Animals As Leaders MEGATHREAD: Navene Koperweis Out, Matt Garstka In

[GSingleton]

Originally Posted by GSingleton

sooo.....back on topic. They killed it live.

Oh, in this thread about AAL and them alone...I agree.

[AugmentedFourth]

I'm sure most of you guys have seen these, but jesus christ:

Short 8 string piece. still in the works. - YouTube

Javier Reyes of Animals as Leaders - YouTube

Just wow, I think I cried when I first heard these, lol

His harmonic sense is amazing, and playing is on par with Tosin

This man needs to write his own solo record

[lurgar]

Originally Posted by GSingleton

Oh, in this thread about AAL and them alone...I agree.

Saw them last night. Crowd went absolutely bonkers while they were playing. Dude in front of me was rocking out so hard that he caused a mosh pit which ended with a bunch of high fives and hugs. Towards the end another pit opened up and AAL all just started smiling watching the action while they were playing perfectly.

[codync]

It pains me to see djent fans not respecting Meshuggah on this site. Lame.

[Kurkkuviipale]

Originally Posted by codync

It pains me to see djent fans not respecting Meshuggah on this site. Lame.

Who's not respecting Meshuggah? I thought the guy just said he can't get into them.

[drmosh]

Originally Posted by codync

It pains me to see djent fans not respecting Meshuggah on this site. Lame.

what the hell are you talking about?
and why is everyone a "djent" fan that's on this site?

[GSingleton]

Originally Posted by lurgar

Saw them last night. Crowd went absolutely bonkers while they were playing. Dude in front of me was rocking out so hard that he caused a mosh pit which ended with a bunch of high fives and hugs. Towards the end another pit opened up and AAL all just started smiling watching the action while they were playing perfectly.

Yeah, I think it is funny when people see them that have never heard of them before. they are like...NO BASS BHAHAHA!
But when they start they shit themselves and are instant fan boys.

[ShadyDavey]

Originally Posted by codync

It pains me to see djent fans not respecting Meshuggah on this site. Lame.

Pains me to see such a judgemental comment which encompasses genre elitism and at the same time broad generalisation on this site. La....

Oh wait.

Taste is subjective, I keep saying that

I haven't bought this album yet as money is quite tight but I have heard some tracks on YouTube and it impresses me in nearly the same way as the debut which I know for a fact was listened to 80+ times in 2010. AAL are clearly doing something very, very right and Tosin's playing actually impresses me even more. Some of the comments (I may have voiced a few) about tone and lack of precision at times in the past are, at least for my part, withdrawn - he's progressing massively as an artist.

[Prov1dence]

Incoming fanboy post, much like most others in this thread. Deal with it

Weightless is goddamn amazing. I'm really picky when it comes to progressive metal, and this is one of those albums that I love to listen to from beginning to end. Songs like Isolated Incidents, Earth Departure, and Weightless are sexy as ...., if my ears could get boners they'd prematurely ejaculate to this album every time. On the real though, one of my favorite albums of the year, up there with BoO's The Discovery (if you knew me, you'd know this is saying A LOT /obsessed).

[Solodini]

BoO's bassist = Jean Ralphio

[Malkav]

I love the new album No specific comments to make about specific songs, I definitely feel it's an album though and comes across as a better listening experience to me when I listen to it from beginning to end.

New Eden is now my alarm tone, I wake up to that shit everyday \/

[Rook]

I too am loving Weightless, there's a great sense of dynamic and harmony that I didn't get from AAL (the album haha), and I love the use of cleans, tapping, slapping.... It's a complete package for me. Exactly what a progressive, instrumental album.

I never understood people being funny about bass players. My band does't have a bass player, we have one of the guitars run into a second signal chain (the genius of Axe FX) which has a crossover, sub octave generator (100% mix) into a bass amp and cab model, it totally fills that area of the mix for lesser low tuned songs and I wouldn't change it for a real bass player.

I've always taken the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' approach to this, and if you don't need a bass player who cares?!?! It does seem to upset people though

Anyway.

Totally digging this album at the moment, and I really didn't think I would.

