AAL is Just 3 members. 2 8 string guitarists and a kick-ass drummer.

Fun trivia: Steve Vai provided the electric guitar licks for the original two Bill & Ted movies but for the new one, Bill & Ted Face the Music, one Mr. Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders provided the Wyld Stallyns shredding. And that means he's guitar royalty forever!

Please try The Woven Web, by Animals as Leaders!! My favourite song from them

I really feel like you would like Tigran Hamasyan's Levitation 21. He is my favorite pianist and he is also a fan of Tool and Meshuggah

"The guitar player" Yeah man. Javier is one of the best guitarists alive today.

Omg dude, the fact that you couldn’t hear the bass is amazing as they have two guitarists with low register guitars, but no bassist. So bravo for noticing that so quickly. That’s awesome. You seem like such a cool dude. I’m happy you started doing these.

Yes!!! Finally some animals as leaders!!! In my opinion, they’re one of the most inventive bands out there. Was gonna see them live but then the pandemic hit 😢

2x 8-string guitars and drums, no bass. Also, their old drummer (Navene Koperweis) used to trigger the electronic effects with a mouthpiece while playing these highly complicated rhythms. I had the good fortune to watch this live a few years ago and it was impressive to say the least.

The second guitarist Javier has another instrumental band called Mestis that is very good as well.

please react to animals as leaders - the brain dance live

Animals as Leaders - The Woven Web Animals as Leaders - CAFO

Check out their live session of Brain Dance! You can see the whole band at work beautifully!

Matt Gartska is a freaking beast! Took me 4 months to get this song down on drums.. Thus jabroni makes it look effortless. Not that you could tell, the way he looks like he’s massively constipated when he plays. But his strokes are so relaxed and PRECISE. He always hits the same exact spot on his heads. He taught me a lot about setting up my kit more ergonomically.

CAFO is an obvious next choice if you want more of this band

AAL is amazing. Crazy talented people. Also day 9 of requesting Periphery - Reptile

I saw them live about a year ago. They opened with this track. I went in very keen to watch Tosin Abasi play but I literally couldn’t take my eyes off Matt Garstka on the drums for almost the entire set. He stole the show! Easily the best band I’ve seen live, and I’ve seen quite a few.

4:24 "for such dark heavy sound" yep that's Tosin!

I’ve seen them live, and their tight timing and cleanness live is indistinguishable from the studio version. Insanely honed musicians

Love these reactions. Do consider giving a listen to Opeth songs if you can. They're a progressive death metal band. Their music is not as complex as this, but it's complex enough, interesting and full of amazing talent. Some Opeth Songs Worth Listening To: - Hex Omega - Burden - Bleak (Death Growl Song) - The Drapery Falls (Some Death Growl) - A Fair Judgement - Deliverance (Death Growl Song as Well) - Isolation Years (Short but beautiful song) - Windowpane There's plenty more I could give, but I'm sure if there are other Opeth comments they will have mentioned those other songs (hopefully).

To the people in the comments who are recommending Vildhjarta and Tigran Hamasyan. I just want to say I love you

You have to react to "The Woven Web" by Animals As Leaders, and also to "Levitation 21" by Tigran Hamasyan

Animals As Leaders - Ectogenesis Animals As Leaders - Arithmophobia Animals As Leaders - The Woven Web

Got to see these guys at an outdoor festival in 2019 and it was absolutely unbelievable.

I HIGHLY recommend you take a look at Thank You Scientist for some hard rock/metal(ish, kinda) jazz progressive masterpieces and Between the Buried and Me. I think you will LOVE those! :)

The insight and information you can gather together from a single listen on such a complicated and technical piece is mind boggling.. I've listened to this song more times than most people would care to. It just shows how much a careful ear and an appreciative person can take in. My day is made every time i see a thumbnail of your face and one of my favorite songs written out next to it. Keep up the good work, you're putting alot of good out into the world, thanks

Thanks for the great reaction and you warmth. Much needed and appreciated!

Tosin is also inspired by Meshuggah on his guitar tone and drumming style. Do meshuggah "Dancers to a Discordant System" tough and enjoyable song.

I would love to watch you break down Devon townsend - Kingdom live. Also thanks for the videos, really great information and very entertaining. Thanks 😊

Love watching your videos, man! Keep it up!

This is the first time Ive ever seen anyone taking notes while listening to Animals as Leaders and it completely made my week.

More Animals please!! The live videos of both Tosin and Matt Garstka are incredible. Literally any video

"Längstmedån" or "All These Feelings" by Vildhjarta, would really love to see you break it down

Yes! Animals As Leaders!

