Animals as Leaders (2009) Drum Setup: Programmed by Tosin Abasi | MetalForge
Tosin Abasi's self-titled Animals as Leaders debut (2009) features fully programmed drums — sequenced by Abasi himself using Toontrack samples and a MIDI wor...
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Animals as Leaders use a live drummer on the self-titled album?
No. The Animals as Leaders self-titled debut (2009) features fully programmed drums — sequenced in MIDI by Tosin Abasi himself, voiced through Toontrack sample libraries (primarily Drumkit From Hell). No live drummer played on the recording. Navene Koperweis joined the live touring lineup after the album's release to play the programmed material in concert, but he did not appear on the studio recording. Matt Garstka, the band's long-term drummer, did not join until 2012 for the Weightless sessions. This editorial fact is part of the album's identity and history.
What drum samples were used on the Animals as Leaders debut?
The drums on the Animals as Leaders self-titled debut were programmed using Toontrack's Drumkit From Hell sample library — the industry-standard programmed-drums solution for metal records in 2009. The library was recorded at Dug-Out Studios in Sweden with engineer Daniel Bergstrand, capturing real Tama Starclassic shells across multiple velocity layers and microphone perspectives. The same library was used extensively on the early Periphery demos by Misha Mansoor, who co-produced and mixed the Animals as Leaders debut.
Who produced the Animals as Leaders self-titled album?
The album was produced collaboratively by Tosin Abasi (composition, performance, drum programming) and Misha Mansoor of Periphery (mixing, technical production guidance). It was recorded in Tosin Abasi's home studio rather than a commercial recording facility — a bedroom-studio approach typical of the early djent scene. The album was released April 28, 2009 on Prosthetic Records.
When did Animals as Leaders start using a live drummer on records?
Matt Garstka joined Animals as Leaders for the Weightless sessions in 2012 and has been the band's drummer ever since. Weightless (2011) was the transitional album that moved away from programmed drums to live drum tracking. Every Animals as Leaders studio album after the self-titled debut features Matt Garstka performing the drums live — including The Joy of Motion (2014), The Madness of Many (2016), and Parrhesia (2022). The 2009 debut remains the only programmed-drums record in the catalog.
Why did Tosin Abasi program the drums instead of hiring a drummer?
The Animals as Leaders debut began as Tosin Abasi's solo project — he had recently returned from studying jazz at Atlanta Institute of Music and had no full band assembled. Programming drums was the practical choice given the minimal production budget and the absence of a permanent rhythm section. Tosin had also developed sufficient programming skill through working with Misha Mansoor on early Periphery material to handle the drum production himself. The approach was editorially valid for a solo-project debut and produced excellent results, but it is honest framing to note that this is a sequenced-drums album, not a live-drums album.