[Cabinet]

The bass player is a cool idea, but I think a definite sounding bass guitar would give the melodies too much of a set stance. Without the bass, it always has this sort of light airy feel to me.

[codync]

This band does well enough without a bass player. A player like Evan Brewer would do too much and just clutter everything up, while a player just holding down the groove wouldn't really be necessary. As a bass player, I'm fine with AAL not having one. It's okay for them and Pig Destroyer in my book.

[FarBeyondMetal]

Just picked up Weightless...so far it has been ....ing cool

[jsl2h90]

my preorder bundle finally got here yesterday, its a good feeling to know that i've put money in these guys pockets. My only complaint with AAL albums is that they never include liner notes. I kinda wish they'd have band pictures or comments or anything, and possibly a hint for when the TRAM album is gonna drop.

In other exciting news, my RG2228 is in the mail so I will officially be an 8 stringer in the next week or so. I've felt extremely limited trying to come up with new material on a 7 lately, especially after listening to how much better Tosin's gotten on the new album. Which means I can start putting my jamplay.com membership to some real use. Double thumping anyone?

EDIT:
For all the bass player discussion I have to agree with the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" policy, but I can't help but wonder what AAL would sound like with Sean Malone.

[Lianoroto]

Found the album with a shirt in the mail when I came home after having exams. It has such an amazing atmosphere throughout the whole album, I literally can't stop having ear-orgasms!

Don't like that I can't read the writing inside the cover. There is probably nothing of importance there anyway, but that was the only negative thing I have to say about it. Yes, it is that good!

[Alimination]

So yeah, just saw AAL a few hours ago.

...biggest circle pit... was not expecting that from an instrumental band.. I don't think they were either, the looks on their faces were priceless.

EDIT: ALSO!! I totally dug the Tosin-obama shirts they were putting out. I had a good laugh. haha

[asher]

Originally Posted by Alimination

So yeah, just saw AAL a few hours ago.

...biggest circle pit... was not expecting that from an instrumental band.. I don't think they were either, the looks on their faces were priceless.

EDIT: ALSO!! I totally dug the Tosin-obama shirts they were putting out. I had a good laugh. haha

pics of said shirts?

[Alimination]

awh I wish I did take pics, it was that vintage lookin red white n blue picture of obama's portrait

http://obeygiant.com/images/2008/10/obama.jpg

except it was tosin holding a guitar, and in the bottom it said something like Toboma lol if I find it I'll post a picture.

[Cyntex]

I got my copy in the mail yesterday, after two spins I have to say this is not as easy to get into as I though it would be. Even though the first release also is complex I think it was much more easy digestable. Anyway, gonna listen to this one a bunch more, I bet it will grow on me.

[sakeido]

Originally Posted by Cabinet

The bass player is a cool idea, but I think a definite sounding bass guitar would give the melodies too much of a set stance. Without the bass, it always has this sort of light airy feel to me.

what does AAL do for bass? Does Javier just run into a rig that also outputs a pitch shifted clean tone, or something? they seem to have an Ampeg on stage during their shows and his tone seems to be really bassy and crushing..

[Alimination]

Originally Posted by sakeido

what does AAL do for bass? Does Javier just run into a rig that also outputs a pitch shifted clean tone, or something? they seem to have an Ampeg on stage during their shows and his tone seems to be really bassy and crushing..

They probably have the bass running like the synth and other electronic effects. Prerecorded and they just jam to it live. I say that because Javier's tone didn't sound like a bass at all.

At least that's the impression I got.

[sakeido]

Originally Posted by Alimination

They probably have the bass running like the synth and other electronic effects. Prerecorded and they just jam to it live. I say that because Javier's tone didn't sound like a bass at all.

At least that's the impression I got.

I figured it was both. one chain was the rhythm guitar sound, the other was the pitch shifted bass.

[Rook]

Soooo does anyone know about the production on the album?

Guitars all Axe FX? Drums live, or programmed or triggered Periphery style?

I'd be really interested to know, I love the whole feel of this album, such a light texture but they fill the mix beautifully.