Humanimal

Humanimal is the third album, boldly mixing funk, soul and blues colors into hard rock's frame and converting the band's playing ability into groove. In 1994, with the golden lineup of Jeff Scott Soto, Marcel Jacob, Fredrik Åkesson and Jamie Borger (Treat), it was made in a rush that saw 22 songs recorded and mixed in 22 days. With too many songs, it was released with different selections per market, and the rest emerged as Part II — an unusual path. No touring was done at the time. Soto's supple singing and Jacob's springing bass pull the songs hard, letting weighty riffs and light rhythms coexist naturally. The technique always points toward the songs' enjoyment. The range is wide: the funk of “Colour My XTC,” the race of “Fabricated War,” the swell of “Seasons,” the '50s-styled “Doin' Time wit' My Baby.” Rather than fitting the melodic-hard frame, each member's individuality moves as if in conversation, gaining both dynamism and color. The album the band themselves and fans love most — a career highlight.