AlbumsNovember 29, 201135,389 views

Animosity Animal


Animal
01. Terror Storm 02. Tooth Grinder 03. Bombs over Rome 04. Evangelicult 05. Animal 06. Plunder Incorporated 07. Operating from the Ditch 08. You Can't Win 09. Progression in Defeat 10. Elucidation 11. A Passionate Journey
2007 Black Market Activities
Our score 9

by Nick
10/18/2007

Animosity sure is on the fast track. Just four years after their debut album, Shut It Down, and two after their well-received Black Market Activities debut, Empires, Animosity unleashes a third installment in their thrashy-death-metal-meets-hardcore series, and the result is remarkable. The riffs are tighter. The drumming is (even) more relentless and innovative. The vocals are more engaging, a feat only enhanced by the guest appearance of a few of the metal scene's bigger names (including Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation and Guy Kozowyk of The Red Chord). Hell, they even picked up Reflux's old bassist along the way. Empires was a great release, but Animal is what happens when a band meticulously refines their sound and nails the execution. So while their musical approach is nearly identical to that on Empires, Animal is just bigger and better. Sticking with their tried-and-true concise songwriting approach was also a wise move. The majority of tracks don't make it past three minutes, with the four second long, Napalm Death-esque song, "Evangelicult," representing the extreme end of the spectrum. "Bombs over Rome" runs through an intense helping of deathgrind mixed with short bursts of hardcore riffing before settling into a neck-breaking groove at about the one minute mark, and continues to progress into a slightly slower second half packed with 90's death metal riffs. Brief periods of subtle melodies are also infused into the mix, as heard in the title track's break for a short moment of cleaner instrumentation with an accompanying solo. The solo work of Animal, most of which comes during the closing of "A Passionate Journey," is far from the standard death metal fare, and is more along the lines of that of Guns N' Roses than the common Swedish rip-off. Despite it's seemingly out of place sound, guitarist Frank Costa's upper-fret work fits in perfectly with Animosity's recipe of genres and, much like the album, benefits from packing a powerful and concise punch. Other small touches, like the noisy "Elucidation," and the album's increasingly distorted closing drum beat help to round out Animal. Even though these features are far from the record's focus (the blistering combination of death metal, hardcore, grind, and everything in between should be more than enough to entice listeners), their complementary presence is certainly appreciated. Animosity has accomplished something great with Animal. This record sets the standard for what 'deathcore' should be. Countless bands that pride themselves on stringing together tired death metal riffs with stupidly huge breakdowns have tainted this moniker for many a metal and hardcore listener. So listen up, genre fiends. This is deathcore. This is what happens when death metal and hardcore, along with healthy doses of other heavy music styles, are so smoothly blended into the technical and intense combination that deathcore deserves to be. Thank you, Animosity. You've done the music scene a great favor. Bottom Line: Animosity's Animal is proof that fusing "the brutality of death metal" with "the emotion of hardcore" doesn't always have to suck. This shit rules.

69 comments

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Kyle_ 10/18/2007 9:56:33 PM

Good shit.

Kyle_ 10/18/2007 9:59:18 PM

Oh, and enough with this deathcore bullshit gay.

GymAndJuice_ 10/18/2007 10:21:42 PM

A lot better than I thought it would be. Their best album. great production.

swampthang_ 10/18/2007 10:22:20 PM

damn lambgoat gave a good review to a deathcore band!!!

Chaosweaver_ 10/18/2007 10:26:22 PM

"more along the lines of that of Guns N' Roses than the common Swedish rip-off." Without a doubt there are 3-4 times more bands like this then Swedish style. This is the most "common" sound out there now...and this band doesnt even do it the best.

seanbomb23_ 10/18/2007 10:51:33 PM

lambgoat jocks the shit out of this band

BIGTAKEOVER_ 10/18/2007 10:57:44 PM

well deserved

anonymous 10/18/2007 11:06:10 PM

cmonnnnnnnn...mp3! i'm too lazy to open soulseek or go to another website

beauford_ray_ 10/18/2007 11:07:42 PM

great album...kinda mediocre live though...

FTW_ 10/18/2007 11:17:33 PM

give this 9/10 and ALOL gets shit review. get your head examined

NoTalentAssclown_ 10/19/2007 12:12:22 AM

Good review, although i think the score is too high and Empires is better, imo.

alex_ 10/19/2007 12:18:33 AM

this albums is amazing!!!

anonymous 10/19/2007 12:23:33 AM

why do you call this band deathcore?

xdrinkfightfuckx_ 10/19/2007 12:40:58 AM

10/10

anonymous 10/19/2007 12:44:44 AM

great f*cking cd

deadwithfear_ 10/19/2007 1:02:43 AM

i agree with this guy all around. a passionate journey is probably the best song they've written. well worthy of a 9.

grind_ 10/19/2007 8:04:26 AM

9/10. I will never read another review on this site again. What a f*cking joke.

