Animals As Leaders

Animals As Leaders — Concert Photography by Wayne Dennon

About Animals As Leaders

Animals as Leaders was formed in Washington, D.C. in 2007 by guitarist Tosin Abasi, an instrumental/progressive-metal project formed by guitarist Tosin Abasi in 2007 . The project grew "out of the ashes" of guitarist Tosin Abasi's previous band, Reflux . The heavy metal record label Prosthetic Records saw Abasi's guitar work and asked him to create a solo album for them, but he initially declined, feeling such an endeavor would be "egotistical and unnecessary." When Reflux disbanded, Abasi decided to take the label's offer. The band's name carried deeper meaning as well, since the name Animals as Leaders was inspired by Daniel Quinn's 1992 novel Ishmael, which addresses anthropocentrism, and Abasi coined the name as a reminder "that we're all essentially animals." The band's breakthrough came with its self-titled debut album, released in April 2009 by Prosthetic Records , a project on which Abasi recorded all guitar and bass tracks on the album; drums and various synthesized effects were programmed by engineer Misha Mansoor , the eventual founder of Periphery. Guitar legend Steve Vai gave the debut a legendary endorsement, and the record helped establish Abasi as a singular voice on the eight-string guitar. Following the debut, guitarist Javier Reyes joined Abasi on the band's sophomore effort, Weightless, released in 2011, which became the first Animals as Leaders effort to crack the Billboard 200 . Live, the band had by then expanded from a studio solo project into a full touring outfit, with Javier Reyes and Navene Koperweis enlisted on rhythm guitar and drums, respectively, after the completion of the album, turning the project into a full touring band .

The band's arc continued with further lineup solidification and rising chart success. The following year, the band added drummer Matt Garstka to their roster and signed on with Sumerian Records, on which they would release their third album, The Joy of Motion, which arrived in 2014 and reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the hard rock chart. Since that lineup change, the band has consisted of Tosin Abasi on lead guitar, Javier Reyes on rhythm guitar, and Matt Garstka on drums , a trio that has remained stable for well over a decade. The band went on to release "The Madness Of Many" in 2016, with "Parrhesia" releasing in mid-2022 , continuing their reputation for technical innovation. Beyond the band itself, member Tosin Abasi expanded his profile through side projects, notably as the youngest member of Generation Axe, a touring supergroup featuring legendary guitar heroes Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Nuno Bettencourt , while Javier Reyes has also lent his talents to other collaborative acts.

Today, Animals as Leaders remains active and is widely regarded as one of the defining instrumental acts in modern progressive metal. Critics have long noted the band's rare ability to fuse technicality with feeling, as Pitchfork observed, "Animals As Leaders have walked the tightrope between sheer technical virtuosity and actual emotional resonance." Even decades into their career, all three musicians remain connected to their fiercely engaged audience via captivating shows, repeatedly studied albums and side projects , cementing their legacy as pioneers who helped shape the djent and progressive instrumental movements for a generation of guitarists and fans alike.

For this archive, Animals as Leaders holds a special place in Wayne Dennon's body of work. Wayne photographed the band twice between 2009 and 2010, capturing them in two different cities across two states during a pivotal early era, right as the band was transitioning from Tosin Abasi's solo studio project into the touring outfit that would soon conquer larger stages. Those performances live on through 47 photographs preserved in this collection, images that fans continue to seek out, with this small but vivid slice of the band's early history viewed by archive visitors 36,310 times.

Show more ↓