Although the brutal breakdowns surging through Animals As Leaders' "Wave of Babies" reflect guitarist/founder Tosin Abasi's previous tenure in the metalcore band Reflux, the mid-'00s-formed instrumental trio sources its inspiration from many places. The songs range from tranquil to furious, stewing in a broth of prog's brain-bending rhythmic tangles, math rock's nimble guitar hopscotch, and straight-up technical metal mayhem. "The Brain Dance" boasts fleet-fingered Spanish guitar; "Cafo" blends distorted noise bursts with pile-driving drums; and the hypnotic "Physical Education" benefits from grimy funk accents and repetitive riffage.