| | Full Review | Ratings (629) |
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| 4.0 excellent | Benjamin Kuettel EMERITUS | November 15th 16 |
Animals As Leaders shake up their formula a bit with increased technical playing (if that were even possible) and less hooks overall. The result could be described as mixed, but there are simply too many great moments on here to be considered a disappointment. The opener is one of their most fascinating tracks, beginning the first run of more dissonant, darker sounding compositions than on the debut or The Joy of Motion. This trend only lasts for about the first 1/3 of the album however, as it veers back into more melodic and rewarding territory in the middle. The last three songs are the highlights, with less metal elements making for jazzy, syncopated musical madness to be the focus. The Madness of Many isn't the strongest album from AAL, but takes enough risks and remains fascinating enough to warrant plenty of close listens, as plenty of rewarding details can flicker by quickly.
4 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | ProtestTheLegacy | November 11th 16 |
Sounds like Weightless taken to its inevitable evolution. Really pushing the limits of an eight-string guitar here. Crazy rhythms.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | BlackTaxi2d | November 24th 16 |
parts that were annoying to me before are becoming more palatable
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Honest1234 | November 11th 16 |
Im not a prog metal fan and I don't like instrumental music but these guys are just genius. All the songs sound
different. There are some songs that sound like they come from outer space due the really low slap parts and complex
rhythms. There are also songs that are more melodic kind of like Chon but still add those djenty animals as leaders
signature sound and obviously the jazz sounding brain dance. Even the song titles sound complex and I wouldn't be
surprised if a sci fi film would use their music in the soundtrack since it would definitely fit. This is a band that definitely
shows the infinite possibilities of music and they definitely bring an image in your head when listening. In my case, that
image is of an outer planet with some robots battling each other.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Voltimand | November 10th 16 |
Got my pre-order early and leaving a neutral 3 rating for now as I'm currently listening to it: Sounds like a mix rof Weightless and Joy Of Motion but with more riffing, and electronics are replaced with poly-djunz.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | troyofyort | June 27th 23 |
Maybe leans too much into the djent and polymeter madness in an intellectual way for its own good, but still offers a lot to those willing to dig deep into it. My biggest problem with this album is the tracklisting, where they hit you with all the tracks that are more thought pieces and exercises in convolution than enjoyable songs. Hard to listen straight through but as a whole the album is good.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Your own inadequacies have twisted your mind into a pretzel that needs a bit of salt. | July 6th 20 |
In AAL's catalogue, TMoM sits firmly in third place. Whereas preceding effort Joy of Motion picked up the slack where the titular debut left off, TMoM is more akin to sophomore release Weightless, though in a more mature form. While the rhythm sections are much stronger on this fourth album than on Weightless, the record is still, at times, seemingly a hodgepodge of Tosin's leftover ideas. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as Tosin is deservedly recognized as one of the top guitarists of his generation, but the lack of freshness here really stings. To be fair, though, there are plenty of brilliant pickings, lovely drum fills, and complex basslines to tide over prog fans until AAL's hopeful fifth release.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Bedex | July 2nd 20 |
Gotta confess my listen today was pretty perfect, but oh man what a good time. Since seeing this live it seems like every single riff feels memorable and gets me going. This is perhaps the lightest and most fun AAL got - 8 is just a straight up groovy math-rock track, and 9 is pure and gorgeous. Now this isn't quite flawless - 2 is this album's Not Unlike the Waves despite having some good riffz, and the record lacks perhaps transition game compared to others. There are lots of fadeouts or places where silence wasn't perhaps the best transition, but if I can forgive that in Dummy I can forgive it here can't I. Even some of the perhaps less dope tracks like 7 still line up fun riff after fun riff, and the quirky conclusion on 10 is perhaps controversial but I dig it personally. Matt Gartska makes my neurons feel like they're having a chaotic orgy and I like it. 4.7
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Risodo | May 21st 18 |
"The Madness of Many" seemed a great improvisation masterpiece with individual quality of each musician in the first time i listened. The years went by and i don't know... this album bothers me a lot. Being very condescending, long and without much melodic alternation, "The Madness of Many" is just an album with a lot of improvisation that does not marry with the concept. I may be exaggerating, but this work is quite disappointing compared to what the band has already done.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | glorybox94 | April 29th 17 |
an overall very impressive showcase of musicianship. the technicality is very attracting for me and being a drummer I found this record very interesting and challenging. I only with I could play with this level of intricacy.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | BRAman22 | February 5th 17 |
A beautiful, jazzy album that is technical beyond belief. Just like a lot of my favorite technical metal, The Madness of Many sees the bass be quite audible and play an enormous role.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Finn Baker | December 23rd 16 |
...Eh. It just sounds like a 50-minute jam session. When listened to in one sitting, it's like one long song that doesn't ebb or flow. Animals sat down, played for a while, and left. That doesn't make me want to check out more of their music, since this is the only album I've heard from them. It doesn't sound like The Madness Of Many had a direction to it. It sits here. Although it's enjoyable, it leans more towards filler than anything else.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | OrdinaryVision | November 25th 16 |
A good effort with too many technical fills and few memorable moments. If the whole album was like the Brain Dance would have been a 4.5.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Alabaster Jones | November 11th 16 |
Animals As Leaders are one of maybe three bands in this particular style that do anything that interests me. They have their flaws, but I've come to appreciate their work as something more than just clueless "progressive" wankery. The Madness Of Many solidifies that feeling even further, and it does so with impressive consistency. The production, while not really my thing, fits the mechanical and robotic aesthetic of the album like a glove, helps the album sound more coherent, and the listener is able to tell what is going on more clearly. The songwriting is pretty solid, and while occasionally it can lose itself for a minute or so, it rights itself very well afterwards. The dizzying technicality and strange rhythms are strong, as always, but the softer moments here are also pretty nice as well, especially on the closing minutes of "Inner Assassins" and the entirety of "The Brain Dance". Once again, Animals As Leaders deliver another worthwhile outing of their instrumental progressive metal style.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Suli | November 11th 16 |
I still regard Weightless as their most interesting work but this comes very close. Definitely a lot more carefully composed than the Joy of Motion; the leads are more memorable and each instrument is given opportunity to stand out.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | ExhaleTheLight | November 11th 16 |
Just when I thought there's nothing much left in 2016 and BAM these guys release a killer follow up to The Joy of Motion.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Grinddestroyer | November 10th 16 |
This is growing on me for sure. The more I listen, the more I like it. I'm not sure if my rating will increase any further.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | McOof | February 22nd 25 |
| 4.5 superb | nex77 | July 14th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | MrFemil | October 22nd 23 |
| 3.5 great | Trebor. EMERITUS | July 30th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | mctang | May 31st 23 |
| 3.0 good | Glovoc | April 12th 23 |
| 3.0 good | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | December 13th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | JP77777 | November 21st 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Djokoll | September 14th 22 |
