LIVE REVIEW: ANIMALS AS LEADERS

It all started after TesseracT's performance. They began taking their things off-stage as Animals' drummer, Navene Koperweis stepps out on stage to set up. Guitarist Javier Reyes enters the small lit stage to set up his gear, leaving the final peice of the puzzle to unveil it's appearance. Lead guitarist Tosin Abasi enters on stage to prepare his gear and instrument to play, as the crowd goes insane, just by the sight of Tosin. People are chanting his name and cheering as if their leader had shown himself from higher places. It was now showtime.

The lights go out and the audience cheers as "An Infinite Regression" the opening song off their new album Weightless, begins. Blending together the low and high pitches of Tosin and Javier's 8-string guitars, backed by Navene's intense drumming, a harmony so powerful is unleashed upon a started and starstruck audience that is pumped with all the energy fed from the stage. Soon the band goes silent after the song is through, the stage goes black yet again. With a sudden climactic increase, "Tempting Time" the first song off their self-titled debut, Animals as Leaders begins playing. Unvailing an even wilder side of the audience. The crowd is in attempt to synchronize head banging with the band, leaving an amazing sight to see from the corner of the room, as every head is moving at the same pace, the same way, giving Tosin Abasi a great smile as he plays the song. After that, almost immediately "Song of Solomon" kicks in as the crowd yells and claps along to Tosin. It  is amazing how much the energy of the crowd increases through each song. Next, the calming yet hard and heavy "Point To Point" makes it's appearance on the setlist, as everyone again claps along with the rhythm of Tosin's guitar. It's great to see the connection build up between the band and the audience. It was now where everyone began getting even more excited, as "Isolated Incedents", the first song on Weightless  to be officialy premiered by the band was being played. Portraying the advancement in sound Animals as Leaders has achieved.  Next, the heavy hitting "Thoroughly At  Home" was playing as people were jumping literally all over the place. Though not my favorite song from them, a definitely amazing piece to hear live. Up next is the digital release "Wave of Babies" a fun trip that combines several amazing Animals as Leaders elements into one song. Just as everyone made the assumption that the night could not get any better, Animals played yet ANOTHER new track off Weightless entitled "Cylindrical Sea" an adventurous jam of epic proportions with a very trippy and exciting intro. AaL hits the bottom of the setlist now, with the obviously obvious closer that will surely rip off any excrements of flesh you still have left on your body, "CAFO" the hard hitting purely face melting shreddage of a song, in which the crowd proves themselves worthy of being able to live through this night. Ensuring memories to last everytime they hear another Animals as Leaders song.

OVER-ALL: If this explanation seised to make it clear enough, this was indeed ONE HELL OF A SHOW. You had progression, smooth and soothing music, harmonies and melodies, fast picking, head banging, intense band to fan moments, fun, and most importantly, METAL. This whole tour deserves an A++ for being so fucking rad. Go do yourselves a favor and see the remaining shows on this tour, you will NOT be let down. Again, Go see this, Go see this, Go see this. JUST GO SEE THIS.

Dates below:

11/8      Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room @ Old*
11/9      Cleveland, OH - House Of Blues*
11/10    Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall*
11/11    Chicago, IL - House Of Blues*
11/12    Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's*
11/13    St. Louis, MO - The Pageant*
11/15    Little Rock, AR - Juanita's*
11/16    New Orleans, LA - House Of Blues*
11/17    Houston, TX - House Of Blues*
11/18    Dallas, TX - House Of Blues*
11/19    Austin, TX - Emo's Outside*
11/20    San Antonio, TX - Backstage Live*
11/22    Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre*
11/23    Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues*
11/25    Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues*
11/26    Los Angeles, CA - House Of Blues*
11/27    San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore*
11/29    Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert*
11/30    Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory Concert*
12/1      Calgary, AB - The Republik*
12/2      Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room*
12/3      Saskatoon, SK - Louis' Pub*
12/4      Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Centre*
12/6      Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar *
12/7      Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre*
12/8      Montreal, QC - Club Soda*
12/9      Clifton Park, NY - Northern Lights*
12/10    Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts*
*  w/  Between The Buried And Me & Tesseract
^ w/ Between The Buried And Me, Cave In, The Red Chord, & Tesseract