For a band still carving out its place in Ireland’s alternative rock landscape, Animal Animal continue to think on a remarkably expansive scale. Their latest single, ”To Kill A Thespian”, is an exhilarating statement of intent equal parts technical showcase and emotional gut punch.
Built around crushing post-rock riffs that arrive with seismic force, the track refuses to settle into familiar territory. Instead, it veers confidently through flashes of Japanese jazz fusion, weaving intricate rhythmic interplay and unexpected harmonic turns into its muscular framework. Yet for all its complexity, the song never feels self indulgent. Every shift serves the momentum, pushing the listener towards a series of soaring, anime inspired melodic peaks that lend the track an unmistakable cinematic quality.
What impresses most is the band’s growing confidence as songwriters. ”To Kill A Thespian” is easily Animal Animal’s most ambitious composition to date, balancing meticulous arrangements with raw, visceral energy. Towering guitar lines collide with expansive harmonies, while the rhythm section anchors every left turn with precision and purpose. It’s progressive without becoming inaccessible, technical without sacrificing feeling.
There are echoes of Biffy Clyro’s knack for massive hooks, Delta Sleep’s rhythmic dexterity, and the instrumental dynamism of ASIWYFA and Bicurious, but Animal Animal avoid feeling derivative. Instead, they channel these influences into something refreshingly distinctive, fuelled by an adventurous spirit that feels increasingly rare.
With ”To Kill A Thespian”, Animal Animal have delivered a single that doesn’t simply raise the bar for the band, it announces them as one of Ireland’s most exciting emerging alternative acts, capable of matching fearless experimentation with genuine emotional resonance.
”To Kill A Thespian” scorse a 6.5 out of 10
Reviewer – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic