Animal

Animosity's 2007 release, Animal, is certainly an aptly titled one, as it proves to be one heck of a ferocious beast from the get-go. Uncertain if they want to be a death metal or hardcore metal band, the group has no problem aligning themselves equally with both genres, resulting in a sonic stew loaded with metronome-perfect drumming, rapid-fire riffs, and vocals that alternate between growls (à la death metal) and screamed (à la hardcore). And the complexity of this metallic noise may even result in grabbing the attention of certain prog metal heads. Supposedly, the album is somewhat of a concept album, as its lyrics are "themed on the frailty of our lives as animals in a violent and turbulent world" — we'll have to take their word on this, because without a lyric sheet in front of you, deciphering it all is a pretty steep task. No let-up's in the intensity either from the beginning to end, which should make Animal an instant favorite of extreme metal fanatics.