The Devil Has The Best Tuna: The Sound Of Animals Fighting

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Sound Of Animals Fighting

The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Genre: Other
From: Los Angeles, California United States

California's prog-rock collective The Sound of Animals Fighting features a motley set of members who hide their identities behind a wierd set of animal masks. I assume it's designed to make them appear mysterious and encourage feverish speculation with the associated hype. But it's a little old hat having been done by numerous bands before them, (The Residents, Slipknot and The Animal Collective, to name just three) and it draws attention away from the music. This is evidenced by the fact that, like this piece, most reviews spend the first paragraph or two discussing the masks and speculating on who might be behind them . Yes in the modern music scene there is a heavy emphasis on image but wearing the sort of cheap masks that you get at market stalls in dreary seaside resorts is not a good look. So the Devil's advice is ditch the masks guys and concentrate on producing the musical goods.

Right, now I've got that off my chest, let's focus on the SOFT's quite exceptional music, which is good enough to grab your attention without the need for gimmicks. Drawing on a broad array of influences that stretches from hardcore to electro, from rock to indie and even incorporates elements of world music, their sound is intense, experimental and, yes, progressive without being self indulgent.

The latest SOFT release 'Tiger & The Duke' is a schizophrenic album split between tracks that are stuffed with Muse-like grandiosity and operatic bombast and The Mars Volta-esque stabs of guitar noise and screaming vocals (the Acts) and squirly electronic instrumentals equipped with samples and plip plop percussion(the Interludes). This does get a little frustrating and would have been much more satisfying as two separate albums. File under promising.

Go Try

MP3 - The Sound of Animals Fighting - Act II : All Is Ash Or The Light Shining Through It
MP3 - The Sound Of Animals Fighting - Postlude

Go Visit

The Sound of Animals Fighting - Myspace // Website
Label - Epitaph // Epitaph Myspace

Go View

The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Skullflower

If you like these you'll love The Sound of Animals Fighting...

MP3 - The Mars Volta - The Widow (Never Sleep Alone)

Buy The Mars Volta 'Frances The Mute' from Amazon

MP3 - Muse - Stockholm Syndrome

Buy Muse 'Absolution' from Amazon

As a treat for todays some tracks from other masked bands...