Again thank you again so much for your videos :)

Thank you so much, dude. I asked you about these guys. Love them. And great Tool vids as well. Love your stuff. Cheers!✌🇨🇦

Love your videos! So much neat info explained in a really cool way!!

I NEVER heard of these guys UNTIL Rick Biato had him a few times on his channel, that exposed me to them and WOW!

Keep up the great content!

The whole album is fantastic, its one of my ablute favorites. Thanks for oing this geebz!

Thank you. Great work here.

Love what you do man! I have listened to this type of metal for decades. You have such a great take on things and the way you break it down is awesome. I can't wait till you hear the band Between the Buried and Me.

Music is imagining what you hear in your head and put it to paper. Love it!!

Finally my fav band, and they're just 2 8-string guitar and a drummer; another songs by AAL to make a reaction: The Woven Web, Tempting Time, CAFO, Somnarium, Apeirophobia, Arithmophobia...well, any song by them is just pure magic

I was happy I looked in your videos and saw this. I saw them live

You're an awesome dude. Keep up the videos!

They’re such an amazing group of musicians. Everything they write and play is top notch.

Nice. Animals as Leaders. Glad you did this one.

Finally!!!! Awesome Bruh

30 000 subs in a matter of weeks.... Congratulations sir! Fully deserved!

You are getting great suggestions! AAL is one of the bands that will be remembered from this era.

THANK YOU!

There is bass guitar in this track, it was played by Adam Getgood aka Nolly. He co-produced the album and is the ex-bassist of Periphery

Oldie but goodie! First heard it at a shooting range, and loved it!

Man, you're reaction videos are entertaining.

Love your channel! You react with your whole body! Straws Pulled At Random - Meshuggah. One of the best "polyrythmic" in the world. And that particular song has a melodic outro I'd love to see you analyze!

Fastest click of my life. Also, you'd love Backpfeifengesicht by them (yes, that's the name of the song). Also have to recommend Tempting Time (track 1 on album 1) and Song of Solomon (off the same album).

Hey, really enjoy your insight on a bunch of music I love and listen to. It's beyond interesting getting a different opinion from songs and bands that I've enjoyed for quite a while. Can't wait to see what you review next! Not sure if you've heard of either group Coheed & Cambria or Dance Gavin Dance, but I enjoy both to a great extent. Some song recommendations I have for Coheed & Cambria: The Dark Sentencer or The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut || Dance Gavin Dance: Inspire the Liars, Man of the Year, or We Own the Night.

I was just about to suggest these guys!

holy shit i love this channel. this song is so lit

This track is by far my favorite off the record, it's got so much... momentum? It's hard to describe. Also I like the way you do reactions, you do way more than just smile and nod like a lot of reaction channels, you already stand out. I just discovered your channel, and after watching a few videos, it really comes through that you know what you're talking about, but you still keep the points concise so it doesn't get boring. It's also making me really curious what you think of a prog-metal track my group released a few months ago, Stupid O'Clock- Choke, especially given your background. Either way, keep the videos coming!

Never change sirr. You are a gift 🎁

This is one of their more basic and digestible tracks, I would recommend pretty much any other song off this album, they're all pretty different from each other. And Tosin is not afraid to use electronic elements in these songs, he is a fan of electronic music.

Go DEEP into Animals as Leaders. There’s so much going on in their songs any input would be amazing to understand what they’re doing or trying to do.

Yes! not sure if you saw my comment before but I'm so happy you did this. Great video, I love this. Keep it up man these are awesome!

Thanks for the great input Mr. Oceans Ate Alaska - The Escapist is somehow reminding me of that one (drumming wise)

I'm just here to say I love that he makes his notes in handwritting and not in a second window on the PC ;) Oldschool ;)

We all like your long reactions, also you're the man. Where can we hear your music?!

This is easily my favourite album of theirs, it's absolutely brilliant

PLEASE do more Animals As Leaders and Meshuggah tracks! I just found your stuff and I'm loving what I'm seeing. I'm a professional audio engineer and a musician myself, I can assure you, AAL has some of the most breathtaking work I've ever heard.

Yay!! Animals As Leaders 😋👍🏻

Liquid Tension Experiment!! When the Water Breaks is a great start!

I believe that Nolly Getgood, ex Periphery, tracked actual bass for this album. They used pitch shifted guitar tracks for the first two albums, if I remember correctly.

Yeah, no bassist in the band but two 8 string guitars. Sometimes they layer a bass into the studio recording, though. As for genre, I wouldn't generally call them djent, more prog metal. But this song has some djent in it.

All these amazing bands that we enjoy getting de composed by you is fantastic. Thank you. Let's keep a "top 5 new" list going for you ;) Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Intronaut, Kyuss, Heilung

You gotta do Chon next. Try Waterslide or Sleepy Tea!!!

