Band: The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Album: The Ocean and The Sun
Genre: Progressive/Experimental
Label: Epitaph

Tracks:
1. Intro
2. The Ocean and The Sun
3. I, The Swan
4. Another Leather Lung
5. Lude
6. Cellophane
7. The Heraldic Beak Of The Manufacturer’s Medallion
8. Chinese New Year
9. Uzbekistan
10. Blessings Be Yours Mister V
11. Ahab
12. On The Occasion of Wet Snow

Sound of Animals Fighting show their musicianship and variety of noises with the art rock album, The Ocean And The Sun. I was uncertain with what to expect as a trancelike Intro track greets me. I came to find that each song utilized several different instruments and vocalists, but the common thread was that they all had a quality that I would not mind having spew from my car stereo. Knowing that Anthony Green (Circa Survive) had his hands on this album, one can expect his shrill, dreamy vocals and guitar rhythms to be in the bag. Green as well as members from RX Bandits, Finch and Chiodos pool their influences on the album, as there are nuances of jazz, pop punk, and I detected a 90’s grunge feel on the track titled “I, The Swan”. Every song on the album is completely different – the band seems to tie in progressive guitar leads with distortion, sampling and an ambient ascetic. Elements of jazz and funk are present in tracks “Blessed Be Your Mister V” and “The Heraldic Break”. SOAF throws in a muted trumpet which surprisingly does not sound out of place at all. There is an unexpected, enjoyable guitar solo in “Lude”.

My favorite tracks on the album are “Another Leather Lung” and “Cellophane” – they stand apart from the other tracks with driven, complex grooves. It sounds like Chiodos and Fall of Troy meets some kind of sensitive ambient rock and roll, in a good way. “Lung”s vocals and guitar rhythms remind me of My Chemical Romance; the pop punk backgrounds of some of the members shine through on the track. The Sound of Animals Fighting is an intriguing band in that it is a handful of successful musicians coming together to play, and it is clear that there were no limits in the musical experimentation. “Ubekistan” and “Chinese New Year” as well as the Intro utilize samples of children laughing and talking, a woman speaking Arabic and distorted nonsense. Although a bit strange, SOAF is one of the more cohesive experimental bands I have heard – these songs could certainly be performed live.

This may not be my favorite album of the year, but I was entertained. If you like any of the bands that the members of Sound of Animals Fighting hail from, give this album a listen, because the talent, passion, and chemistry of all individuals involved really shines through. I recommend that you add The Ocean And The Sun to your Fall playlist, and tap your steering wheel or nod your head to the tunes that just feel right to me this season.

*Written By: Billy Table*
GRADE: 8.5/10

• Author
• Recent Posts

James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

Latest posts by James Shotwell (see all)

• 2015’s Most Underrated Films - December 29, 2015
• Passing The Torch: The End Of An Era For UTG - December 1, 2015
• UTG PREMIERE: Before The Streetlights – “Private Browser” - November 26, 2015