Masked post-hardcore chaos meets avant-garde ambition. A dense, interlocking web of frantic rhythms and soaring vocals for those who want their rock music to challenge them.
The Sound of Animals Fighting is an influential American experimental rock supergroup founded in 2004 by Rich Balling. The project is defined by its rotating cast of high-profile musicians from the post-hardcore and progressive scenes, including members of Rx Bandits, Circa Survive, and Finch.
Their early recording process was famously restrictive; for the debut 'Tiger and the Duke,' members recorded parts without hearing the contributions of others, a technique that birthed a uniquely fragmented and unpredictable sound. Culturally, the band is known for their use of animal masks and pseudonyms (The Nightingale, The Skunk, etc.) , which served to de-emphasize individual celebrity in favor of a collective, avant-garde identity. Their discography evolved from the raw, math-influenced post-hardcore of their debut to the more expansive, world-music and electronic-inflected textures of 'The Ocean and the Sun.' Despite long periods of inactivity, they maintain a fervent cult following, cemented by their rare, theatrical live performances and their status as a 'musician's band' within the alternative rock community.
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, art rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, art rock (subgenres); basement_show, urban_night, thunderstorm (atmosphere)
Shares progressive rock, post-hardcore, art rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, art rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, math rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares intense, mysterious, restless (moods); progressive rock, art rock, math rock (subgenres)
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, math rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares progressive rock, art rock, math rock (subgenres); intense, mysterious, restless (moods)
Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, art rock (subgenres); basement_show, urban_night, thunderstorm (atmosphere)

Shares post-hardcore, progressive rock, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, noise_textured, studio_polished (production style)
Shares vocal_layering, math rock, post-hardcore, thunderstorm (signature)
Shares post-hardcore, thunderstorm, progressive rock, cathartic (subgenre)
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