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Slough Feg are one of metal's bands held in the highest, but also the most sincerely deserved reverie. While they've always made great music, their accolades stem from steadfast devotion to traditional metal. This is far from the overwrought cheesiness of bands like Manowar, but birthed from sheer artistry and honesty. The Animal Spirits is only the latest in their stellar and heralded career. While many bands seemingly play traditional metal to cash in a devoted fan base, Slough Feg's integrity cannot be denied. They tower above others, not just because of their music's superior quality, but due to their continued incorruption and truthfulness to the genre.

Mike Scalzi and the boys have continued to strip down the sound, in a sort. The epic themes that marked their earlier work are close to gone, sprouting up in songs like "Lycanthropic Fantasies" and the downtuned gloom of "Heavyworlder." The Animal Spirits is more of a gritty record made with sheer emotion mixed with punk-like rawness. At times, this is played deliberately sloppily, adding the album's innate roughness. But because of Scalzi's intentions with the music, it sounds nuanced and invigorating, instead of amateurish. Slough Feg are their own entity, and are incorporating the sounds they wish to incorporate. Going in the direction of Ape Uprising!, this delves deeper into traditional rock territory, which can be heard most vividly on the album's second half on songs like "Kon-Tiki" and "The Tell-Tale Heart", the latter of which is an Alan Parsons Project cover. Then "Tactical Air War" blisters through the slower music with straight up, balls to the wall Slough Feg metal.

What's so interesting about this is that while there are changes to the Slough Feg sound, this is still what the fans should expect. It's straightforward and plain old good. They are one of metal's most dependable bands, and I'm sure the next album will be more of the same.