The Sound of Animals Fighting - Lover, The Lord Has Left Us Review
by Matthew Hastie
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Every once in a while a band comes along to challenge the way we think about music. Sometimes it's a process of hit and miss until something clicks. A prime example of this is the CD Lover, The Lord Has Left Us by The Sound of Animals Fighting. There has been some speculation about this "unknown super group", however most believe it to be members of the amazing yet sadly deceased Bear Vs. Shark. I had the chance to see one of their last shows and it was incredible. However, Lover, The Lord Has Left Us, leaves me feeling a little disappointed.
Don't get me wrong, it is a good CD, it's probably one you'll put on when you just want to wind down or hang out with your friends. But it seems to be lacking any full definition and a general sense of coercion. When I first listened to this album the first thought that popped into my mind was Mars Volta rip offs. But upon a few more spins it got better each time and I appreciated it more. Some of the tracks are very interesting with more spoken word than singing. The track "Skullflower" goes from pounding tribal drums to slow melodic guitars that remind me of what Kaddisfly used to sound like when I would watch them play free shows in Bend, OR. However after some beautifully sung lyrics, it goes into a weird spoken/sung section that sounds a bit like an Islamic prayer.
"My Horse Must Lose", is very approachable after a little bit. It has a thick beat to it that is almost hip-hop in a sense, and it also has some wonderful string parts that are reminiscent of feudal Japan. The songs range in time from 1 minute to a whopping 10 minutes on the epic track "This Heat", which features a heavy beat and transitions very well between erratic drums and a beautiful song, and then suddenly change tempos again. Some of the songs though don't seem to hold together at all and while some bands like Coheed and Cambria and Mars Volta can effectively change time signatures during their songs, The Sound of Animals Fighting seems to be trying a bit too hard to write an influential record. Either that or they were on a Beatles' size drug regiment to help them write it. Give it a try; it might be your type of thing. As for me, I'll wait and see which animal wins the fight.
CD Info and Links
The Sound of Animals Fighting - Lover, The Lord Has Left Us
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