ANIMALS AS LEADERS HAVE ENTERED THE BUILDING (THE RECORDING STUDIO, THAT IS)

Did you know that Tosin Abasi’s Animals as Leaders cohort and fellow 8-string guitar wielder Javier Reyes auditioned to be in Periphery five years ago? Me neither, but that’s one of many interesting tidbits of information to be gleaned from this excellent video interview Ryan’s Rock Show recently conducted with Abasi (#2 on our Top 25 Modern Metal Guitarists list) and Reyes (equally deserving, no doubt).

Other things you’ll want to know if you don’t have 17 minutes to watch the above interview:

• Tracking for the band’s sophomore album has begun, and everyone in the band is involved in the writing. The album is expected to come out this fall.
• Drummer Navene Koperweis is producing the new album (Misha Mansoor produced the debut).
• The new album will “incorporate whatever we thought was missing from the last album,” will be “more concise,” have “better songs,” and “there will be some new stuff, but it’s definitely Animals as Leaders.”
• Tosin was “freaking out” about the pressure to live up to peoples’ expectations for new music following the success of the first album.

The interview goes on to talk about T.R.A.M., whose debut will come out on June 28th via Sumerian, AAL’s upcoming touring plans and more. Definitely worth a watch if you have the time.

-VN