Tone Timeline
Tosin Abasi — Tone Evolution
Tosin Abasi co-founded Animals as Leaders and pioneered a style of technically extreme progressive metal using eight-string guitars with percussive right-hand tapping and complex polyrhythms. His signature guitars and clean, precise tone influenced an entire generation of progressive metal guitarists.
2009–2012: Animals as Leaders
Animals as Leaders (2009, self-titled) introduced Abasi's approach to a wide audience: eight-string guitar (Ibanez RG2228), extremely clean tone through a Diezel amplifier, polyrhythmic right-hand tapping technique that treated the guitar as both a percussive and melodic instrument. Weightless (2011) further developed the approach. The tone was deliberately clean — distortion would obscure the rhythmic complexity; clarity was essential.
Signal Chain
2014–present: The Joy of Motion / Parrhesia
↑ Joy of Motion era showed Abasi incorporating melody and dynamics into the technical framework — the polyrhythmic percussive technique now served more varied musical contexts.
The Joy of Motion (2014) incorporated jazz and R&B influences into the progressive metal foundation. Parrhesia (2022) continued this evolution. Abasi launched his own guitar brand (Abasi Concepts) designing instruments specifically for extended-range playing. His tone refined: more dynamics, more musical contrast between clean and driven passages.
Signal Chain