The Other Animal as Leader: Javier Reyes Talks New LTD Signature

Did you guys know that there’s another guitar player in Animals as Leaders? I sure did. Actually, when I saw them live, I spent more time studying Javier Reyes’ playing than I did Tosin’s. As a trio sans-bassist, I was curious how the band would fill out the sound, and in particular how the non-Tosin players would provide support to his sweeps, djents, and thalls.

I was transfixed by Javier. He’s completely crucial to the band’s style and sound, and I was impressed by the way he simultaneously served as bassist, second lead, and second guitar in the band’s live format.

So I’m stoked to see him get his own signature model through ESP’s LTD imprint, the JR-608. As a side note, it’s interesting that some pretty top-line guitarists in modern metal, like Javier and Ben Weinman from Dillinger Escape Plan, both play LTD over ESP. You don’t see that too often among the major guitar company’s smaller/more inexpensive lines. Javier talks about the instrument in the below video: