The Sound of Animals Fighting

The Sound of Animals Fighting (informally, TSOAF) is a superband whose members come from a few other bands including its founder, vocalist Rich Balling, who also plays with Rx Bandits from the Los Angeles/Orange County area. The collective nature of the band and the variety of musicians involved in the project is reflected in the range of styles they offer. Their catalog is an eclectic collection of post-hardcore, emo, math rock, and prog, as the band navigates the spaces between them. They had an overtly experimental streak in their earlier work, playing with song structures, noise elements, and dissonance, which gradually tapered off. Their 2025 album, The Maiden, strips out that experimental component for the most part and focuses more on the technically demanding side of their music.