If I Was...

...making a living as a touring and recording musician and I happened to stumble upon Animals As Leaders, I would quit. End game. Sell my equipment to a pawn shop. Become a banker.

I got their self-titled debut (which made my 2009 Best Of list, by the by) when it came out and have been jamming on it ever since. However, it was seeing them live last night (with the always awesome and criminally underrated Dredg and the 10-year sleeping pill in the making, codeseven) that turned my appreciation for a Meshuggah-esque worshipping instrumental record, into worship.

If you're even remotely keeping up on the metal scene today, you know that Tosin Abasi is THE MAN right now. He makes Joe Satriani look like he plays with the proficiency and talent of CC Deville. It's sickening to watch him play, eyes closed and off in some other world...Only long enough to fit right back in the pocket of a poly-rhythmic bridge or segue into another mindfuck of a riff. And his band (who fill out this POWER trio) is perfect. No mistakes, no wrong notes, no nothing. Pure talent. In fact, I'm fairly certain the drummer is a legitimate machine.

It's not often an opening band can win over a crowd, let alone a 17-year old girl/effeminate boy crowd, but they certainly did, be it by scaring them shitless or blowing their fucking minds...Who's to say? Who cares.

Prepare thyself:

"Cafo"