. Recently they have announced that new music has been recorded and this time will feature performances from all the members of the band. A non-album digital single was uploaded to iTunes later that year entitled "Wave of Babies". The song was met with critical aclaim.
The band embarked on a tour alongside Circa Survive
Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
, Dredg
Dredg
Dredg is an American rock group formed in 1993 in Los Gatos, California. The band consists of vocalist Gavin Hayes, guitarist Mark Engles, bassist Drew Roulette and drummer Dino Campanella....
, and Codeseven
Codeseven
Codeseven was formed in 1995 as a melodic hardcore band in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Their first "official" release , A Sense of Coalition gained popularity on college radio stations for a cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer" Codeseven was formed in 1995 as a melodic hardcore band in...
from mid 2010 to early 2011, and in early 2011, they toured alongside Underoath
Underoath
Underoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, Thursday
Thursday (band)
Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
, and A Skylit Drive
A Skylit Drive
A Skylit Drive is an American post-hardcore band from Lodi, California. The band released one DVD, one EP and three studio albums: Wires...and the Concept of Breathing on May 20, 2008, Adelphia on June 9, 2009, and most recently Identity On Fire on February 15, 2011. Michael Jagmin has provided...
to promote Underoath's latest release, Ø (Disambiguation)
Ø (Disambiguation)
Ø is the seventh album by American metalcore band Underoath. Released on November 9, 2010 through Tooth & Nail Records, the album is the band's first without founding member Aaron Gillespie, the first with Daniel Davison, formerly of Norma Jean. As of this album, none of the members that appeared...
.
On May 26, 2011, Animals as Leaders took part in a Red Cross benefit show entitled "Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett
Joshua Lawrence Barnett is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who currently fights in the heavyweight division of Strikeforce. Barnett has been an accomplished fighter in mixed martial arts, winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship and the King of Pancrase Openweight...
Presents The Sun Forever Rising" at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. Shortly thereafter, they headlined their first tour, which included opening acts Intronaut
Intronaut
Intronaut is a progressive metal band from Los Angeles, California.Their style, while rooted in metal, is extremely forward-thinking and psychedelic, complete with complex polyrhythms, intense, haunting melodies, and vocal harmonies, combined with progressive and jazzy instrumental breaks.Their...
, Dead Letter Circus
Dead Letter Circus
Dead Letter Circus are an alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, who have been compared to The Mars Volta and Karnivool and have become one of the more popular bands in Australian rock...
, Last Chance to Reason
Last Chance To Reason
Last Chance to Reason is a progressive metal group from Augusta, Maine. Their first major label debut, Level 2, came in 2011 through Prosthetic Records. Their debut album, Lvl. 1, was released through Tribunal Records in 2007....
, and Evan Brewer
Evan Brewer
Evan Brewer is an American electric bassist. He is the current bassist of the Technical Death metal band The Faceless. He is former member of Animosity and Reflux, which also featured virtuoso guitarist Tosin Abasi. He has a project Climaxes with Barry Donegan of Look What I Did, which is...
. On July 27, 2011, during a show at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia, Tosin Abasi announced that they were recording the show for a live DVD.
The band has been billed as the first support of Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...
on their European tour in September 2011, also with the french band Doyle. As a follow-up to their self-titled album, the band released their new LP, entitled Weightless
Weightless (Animals as Leaders album)
All tracks written by Animals as Leaders.-Personnel:* Tosin Abasi – lead/rhythm eight-string guitar* Javier Reyes – rhythm/lead eight-string guitar* Navene Koperweis – drumsProduction* Navene Koperweis - engineering* Javier Reyes - mixing...
, on November 8 in the United States.
Members
Current- Tosin AbasiTosin AbasiTosin Abasi is a Washington DC based virtuoso guitarist who is best known for playing in the instrumental progressive metal band Animals As Leaders. Before Animals as Leaders was formed, he was the guitarist for the technical metalcore band Reflux...
– leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
/rhythmRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
eight-string guitar (2007–Present) - Javier Reyes – rhythmRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
/leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
eight-string guitar (2009–Present) - Navene Koperweis – drums (2010–Present)
Former
- Matt Halpern - drums (2009)
- Chebon Littlefield - bass, synth (2007-2008)
Discography
- Animals as LeadersAnimals as Leaders (album)-Release and reception:The album was released on April 28, 2009 by Prosthetic Records.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....
(2009) - Wave of Babies (Digital Single) (2010)
- WeightlessWeightless (Animals as Leaders album)All tracks written by Animals as Leaders.-Personnel:* Tosin Abasi – lead/rhythm eight-string guitar* Javier Reyes – rhythm/lead eight-string guitar* Navene Koperweis – drumsProduction* Navene Koperweis - engineering* Javier Reyes - mixing...
(2011)
Videography
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "CAFO" | Scott Hansen |
| 2011 | "Isolated Incidents" | Jay Wynn |