The Sound Of Animals Fighting began as a side-project of ex-Rx Bandit Rich Balling, that is strongly influenced by the Mars Volta. Many fans have been intrigued with this group trying to figure out the mystery and reasoning behind the group. It seems very simple, the members of the group take on animal personas and let there talent speak for themselves in their version of a progressive-rock opera. The mystery of the members are kept under lock and key right now for legal reasons but the animals in the band include the walrus, the lynx, the armadillo, the tiger, the tortoise, the nightingale, the skunk, the llama, the dog, the swan, the raven, the octopus, the hyena, the bear, and the ferret. All of the animals are people who helped create the album in some way of another.

The album begins with “Overture”. It is an introduction of the album, a minute and a half of electronic work. There is some percussion but mostly keys and synthesizer. This leads right into the first act of the opera. “Act 1: Chasing Suns” begins with a fast drum beat and equally accelerated guitar play. This song shows hardcore influence along with the progressive influence. The way all of the instruments come together is amazing, and the lead guitar work is fantastic. The dual vocals really add another element to the music. Some of the music and singing are very distinct, and fans of the indie-rock scene may be able to guess who is involved in this project. This track is followed by an interlude that is made up of cool sounds, and seems to relax the listener a bit until the next act begins. “Act 2: All Is Ash Or The Light Shining Through It” begins with an almost ska feel to it but as the song develops more, the tone changes. The vocals begin with an eerie, mysterious sound. As soon as the second vocalist joins in, the song starts to move along at a faster rate. This song has a very cool feel to it, the lower pitched vocals and the higher pitched vocals seem to mesh very well. This is a very enjoyable track to listen to. This song is followed by an electronic interlude and goes in to the third act of the album.

“Act 3: Modulate Back To The Tonic” is one of the more interesting of the album. The first vocalist speaks a message to the listener and as soon as he takes a break, the chorus comes in to effect and the second vocalist jumps in. This song is the best song on the album, mixing creativity and melody to make a great tune. The chorus is as catchy as any other and the musicianship is above and beyond the expectations. This track is again followed by another interlude that sounds much like the previous interludes. “Act 4: You Don’t Need A Witness” is highlighted by the chemistry between the guitarist, bassist and the drummer. The vocals are also a highlight, as they are through out the album. This is also a great track and uses a lot of different sounds and effects to emphasize certain parts of the track. This is a mostly up beat track, but has a few tempo changes to keep the song interesting. The album finishes with a five minute long postlude mainly made up of electronic sounds and keyboards.

“Tiger & The Duke” is a very good, solid record but there are also a few negatives. There are too many interludes, they each last around two minutes each and the last one lasts about five minutes long. If these were done with more than just electronic sounds, maybe if they were approached as instrumental songs instead of the synth-electronic sound, it would add to the enjoyment. Otherwise, the four tracks are awesome. Each last around five minutes long, and they really expand into more creativity than most modern art. Still a very solid effort, and this is only a side-project. The guys that are involved in The Sound Of Animals Fighting have their main projects to worry about. An overall good listen, hopefully we will hear more out of this side project in the future but with “Tiger & The Duke”, they debuted with a solid, creative performance.

This album is for fans of Blueprint Car Crash, Mars Volta, Saosin, Circa Survive, and The Blood Brothers. Check this band out if you are into progressive-rock, or if you are into artistic rock. This band is loaded with young talent and they really prove it with this record. It will be released on February 14, 2005 so buy it for your lover and show them how much you really care.

Rating- B+ (8.7)

Significant Tracks- All Four Acts

Keith Joseph

www.thesoundofanimalsfighting.com