Animals As Leaders - Red Miso (REACTION!) 

Lost in Vegas: "shout out to the bassist" Animals As Leaders: "bassist?"

Physical education would be the song you guys would enjoy by them, lots of groove, very catchy parts, hilarious music video

What I love about AAL is their music just sounds like a dystopian future filled with alien-like technology and incomprehensible happenings. The fact it sounds so un-musical is what makes it sound so cool.

I don't think there's any bass on this song. They play 8 string guitars so they can get that lower register, and they do a lot of thumping with their fingers too. The woven web is a lot groovier and less strenuous, y'all should check that out.

Tosin is definitely always in talks about the top 3 guitarist alive today for a reason. His jazz, metal, and even classical technique are all top notch. The harmonic supportive elements (progression, riffs, a mix of the two, or whatever it is) is always so interesting!

If you guys wanna give them one more try you should definitely try "Physical Education" or "the Woven Web", the grooves throughout both of these are pretty straight forward but still very unique. As for other instrumental guitar bands, you guys NEED to check out Plini. "Electric Sunrise", "Pan", "Away", or "Flaneur" would be great starts. Plini's music is similar to the first mellow part of Red Miso, very melodic and beautifully composed. I think the overall groove and climactic sax solo on "Pan" especially will blow your socks off :)

The part that started at 1:43 is absolutely orgasmic. I don't even like this band and that part was just insane. I'd listen to that on repeat for hours. I understand why you feel that part lost you, but it's absolutely incredible. I do usually enjoy hearing a lot of notes at a time though. That part sounds like the best music I've heard all year. To me that's the grooviest part.

This song didn't catch me at first. Then one day, this song just wandered onto my song queue. That very moment y'all discussed somehow was what hooked me along with the solo afterwards. I can't speak for anyone else, but the gift and curse of the prog metal genre is that songs may not catch me the first or few times. But then something clicks and that suspense is resolved. Songs like this aren't for everyone, but sometimes it takes that moment you're waiting at that red light or taking a jog that the seemingly random chaos makes sense. As other's mentioned, Physical Education is fantastic and more palatable. As always, great content. I hope progressive metal continues to make appearances as it's fun to see y'all cover them.

What I think most musicians like about this album in particular is the rythms, if you love variations and feeling time in different ways this whole album is absolutely incredible, I don't think it's all skill with no context, it's just not easy to listen to

It blows my mind that it blows people's minds that this loses people. Even as a music geek type, this kind of thing still feels like work. It's a class. I like so much about it though

I think that the reason people would see this not really as a song is probably because it's all about counting in this song. When you're able to follow the counting of the song and notice how the instruments are meshing, then it really starts to sound like a song. At least that's how I see it. In prog I don't think there's such thing as a "time for" something, this is where you usually progress in the song, whether that be up, down, slow, fast, etc.

I appreciate your honesty. At least you recognize the sheer talent on display

Animals As Leaders are absolutely amazing to see live! They are all easily some of the best at what they do

I just saw these guys warm up for Dream Theater & they were incredible ..... Matt the drummer has become one of my favorites. By the time they left the stage, they had made a lot of fans that never heard of them before, me being one. If you enjoy the prog genre then they should be on your radar.

SHOUT OUT TO THEIR BASSIST! lmao quote of the year.

This literally made me log onto Amazon and order the CD. Epic, shredding bad assery. ❤

Lmaooo, I actually hadn't heard this song yet until now and I'm usually very into prog and such, but once 1:43 hit I was like "oh yeah they lost them here for sure"

In my experience, AAL is a musician’s band. A lot of average listeners don’t like the technicality but musician’s have a different appreciation for it.

So glad they checked out Red Miso of all songs, major props!

