Animals As Leaders

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“A true inspirational person to be around”: Animals As Leaders pay tribute to guitar tech Dave Cohen, who has passed away

By Matt Owen published 20 July 23

Cohen had recently joined Animals As Leaders on Dream Theater's Dreamsonic tour, and was founder and head luthier of custom guitar builder, Equilibrium Guitars

Tosin Abasi and John Petrucci playing on stage together

Watch John Petrucci and Tosin Abasi lock fretboards for spellbinding harmonies on Dream Theater's The Spirit Carries On

By Matt Owen published 20 June 23

With the help of Devin Townsend – and Ernie Ball Music Man's Kaizen and Majesty models – the two prog heroes brought Dream Theater's recent tour show to a mesmerizing close

Watch Tosin Abasi demo his futuristic new Ernie Ball Music Man Kaizen with an all-new song

By Matt Owen published 16 November 22

The seven-string machine – first introduced at this year's NAMM show and now available to order – comes in two sleek-as-hell finishes, with EBMM's patent-pending Heat Treated pickup technology and a multi-scale design

Meshuggah’s Mårten Hagström and Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi on the expansive possibilities of the 8-string

By Amit Sharma published 15 July 22

Few have done more to expand the popularity of the extended-range electric guitar. Here, Hagström and Abasi talk techniques, tones, and epiphanies, and have some advice for guitarists looking to expand their repertoire beyond six strings

Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi says he has “flirted with the idea” of making a blues album

By Jonathan Horsley published 13 April 22

Is the progressive metal trailblazer the next Joe Bonamassa or Eric Gales? Now, that would be a turnaround for the ages…

Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes used a Gibson Les Paul on the new Animals As Leaders album

By Matt Owen published 24 March 22

The Abasi Concepts and ESP purveyors swapped their hot-rodded prog machines for a classic relic single-cut to record some Parrhesia solos

Tosin Abasi Abasi Concepts prototype nylon 7-string

Watch Tosin Abasi test drive a prototype Abasi Concepts Larada nylon 7-string

By Matt Owen last updated 22 March 22

The Animals As Leaders guitarist made sure the in-development axe was up to scratch, putting it through a range of technically challenging and sonically impressive test runs

Orville Peck performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on October 30, 2021 in New York City

From frenetic eight-string exchanges to swaggeringly catchy country: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen published 18 February 22

Catch up on this week's eclectic range of guitar-heavy offerings from Jason Richardson & Tim Henson, Orville Peck, Snail Mail, Animals As Leaders, Amon Amarth, Tomberlin, and more

Animals As Leaders announce US tour in support of new album, Parrhesia

By Matt Owen published 18 January 22

Each show of the 19-date tour will feature two sets, one of which will see Tosin Abasi and co perform their forthcoming record in full

ESP announces new LTD signatures for Goatwhore's Sammy Duet, Of Mice & Men's Alan Ashby and Animals As Leaders' Javier Reyes

By Sam Roche published 30 November 21

All three models boast a host of top-spec appointments geared towards each guitarist's signature sound

Animals As Leaders announce Parrhesia, their first studio album in more than 5 years

By Matt Owen published 18 November 21

The prog-metal titans have also dropped a new track, The Problem of Other Minds, which will feature on the album when it arrives March 25, 2022

Tosin Abasi delivers a technical masterclass in fiery playthrough of Animals As Leaders’ Monomyth

By Matt Owen published 15 November 21

Abasi demonstrates his elite technical prowess and precise prog-metal melodicism with a searing playthrough on his Abasi Concepts Master Series Larada 8-string

From electro-soul anthems to go-for-the-throat garage rock: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown, Jackson Maxwell, Sam Roche, Matt Owen published 2 September 21

Usher in a new month and season with colorful new guitar-heavy songs from Animals As Leaders, Black Label Society, Buffalo Nichols, The Velveteers, Dragged Under, Marissa Nadler and more

Animals As Leaders return with epic, unrelenting new single, Monomyth

By Matt Owen published 2 September 21

The Tosin Abasi-led prog-metal titans have released their first track in 5 years, suited to boot with wailing lead lines and uncompromising chug-heavy passages

Rick Beato, Tosin Abasi, Tim Henson and Misha Mansoor

Tim Henson reveals he's never heard Metallica's Black Album – much to the amazement of Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor

By Michael Astley-Brown published 26 August 21

Rick Beato hosts a modern guitar summit, complete with a number of surprise revelations from the Polyphia, Animals as Leaders and Periphery guitar heroes

Guitarist Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders performs on stage at The NAMM Show 2020 Day 1 at Anaheim Convention Center on January 16, 2020 in Anaheim, California.

Tosin Abasi reveals Animals As Leaders have finished tracking their new album as he shares tap-heavy teaser clip

By Matt Parker published 9 August 21

Get a taste of the band’s forthcoming fifth record

Abasi Concepts treats its futuristic Space T range to all-new finishes and stainless steel frets

By Matt Owen published 14 July 21

Pink Sparkle and Champagne colorways head up the updated models, which also feature an assortment of okume, sugar pine and roasted maple woods

A petition has been launched to get Tosin Abasi and Misha Mansoor behind the wheel as Top Gear hosts

By Matt Owen published 17 December 20

Could the prog-metal titans end up swapping speedy solos for fast cars?

Javier Reyes of Mestis and Animals as Leaders

Mestis, aka Javier Reyes, demonstrates the 8-string’s supreme versatility with this exclusive playthrough of Media Noche

By Michael Astley-Brown published 25 August 20

The Animals As Leaders virtuoso also announces new Mestis live album

Watch Animals as Leaders shred through a blazing seven-song set at livestream event

By Richard Bienstock published 19 August 20

Tosin Abasi and co’s full set is now available for online viewing