Animals As Leaders
The Madness of Many
(Sumerian Records)
Animals As Leaders have always been amazing musicians, and their ability to craft a song is definitely unquestioned (see the excellent “Physical Education” – video below). However, their ability to write a record that feels like a cohesive album hasn’t always been there. Sure, their Self-Titled and The Joy of Motion were excellent releases, but they were bogged down by a couple weak tracks and the feeling that the whole was greater than the sum of its talented parts. That often can be the case with stupidly skilled musicians playing technical music. Plus, with outside production and songwriting credits, there was always something really small holding back the band ever so slightly.
Thankfully, that all changed with their fourth record. The Madness of Many sees the band controlling all aspects of the album: songwriting, recording, and mixing, and whatever internal choices were made, the result is groups most cohesive work yet. It’s also their weirdest work yet. “Arithmophobia” (the fear of numbers) starts off with an Eastern melody before the band’s patented intricate jazz metal kicks in, and “Ectogenesis” weaves in an eerie sci-fi melody that gives the song an alien feel; I’m just picturing aliens dancing as they destroy our world. All this before the second half of the record strips back the metal for something more smoother, calmer, and more “chill”, for lack of a better word. The Madness of Many has much more in common with fellow instrumentalists like Intervals, Scale the Summit, and Chon than it does with Periphery anymore. This restrained (totally relative) feel gives the record a greater sense of cohesion; The Madness of Many really does feel like it bursts out off the gate, gets bombastic, then calmly crosses the finish line. The truly transcendent latter third contextualizes the pleasant insanity that came before it.
Interestingly, I don’t think The Madness of Many houses the band’s best songs, necessarily. Unlike previous albums, this is a “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” scenario more than the opposite. Of course, these songs are pretty damn incredible, but propulsive bass-lines and jazzy solos lead the day more than thunderous grooves. It’s a more mature release that plays to the strengths of the band as a whole rather than solely on Tosin Abasi’s world-class low-end. The album is a truly rewarding experience and one that only gets better with each spin. It’s great to see a band recognize its (minor) weakness and harness it for strength. Animals As Leaders have never sounded better as a unit, making their fourth release something truly special.
Purchase The Madness of Many here.
