On album number five, progressive fusion metal pioneers Animals As Leaders have gone heavier, but they’ve also become smarter. Guitarists Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes talk us through the importance of time and patience on Parrhesia, their most focused and fulfilling record yet.

Words: Phil Weller

Animals As Leaders, L-R: Matt Garstka, Javier Reyes, Tosin Abasi.

“I think a lot of what Animals As Leaders want to do is to defy categorisation.”

Tosin Abasi

Time, for Animals As Leaders, ha always been a concept to be toyed with. The trio’s obsession with unusual rhythms, rudiments and subdivisions is what drives them. But until now, time has never been a concept the Washington-based band has taken at face value.

“This album is the one we’ve worked on the most,” says guitarist Javier Reyes of Parrhesia, the band’s fifth studio record. “It was nice to write with no real pressure or time constraints.”

Parrhesia, an Ancient Greek word that translates as ‘free speech’, is a liberating album of expressive aggression and intricacy. It’s their heaviest by a country mile, but it’s much more than just grunt and grit. It’s the sound of introspection and patience duly rewarded.

“It’s been nice to have the luxury of not being forced to create music because it allows for evolution,” co-guitarist Tosin Abasi adds. “A lot of the musical choices we’ve made are a result of that space and the ability to just listen and question what we want to happen with the songs. It allowed us to bring a fresh perspective to the album.”