chadd_ 10/19/2007 8:22:25 AM

i dont know, a 9? i just listened to the new tracks on myspace and it sounds kind of boring. minor variation in vocals and the tempo did not seem to change much. i will re-listen when i am not hung over and see whats up. but so far, two thumbs down

ghetto_paul_ 10/19/2007 8:40:17 AM

this is a very good album. not sure about 9/10, but really, who gives a crap? pretty accurate review. lol @ "what happens when you fuse the brutalness of death metal and the emotion of hardcore" reference.

m00k_ 10/19/2007 9:13:28 AM

Good review. Good album. I'd give it a 7 or 8 though.

need q tips?_ 10/19/2007 10:54:16 AM

this gets a 9, and BTBAM gets a 6. The math just doesn't work Nick

baobab_ 10/19/2007 11:15:41 AM

i dunno about a 9, but this shit IS good. very surprised at the lg jockage as of late.

nickpyland_ 10/19/2007 11:15:46 AM

they stayed at my house after their show in memphis w/ BTBAM and HORSE the band. rad dudes. awesome tunes. good review.

devilondemand_ 10/19/2007 11:25:15 AM

Good stuff. Good review and an excellent album. Noice

anonymous 10/19/2007 11:57:17 AM

good album, good review. all of you that are whining that this is mediocre or "deathcore" can suck c-cks in the 9th circle of hell, you f*cking gays. wash the c-m out of your f*cking ears.

gglives_ 10/19/2007 12:04:39 PM

Nick, you stupid c*nt. Animosity is not brutal, nor are they death metal, and should have been laughed out of the hardcore scene years ago. f*ck this stupid piece of shit band, all they do is have short metal-sounding riffs so people can call them metal, and fill the rest of the time with chugs and breakdowns. What a joke to the music community, and what a joke for giving it any higher than a 2/10

xnothingisrealx_ 10/19/2007 12:14:40 PM

Great album

eyehateallgods_ 10/19/2007 12:56:11 PM

I like this album but it's a 7 or 8, and empires is like a 9 or 10.. If this is what you call "DEATHCORE" then i'm a fan.

larry byrd bitches_ 10/19/2007 1:45:42 PM

GAYCORE. As indicated above, short metal riffs, monotone vocals, boringggg. BMA cannot sign a band for shit these days

jerry_ 10/19/2007 2:05:40 PM

i liked the other 2 cds so this just tells me this one is sweet too. so i'll definitly have to check it out.

HB_Dad_ 10/19/2007 2:48:19 PM

Great f*cking CD!!! One of the hardest hitting CDs this year. My only complain is it could've used like one more 3-4 minute track to get the playing time over the 30 minute mark (current playing time is around 28-29 minutes), espcially given how long it took these guys to put out this album. If you like techinaal grind/death, you probably already own this!

anonymous 10/19/2007 2:58:08 PM

not a 9, but still a good album. I'd give it a 7

TripleSix_ 10/19/2007 4:21:11 PM

Awesome album, stupid genre tag. Deathcore, huh? What's next, Blackcore? Darkthrone and Watain meets Bury Your Dead and Terror? Please.

anonymous 10/19/2007 4:58:13 PM

give this 9/10 and ALOL gets shit review. get your head examined posted by FTW () on 10/18/2007 11:17:33 PM That's cause the new ALOL is shitty and this is good.

wombat_ 10/19/2007 5:04:00 PM

i saw them live and they f*cking sucked. their singer is some nu-metal gaytard that has the worst vocals in the history of metal and looks like he should sing for Godsmack. every other band in their genre is more talented than them. they were up there regurgitating half-assed death metal riffs and wanking off to blues based solos. 9/10 is f*cking ridiculous. this site has now lost all credibility. eat my shit and lick my dog's c-ck, lambgoat.

scotty_ 10/19/2007 9:22:06 PM

don't fellate this gay band.

eadup_ 10/20/2007 11:45:10 AM

c'mon man, a 9? lambgoat drank the animosity kool-aid, no doubt.

Dave2112_ 10/20/2007 1:38:21 PM

Nick, you stupid c*nt. Animosity is not brutal, nor are they death metal, and should have been laughed out of the hardcore scene years ago. f*ck this stupid piece of shit band, all they do is have short metal-sounding riffs so people can call them metal, and fill the rest of the time with chugs and breakdowns. What a joke to the music community, and what a joke for giving it any higher than a 2/10 posted by gglives (scumf*ck@gmail.com) on 10/19/2007 12:04:39 PM GAYCORE. As indicated a

Stan Lee_ 10/20/2007 1:41:14 PM

What Dave was trying to say was: "I'd like to enter it into public record that it has come to my attention that gglives, wombat, and () are all the person fat, paste person posting from his 800lb lesbian mothers bastufft."

dudeski_ 10/20/2007 5:54:23 PM

Damn good album. Still a little pissed about the 6/10 shitty BTBAM review, but this somewhat makes up for it.

