New England's Rock Web Site

Animal

Blackmarket/Metal Blade Records (2007)

By Sully Payton

Between bands at the Lamb of God show in December, a buddy of mine and I decided we were parched and needed some sort of liquid refreshment. While standing in line pondering our (unfortunately) non-alcoholic options, some kid wearing an ANIMOSITY sweatshirt came up to compliment me on my Unearth sweatshirt. I complimented him back on his and his eyes just lit up with pride. He then proceeded to babble nearly incoherently about the absolute power and brutality of ANIMOSITY. Ten minutes later, practically gasping for breath and nearly drooling like an imbecile in lust he finally ended his ANIMOSITY love-fest by telling me that as a self-respecting metal head I HAD TO HEAR THIS BAND. I wiped his spit and drool from my sweatshirt, thanked him for the recommendation and picked up the CD the next day. Now being twice as old and twice as wise as the kid and not given to the same fits of drooling or loving imbecility that the kid was, I have to admit that he was right.

In roughly 30 minutes, ANIMOSITY's new CD Animal (Blackmarket/Metal Blade) will blow into your ear drums and out your ass with such ferocity, you won't know what the fuck hit you. You'll be bleeding from several orifices and yet you'll want want to listen to the record again and again to try and catch things you missed in prior listens. ANIMOSITY is clearly the new breed of death metal. Not content to chug along on random blast beats and straightforward deathy guitars, they hit you with a technical assault more reminiscent of Converge than Cannibal Corpse. Maybe that's why Kurt Ballou of Converge fame decided to twiddle the knobs on this gem. Drummer Navene Koperweis plays with the skill and timing of a jazz drummer who decides to give up his day job with Kenny G and moonlight in a death metal project. While he can blast with the best of them, Animal is packed to the gills with crazy fills that will make your head spin trying to follow them through your speakers. Guitarists Frank Costa and Chase Fraser chugga-chugga-chugga with the best of them, but know when to balance out the madness with cleaner fretwork and the all important piggy squeal, such as in a song like "Bombs Over Rome" or "Passionate Journey". Constant time changes throughout Animal's songs keep this record fresh from beginning to end with tracks like "Animal", "Plunder Incorporated" and "Progression In Defeat" providing nearly endless surprises with each passing second. Leo Miller eschews the typical death metal guttural roar for a vocal style that runs the gamut from a ghoulish yell to ball dropping bark.

Animal has some straight up "What the fuck??" moments that will make it clear a self respecting metalhead why the cool kids dig Animosity. I just wonder what would happen if a 36-year old guy like myself wore an Animosity sweatshirt around with pride. I just might have to find out for myself.