I feel like taste in music and food makes a palatable analogy (pun intended). With food, you have folks that are happy with chicken tenders and mac n cheesefor their entire lives. They know what they want, and it's comforting, and they have no urge to venture outside of that. They're more prone to nostalgia than novelty. On the flip side, you have people that want to try every food they come across, because they're more prone to novelty than nostalgia. The majority of people exist somewhere in the middle between the two ends of the spectrum. Most people are capable of expanding their palate, but also for most, there is a limit to what they can stomach. Some people will never like blue cheese, regardless of how they try it. Some will never like fish sauce or hops or whatever else. It's good to know what you can't enjoy, but one must make sure that it's not their own expectations, positive or negative, that are causing the dislike, rather the pure experience. This type of music is a complex flavor, and maybe you'll like it paired with certain other flavors, but maybe you'll always dislike it, just try not to dislike it simply because it's not like the other things you like or because you expect music to be within a certain form. Appreciate y'all!

thats why context is so important, i mean... shout out to the bassist 😂...

I never expect you guys to like this kind of music but always like the reaction. You guys do respect the talent.

A friend of mine used to love Animals As Leaders and I don't really recall many songs by them except for one called New Eden. It was still very progressive but much more melodic throughout, kinda like this one (at least so far). So that's another one that you guys may want to check out. Good tune, and thanks for the reaction. I didn't know they had released anything new. I'll have to check it out

Haha I figured you wouldn’t like the thall part (“Death Star battle” part) but that’s probably my favorite moment on the album. For some context on a fan’s perspective, many of us guitar players can basically predict the notes of any mainstream guitar solo or even metal riff at this point, but Tosin’s innovation on the instrument can make us question what we are hearing and it’s very fresh. Great reaction! At least they didn’t hit us with the “boom dickens” tag on the thump parts haha.

These guys have 2 guitarists and a drummer. That's it.

On Impulse is a super groovy song by them. Some are more grounded than others, this one doesn't have a lot of the chaotic elements others do.

The drummer on this track is so frickin good. I wonder how he would have interpreted CAFO if he had been the drummer back then. Animals as Leaders don't make my playlist either, though, even though I really enjoy progressive metal. Speaking of progressive metal, you should check out Wilderun!

Just for info guys, there is no bassist. Tosin and Javier play 8 string guitars, so the bassy parts are them chugging away on the low F# (or whatever they've tuned it to). The F# string is similar thickness to a D string on a bass guitar.

Yeah their bassist is insane...

AAL isn't normal music for normal people, it's for the aliens lol

LEPROUS - The Sky Is Red. it’s time, dudes! Show 🇳🇴 some love❤️

Animal as leaders are metal innovators. Decades from now, the metal community will still be talking about how they influenced a lot of metal movements.

I can’t believe you haven’t reacted to Plini yet! He’s the super smooth, 10x more musical version of Animals as Leaders. Love it way more.

Kascade would be the best song to do next for them

The most groovy song from them and also a great representative of a djent subgenre is called Wave of Babies

This song has HUGE groove! Flow with it instead of fighting the virtuosity. This track is astounding.

It's usually the way. 'Oh nice, I like jazz...' **Turns experiMental** '...Yeh, na'. It's not for everyone. It's barely for anyone.

Yeah i do have to say you guys have had kind of a rough draw from AAL's catalog. They have super technical and varied stuff like CAFO that really are as much a flex as they are a song, and then they also have tons of songs that are so groovy that i think will be way more up your alley

No bassist. They just use 8 string guitars.

I remember a Frank Zappa interview where he was talking about atonal and/or dissonant music and it's possible to develop a different way of listening. He said that listening to Edgar Varese was like entering a Viennese mathematical garden. I see it like a magic eye painting.

12:28 Animals as Leaders doesn't have bass. They just have down tuned guitars with multiple extra strings on the low end.

The strange transition in the middle of Red Miso is a transition from futuristic jazz to more of a proggy djent sound. That’s what they are so good at and why I love them so much. It’s insanely complex and makes them so much better than bands like Dream Theater.

this album is my most listened to album of 2022

For me, this is fun guitar music when you are bored of what you typically enjoy.