| 3.0 good | aroge | May 18th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Piglet | March 28th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | bSmith | March 2nd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tundra | February 5th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Get Low | February 5th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Onyx | November 2nd 21 |
| 3.0 good | n3zar | September 15th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Jerrad | August 30th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh | April 6th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Harlz | March 29th 21 |
| 3.5 great | CHINDI | February 15th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Grandpa | February 13th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Vaka | January 7th 21 |
| 3.0 good | rsxng | April 24th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Mac | April 6th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Suyan | February 24th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Koshino | November 26th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Moge | September 11th 19 |
| 3.5 great | josh | July 2nd 19 |
| 3.5 great | Djang0 | April 10th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Vlexis | April 8th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | tcarafi | January 27th 19 |
| 3.0 good | latpac | December 31st 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | RyanW | December 18th 18 |
| 2.5 average | Prole | December 16th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | ARDCWE | November 2nd 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Anakins | October 26th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Greengo | October 25th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Epilogue | September 14th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nine | August 22nd 18 |
| 3.5 great | Cryio | July 17th 18 |
| 3.5 great | SadLad | July 12th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rausku | April 20th 18 |
| 3.5 great | itchy | March 13th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Aranox | February 23rd 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sapee | December 7th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | RAGG | December 2nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | suzcruzz | November 14th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | nbats | November 11th 17 |
| 2.0 poor | Ka7 | October 27th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | CygnusX1 | September 24th 17 |
| 3.5 great | ksolan | September 16th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | derekkp | September 6th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | sync0pe | September 1st 17 |
| 2.0 poor | krypis | August 29th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | eripa | August 26th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Garm | August 2nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Panuda | July 27th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | ORTCEZ | June 25th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | ToT720 | June 23rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Drifts | April 20th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | elry2k | April 12th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Since | April 4th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | SB129 | March 28th 17 |
| 3.0 good | trilo | March 18th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Pleb | March 17th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | n3xus6 | March 11th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | TeeDeeM | March 3rd 17 |
| 2.5 average | cjgone | February 26th 17 |
| 3.5 great | acew787 | February 18th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | hadriel | February 1st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | ckypro3 | January 6th 17 |
| 3.5 great | nyshago | December 27th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | betray | December 21st 16 |
| 3.5 great | ariich | December 20th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rodstar | December 19th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Ebola | December 18th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Adamrk | December 16th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Hyndez | December 15th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Moraff | December 13th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | helti | December 11th 16 |
| 3.5 great | El Olam | December 11th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Kowboy | December 8th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Phate72 | December 4th 16 |
| 3.5 great | tellah | December 2nd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | ian b. | December 1st 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Brumas | November 28th 16 |
| 3.5 great | GodL1ke | November 26th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Ulshad | November 25th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | brollin | November 25th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Guiltor | November 25th 16 |
| 3.5 great | FakeOne | November 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tomstein | November 24th 16 |
| 2.5 average | Nifkin | November 22nd 16 |
| 3.5 great | Nomos | November 22nd 16 |
| 3.0 good | Lalka | November 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | andrewsk | November 20th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | tarcus | November 20th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Malchior | November 19th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Thor | November 19th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | cb123 | November 19th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | brokatar | November 18th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | tancrni | November 17th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Haon | November 17th 16 |
| 3.4 great | Trey STAFF | November 17th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Arctick | November 17th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | mRA | November 17th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | CWBrown | November 17th 16 |
| 2.5 average | Jordan M. EMERITUS | November 17th 16 |
| 3.0 good | papudo | November 17th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | YakNips | November 16th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Radwatch | November 15th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | nebula | November 15th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | willzor | November 15th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | cloud23 | November 15th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | arikru | November 14th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Emo | November 14th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | November 14th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Swarm | November 14th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Kronzo | November 14th 16 |
| 2.0 poor | Qorx | November 14th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | EvoHavok | November 14th 16 |
| 2.5 average | bmelt | November 14th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Faraudo | November 14th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Pherin | November 13th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gbhill | November 13th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Alessyus | November 13th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | gr3yghst | November 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | furpa | November 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | wazooman | November 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Drawk | November 12th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Pijips | November 12th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Torii | November 12th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Launch | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | N2B3J | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | jmh886 | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | gilly | November 11th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Elynna | November 11th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Keira | November 11th 16 |
| 3.5 great | MO | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | elch21 | November 11th 16 |
| 3.5 great | Wolfe | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | NBA | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jeejee | November 11th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Dishpan | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dmax28 | November 10th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | DeadPoe | November 3rd 16 |
| 5.0 classic | azberry | October 1st 16 |
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