# Animals as Leaders (2009) Drum Setup: Programmed by Tosin Abasi

> Tosin Abasi's self-titled Animals as Leaders debut (2009) features fully programmed drums — sequenced by Abasi himself using Toontrack samples and a MIDI workflow. Honest breakdown of the programmed drum production behind the djent-defining instrumental album.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup (Programmed)
**Drummer(s):** None — drums programmed by Tosin Abasi (guitarist)
**Band / Album:** Animals as Leaders — *Animals as Leaders* (2009)
**Genre:** Progressive Metal / Djent
**Label:** Prosthetic Records

## Overview

Animals as Leaders' self-titled debut, released April 28, 2009 on Prosthetic Records, defined a generation of progressive instrumental metal — but it was made without a live drummer. Every drum track on the album is programmed: sequenced in MIDI by Tosin Abasi himself, voiced through Toontrack samples (primarily Drumkit From Hell and related libraries), and produced in collaboration with Misha Mansoor of Periphery. This is a critical fact about the record that often gets obscured by the band's later live reputation.

The album began as a solo guitar project. Tosin Abasi had recently been offered a record deal by Prosthetic after his work in the band Reflux, and he initially declined — feeling he needed time to develop as a guitarist before fronting a solo record. He spent that time studying jazz at Atlanta Institute of Music, then returned to the project and built the album in his home studio. With no full band assembled and a tight production budget, programming drums was the practical and editorial choice.

This is editorially honest framing that the Animals as Leaders fan base has long known: the debut is a guitar-led solo album with sequenced drums. Navene Koperweis (later of Entheos) joined the live touring lineup after the album's release and toured with the band for the debut cycle, but did not appear on the recording. Matt Garstka, the band's current drummer, did not join until 2012 for the Weightless sessions.

## Programmed Drum Setup

- **Sample library:** Toontrack Drumkit From Hell — the industry-standard programmed-metal-drums solution in 2009
- **Underlying samples:** Real Tama Starclassic shells recorded at Dug-Out Studios, Sweden by engineer Daniel Bergstrand
- **DAW:** Cubase or Reaper (variously reported across interviews)
- **MIDI workflow:** Hand-entered drum sequencing by Tosin Abasi, velocity-humanized
- **Snare programming:** Sampled 14x6.5 steel-shell with layered secondary sample for djent weight
- **Cymbal programming:** Sampled hi-hats, crashes (16" + 18"), 20" ride, and 18" china with multi-velocity articulation
- **Co-producer / mixer:** Misha Mansoor (Periphery)
- **Recording location:** Tosin Abasi's home studio
- **Live drummer on record:** None

### The Sampled Kit: Toontrack Drumkit From Hell

The drum kit heard on Animals as Leaders is not a physical drum kit. It is a sample library, voiced through software and triggered by MIDI sequencing in Tosin Abasi's DAW. The primary sample source is Toontrack's Drumkit From Hell library — the de facto industry standard for programmed metal drums in the late 2000s, used by countless djent and progressive metal records of the era including the early Periphery demos.

Drumkit From Hell was originally recorded at Dug-Out Studios in Sweden with engineer Daniel Bergstrand, capturing real Tama Starclassic shells with high-tension tuning and multiple microphone perspectives. Each drum was sampled across multiple velocity layers and articulations, giving the library a level of expressiveness that distinguished it from earlier programmed drum offerings.

For the Animals as Leaders sessions, Tosin programmed every kick, snare, tom, and cymbal hit in MIDI. The double-bass passages — extensive on tracks like "CAFO" and "Tempting Time" — were sequenced with humanizing velocity variation to avoid the mechanical feel that plagues amateur programmed drums.

### The Programming Workflow

Tosin composed each track on guitar first, then programmed drums to match the polyrhythmic structures of the riffs. This composer-first, drums-second approach is a recognizable Animals as Leaders signature: the drum parts serve the guitar arrangements rather than dictating the rhythmic foundation. The programmed approach allowed Tosin to construct drum parts that exactly mirrored the metric modulations of his guitar work.

Misha Mansoor's mix prioritized clarity in the dense polyrhythmic guitar arrangements. The programmed drums were placed relatively forward in the mix and EQ-shaped to avoid masking the bass and guitar fundamentals. Drum reverb was minimal, in keeping with the dry djent production aesthetic.

### Honest Editorial Framing

The album sounds excellent, and Tosin's programming work is musical. But these are sequenced drums, not performed drums. The dynamic variation and accent placement that distinguish a live drummer's feel are present in approximation but not in actuality. This is the editorial truth about the record: it is a programmed-drums album, and that fact is part of its identity.

## Key Facts

- Released April 28, 2009 on Prosthetic Records — Tosin Abasi's solo project debut
- All drum tracks are programmed — sequenced in MIDI by Tosin Abasi himself
- No live drummer played on the recording — Navene Koperweis joined the live lineup post-release
- Drum samples primarily from Toontrack libraries (Drumkit From Hell and related)
- Co-produced and mixed by Misha Mansoor (Periphery) at Tosin Abasi's home studio
- Matt Garstka — the band's long-term drummer — did not join until 2012's Weightless
- Toontrack samples were recorded at Dug-Out Studios, Sweden by Daniel Bergstrand
- The only programmed-drums album in the Animals as Leaders catalog
- "CAFO" and "Tempting Time" became the band's defining tracks despite the programmed origin
- For live-drummer Animals as Leaders records, see Weightless, The Joy of Motion, The Madness of Many, or Parrhesia

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/animals-as-leaders-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-26 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*