Man need to give this album a blast again, forgot how much I enjoyed it last year (appreciate it's not for everyone!). Wonder if the lost in Vegas guys enjoy jazz because there's definitely similarities between this type of progressive metal and jazz

With a lot of these songs it helps to look at it as classical music with distortion.

1:43 is one of my favourite riffs in this 😂 the smooth jazz solo was nice but when the riff comes in it slaps. Would be cool if these guys can appreciate to listen to the groove even though there’s complexity too

The thing the stands apart for me about Animals As Leaders is how unique they are. They fact that the general listener may not instantly or passively like them indicates something very special. In fact, I have almost completely strayed from the mainstream for the reason that it is all just simply burned out. AAL provides food for my ears that no other band I have ever heard can do even remotely. I respect those who give AAL a shot, even if it's not their thing. To be clear, I am absolutely obsessed with AAL, and they are the most interesting musical form that I have ever discovered.

Watching you guys react to them is a little bit like watching a fan reaction to ufc when it goes to the ground 😅 Love y’all

Tosin Abasi is a trailblazer of the guitar...one of my all time faves...this album is a smoke show...but definitely guitar nerd shit...challenging to listen to sometimes ...like most prog...I love it

This is Fusion..not Progressive...& yes it does generate intense emotions in certain listeners! Mostly people who are musically trained gravitate to this stuff, but all can love if you apply yourselves!

Masterpiece!!! Masterpiece!!

Please react to the legendary band, The Band. The most talented rock n roll, country rock, blues rock, rock-a-billy band of all time. This is evidenced by the fact that they had great influence on their contemporaries like Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, The Beatles and many more. Further evidenced by the fact that Martin Scorsese made a movie of their "last" concert. True legends and an important part of American music. I promise you will be happy that you listened to The Band.

"Shoutout to the bassist" Didn't see that coming lmfao

I really think you should check out Knocked Loose. I know for a fact you gonna HATE the vocals, and I wouldn't blame you. But they're the biggest thing happening in metal at the moment and i think theyre definitely worth reacting to.

Fatastic band and fantastic song. The soundcollage is very narrative and uses sounds, textures, rhytms and melodies to dream a dystopian fantasy. It reminds me a lot of Flying Lotus' works.

I came to the board meeting to watch Animals As Leaders break dance 10000%

Favorite band to see live

They got it. It’s a song about development. They even said it was a musicians dream. This song progresses continuously. I do feel what they are saying about the “music class” perspective. Animals as Leaders know they are not for everyone. When it begins to surpass the casual Listener it begins to intrigue the musicians ear. Even when the sound can be jarring it is often very sexy/provocative or even upsetting. Hearing something that makes you recoil is also something that moves you.

I guarantee that if you guys listen to this mindfully with headphones on a couple times, you will begin to love the "weird" parts.

Thanks for being transparent, this is what separates you guys from all the other review channels.

Animals as leaders is a band for musicians, not for the average listener I think what makes them so highly respected is that lens where as a musician or even as a form of art, the artist would think wow I would never have thought of that

I Playlist them. Huge fan. I'm a drummer so I listen as a drumming lesson.

15:16 except it's the kind of thing you'd expect to hear when you launch an AAL song, so it IS the time, actually

They sound crazy like. They played Brooklyn Bowl last time here and it was fantastic.

Saw this live a few weeks ago. Insane shit.

Hey guys I know people will agree with me, Oliver Anthony. Rich Men North of Richmond. Big fan of you guys, always trying to get everyone I know to tune in to your reactions. I rewatch Pneuma’s reaction weekly haha. Thanks Ryan and George

At the beginning, they were using an effect called a stutter delay with the guitar

I feel like being able to see what they're doing with their instruments would be a generally more interesting experience for something like this, yeah

I feel like some of my favorite music is like a reflection of life itself, even though it sounds corny af. There are these dark, dissonant and confusing moments that just make me appreciate the beautiful and harmonious moments more. That's why I love bands like Animals as Leaders. Chimp Spanner, The Ocean, Mastodon and many more. They are able to throw you for a loop with these creative and dissonant ideas and then just hit you with beautiful and catchy melodies that keep you wanting more and more. I feel like often the melodies wouldn't be as impactful if there weren't some dark and dissonant moments mixed in.