Mike_ 10/20/2007 6:17:26 PM

It took exactly 3 songs to be completely f*cking bored with this shit. The vocal delivery is sub par, the riffs are the epitome of boring palm-muted derivative death metal bullshit and on top of all that you've got a rhythm section with no personality whatsoever. 9/10? Nigga please.

anonymous 10/21/2007 1:13:32 AM

cool album cover

shit_covered_dick_ 10/21/2007 2:20:10 PM

"give this 9/10 and ALOL gets shit review. get your head examined" you missed the part where the new alol album sucked copious amounts of aids infested c-ck. this is good shit.

xTomWaitsx_ 10/21/2007 4:09:56 PM

This band definitely doesn't sound like the Red Chord. They have a sound that is completely their own.

killa_ 10/21/2007 10:15:50 PM

i fail to see how they're a deathcore band if they play straight death metal.

hussle_ 10/22/2007 1:11:03 PM

<3s all around

xSilencio_ 10/22/2007 10:14:40 PM

animosity is one of the shittiest bands i've ever seen.

james_ 10/23/2007 9:32:08 AM

wow you guys are all gays it's crazy

db_ 10/23/2007 11:44:05 AM

god, i f*cking hate this band

shredlogic_ 10/23/2007 12:32:36 PM

Proof that the "out of 10" rating system means nothing: Animosity gets a 9 BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME (ALASKA) GOT AN 8

mark_ 10/23/2007 12:45:40 PM

good cd but they blow live so they suck. its easy to have a good cd but if you play it live and blow gay.

Adam_ 10/24/2007 11:30:10 AM

I think this album is incredible. I am not the type of person to jock on a band's nuts. But I call them how I personally see them. I think the lyrics aren't monotone, I think he has a very wide range. The music is pretty amazing and pretty technical(even if there are more techy bands out there). And his lyrics, are something that have kept me to this album, and will keep me coming back.

anonymous 10/24/2007 9:05:49 PM

"They have a sound that is completely their own.". really? come on now. really? this is original? im guessing this is the 4th cd youve ever heard. and for you saying this isnt deathcore... how is it anything but that? shitty death metal riffs and vocals with breakdowns. thats what deathcore is. get over it. this band is full of bros and washups. for those of you who call this actual death metal... now i just feel bad for you. death metal doesnt consist of grills and camo yankees hats, this band

xnvb_ 10/24/2007 11:38:36 PM

"death metal doesnt consist of grills and camo yankees hats, this band does." who the f*ck are you to judge death metal by image of the band members? image means nothing in death metal and it shouldn't ever, so your entire point is forfeit you f*cking idiot.

boilthemcabbage_ 10/30/2007 4:02:22 PM

there aren't any hardcore breakdowns.

Gorman building_ 11/2/2007 9:52:15 PM

They're considered "deathcore" because they dont have long hair or wear mostly black, and have breakdowns?? f*ck that, death metal was never defined by clothing style, and bands like Devourment and Dying Fetus have always used breakdowns in their music, but were never considered "deathcore", but were simply "Slam Dance" DM. Hardcore didn't invent breakdowns, thats it..

Administration Building_ 11/2/2007 9:55:17 PM

Plus there still isn't even any breakdowns in this album, but mainly heavy "groove" sections. Don't confuse the two people..

Wulfgar_ 11/2/2007 11:37:27 PM

BOOOOO. Garbage.

_palsy_ 11/3/2007 6:12:30 PM

*rock hard penis*

ElitistAsshole_ 11/4/2007 1:38:18 PM

f*ck this band, f*ck the entire deathcore movement.

scaggs_ 11/13/2007 2:37:25 PM

great f*cking album good review

*ANIMOSITYFAN*_ 11/13/2007 10:09:53 PM

*FLIPS CAP UP* *Be's a complete gay*

leastronaut_ 11/14/2007 2:44:25 PM

This band is good, regardless of the album they make, but why hype it up because Lambgoat gave a good rating to it? Get your own opinion on it. Quit sitting around and playing with your dick to the reviews the webmaster gives, I thought that being over-opinionated was what this site is about? What's the next fad we can stumble into that we all can agree on?

penis of death_ 11/15/2007 11:22:55 PM

terrorstorm melts my face like a philly cheese steak

xNihilistx_ 12/30/2007 7:44:23 PM

first first post! haha...9/10 is right on. This band is insane...Animal is for sure record of the year...Its seriously out of control...

dickless_ 6/28/2008 9:43:01 AM

gayy Ass MALLcore Penis In The butthole shit, take your dicks out of eachothers asses and stop playin Hot Topic Butt Play Games You f*ckin Losers

Nickelcoff12_ 10/29/2008 5:24:53 PM

amazing album, way better that Empires.

Nickelcoff12_ 10/29/2008 5:29:01 PM

oh and i dont see this album as deathcore at all. its deathmetal but its not fused with breakdown hardcore like despised icon. its mixed with thrash hardcore. they obviously like suicidal tendencies and psychadelic metal. you can hear it on "a passionate journey"

suckitt_ 5/6/2009 3:57:29 PM

btbam sucks, alol is meshuggah stealing f*cks, this is well deserved and AMAZING live.