The Contortionist ...you just gotsta know!!!.. I recommend the album language....love your channel😊

Yeahhhh!!!! Tigran Hamasyan is being recommended on other comments. Tigran is actually my favourite artist and musician! If you give it a listen, try Asa Ressurected from his new album! Keep it going!

So glad you're checking out Animals As Leaders. Tosin and Javier, the guitarists, had a side project with the sax player from The Mars Volta and the drummer from Suicidal Tendencies. I think you would find it very interesting it's called T.R.A.M.

Abasi is amazing

An amazing track from an amazing band.I really love the "hook" in 7:44-8:00(especially when it comes back at 10:02), Tosin and the gang are amazing at what they do.

AAL! Discovered these guys myself recently. Definitely would benefit from some bass.

Noticed your comment about finding something other than reactions to do so heres an idea (i am thoroughly enjoying the reactions, however) I would love to hear you talk about the history of music composition/production as a whole in say the past 50-100 years, maybe inn a certain category... As for myself, i know some the faces, and sort of who did what.. More so as a kind of technique type of thing. Kind of highlight what seems familiar to the average person has evolved Keep doing your thing man, youre an awesome personality!

Animals As Leaders is one of the best finds of this year for me. They sound fantastic. Fairly reminiscent of Alan Holdsworth, but with their own flair. Which is IMHO a massive compliment!

If you do any future AAL reactions, check out the drum play-through of their drummer, Matt Garskta, playing “Ectogensis”. Love the videos! Happy to subscribe and get your take on some familiar music.

If you like this check out Scale the Summit. I highly recommend their album “The Migration” but I’m having a hard time picking a single song to recommend.

Definitely check out the Animals as Leaders Dunlop Sessions! Three songs in one video!

Huge tool fan here loving your breakdowns of them! Think you should give Chris Turners 40 roll a watch if you are a drum fan. Even if you don't make a video on it. Keep them coming and thank you.

Definitely give "The wowen web" a go (same album as tooth and claw), crazy tapping and thumping technique throughout the whole thing

Man, I love your reactions and analyses. I HIGHLY recommend reacting to Car Bomb, especially their song 'Sets.' They supported Animals as Leaders the other year on tour, and their rhythmic wizardry will completely blow your mind, guaranteed - it's hands down some of the most insane music I've ever heard.

Someone did address the bass, but for clarity; A: it is 2 guitarists with 8-strings tuned to a drop-E standard (E-B-E-A-D-G-B-E) and, B: Misha Mansoor (guitarist) & Nolly Getgood (bassist) from Periphery did record bass on this album! 👍 Tosin recorded bass for the self-titled debut album, no bass on 2nd (Weightless) or 4th (The Madness of Many) except perhaps programmed/synth backing, same goes for live. It's amazing what 2 guitarists and a drummer can do. These guys are something else. Big shout out to Misha (and of course Nolly) for their contributions towards getting Tosin and these boys where their at, which is the pinnacle of progressive, instrumental, djenty-ass metal. Paved the way for a lot of other great musicians that almost seem to be coming out of the woodwork these days, I love it!

Corpo Mente - Asralein is a must listen. Portuguese indy opera jazz. Itll blow your mind.

Watch the video they did at Guitar Center where the production was done as a live recording in studio.

Opeth - Ghost of Perdition

I bet you'd enjoy Soen. Specially any of the songs from the 2 albums Lykaia or Lotus. The composition is insanely good. I'm also interested to see you work with some DAW. Great channel.

Love modulation! AAL is like taking fusion and giving it a modern prog metal twist with deep emphasis on syncopated groove. Edit: good ear on the “double stop tapping”

You should also check out Mike Dawes, perhaps "The Impossible" or "Boogie Slam", very unusual and amazing compositions :)

Just two guitar players! They usually both have 8 string guitars, although when I saw them live they both switched between at least 3 or 4 different guitars EACH. They’ll even bust out the hybrid acoustic for certain songs, like The Brain Dance. So yes, all sounds and textures minus the obviously electronic parts are executed live with instruments as far as I know. Speaking of The Brain Dance, there’s a guitar note in that one that literally almost brings me to tears every time. These guys are top of the heap good in every respect. Their lineup sounds like a bad joke. “A black man, a Hispanic man and an Irishman walk into a bar. They walk out as the best prog outfit of the millennia.”

Yet another great video! Please could you consider reacting to 'Intervals'? Maybe their track 'Rubicon Artist'?

Probably won't get too many suggestions for this, but I would love to see your reaction to "Djent Jazz Funk" by Mike Le Rossetti. It's very groovy and clean guitar work! Enjoying your channel so far!

I love that you didn't react to CAFO, like most other reactors on KZfaq.