Love the Expanse!! Great series🔥🔥

I feel like what I just listened to is the result of Dream Theater and a death metal band named “Nile” having a baby together…

It doesn't seem like they wrote this with te structure of a song in mind, it feels more like a song with a movie structure (act 1, act 2, and act 3). It's like they're telling a story using just instruments, where act 1 is a chilled and calming intro, act 2 is getting a chaotic, and act 3 is a kind of payoff. For some reason, combined with the video it reminds me of T69 Collapse by Aphex Twin.

Me I love these guys, they knock this shit out of the park in concert as well, but let's face it this is never going "mainstream" and that's ok there's nothing wrong with that.

I love when people say they have a good bass player 😂

Watching the song lose you guys in real time is so funny to me

brooooooo the expanse is my favorite show of all time! also this song slaps

Look at a video from their drummer Matt Garstka at Meinl. They are incredible

12:24 hahahahaha!!😂😂😂

Easier to digest is a good term to use when getting an ear for new new or technical music when you haven't beforehand

5:28 I can see where you're coming from. I love the intro theme for 'The Expanse'. It's a beautiful storm, that i don't mind getting lost in.

I can't believe how different we are when listening to music and interpreted as "pleasant" For me personally, this song is a masterpiece 💯 Toy ears the song is an amazing mix of tranquility and chaos! Anyway, to each its own✌️

Always been an AAL fan since day one. It’s interesting to hear it through someone else’s ears.

This was one of my favorite albums that have come out recently but I've felt from the beginning that this was one of the less approachable songs on the album. Almost made me feel like the section in the middle was done like that intentionally because being used to crazy rhythmic stuff all the time and playing drums this is still a really tough one lol

Btw that 2009 album was written by Misha a gtr plyr. Until Navene and Matt performed on the kit!! WHOA!!

Listening to this, I feel like the Prince in the movie Amadeus in the scene when he tells Mozart, "It has too many notes."

Word on the Expanse!

No mention of the ending? Such an incredible touchdown. Chaos sandwich bookended by beauty

whoever suggested this song and CAFO did y’all dirty with the first impressions lmao

Shoutout to the bassist 😅

Agree with you guys. Everything after about a minute 40 in sounds like if a Transformer had severe diarrhea.

Y'all should do Stray From The Path - Guillotine or III or both :) -- So good.

Personally, I don’t think I ever would have gotten into Meshuggah if I never made the effort to learn to play it on guitar. I’m not crazy enough to try to learn AAL, but it took some focused listening to get into them. I don’t want to say something as pretentious as it’s music for musicians, but being a musician certainly helps make it more than just a display of skill

Some people don’t have the musical IQ to completely understand what their listening to

I can't wait til you guys come across Vildhjarta ❤

This band absolutely smokes. After Dillinger Escape Plan disbanded, at least we still have AAL to fry the circuit board.

You fellas should listen to the album Heavener By Invent Animate. Particulary the song Without A Whisper, the song was written for the guitarist grandmother who passed away. Its beautiful and well produced

There is no Bass in here, well, Yes, but they play with 8 Strings Guitars

The Woven Web should absolutely be your next song! More accessible than CAFO and arguably Red Miso but is still proggy enough to keep you on your toes 😂 It was also one of the best ones to hear live!

Cool reaction :). Definitely a niche thing. It reminds me of some 20th century classical music that I've come to like only because I've listened to it a million times. I don't necessarily listen to it because it is inherently palatable but because I've acclimated to its shapes and contours and have fun deciphering them. I think it's an excersise in listening to music differently and not necessarily for aural pleasure.