When Primus went on hiatus after the poorly received "Antipop" record a few years back, many had expected them to never return. Then drummer Brian "Brain" Mantia soon reemerged in the re-tooled Guns N' Roses, frontman/bassist Les Claypool had a number of other projects on the move, and guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde had practically fallen off the face of the earth. As the years went by Claypool spoke little of Primus and more of his new projects and with this all hope for a reunion had seemed lost.

However, earlier this year rumors began to run wild that the classic Primus line-up, including drummer Tim 'Herb" Alexander, had reunited and were tossing around the idea of putting out a new release and touring behind it. With little evidence revealed to the public, these rumors soon subsided until the band made an official announcement in the summer, taking many by surprise. With "Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People" Primus have decided to re-introduce themselves to both each other and their audience, as well as reward their long-time fans with a comprehensive DVD package that contains hours upon hours of Primus videos, live performances and rare footage. Bolstered by a new EP that includes five brand new tracks recorded this past June, the set finds Primus at an interesting crossroads in their career. The new material clearly exhibits a sense of maturity and jam-oriented antics, strongly influenced by some of Claypool's most recent exploits, yet it also finds them almost reflective about their long run together.

For the most part the new songs included here draw inspiration from the bands earlier days and yet a sense of overbearing prog/jam influences are inflicted upon them, creating a considerably weighty demeanor. This may not sit well with some fans, as the main attraction for many is their more boisterous and goofy side. However, instrumentally all three members are still relishing in a highly challenging playing style that is both outlandish and technically proficient, even though the structuring of it is a bit loose. Truly, when listening to this EP one can gather that the group aren't fully back in high gear yet as there is a vibe that each member is still feeling each other out, almost re-learning to play together again. This is to be expected though as these tracks were put together fairly fast and the line-up haven't played together since the mid-90's. Undoubtedly with a bit of touring under their belts the group will be back in fine form and the new cuts on hand do bode well for a future release overall. Getting a whack of new Primus material is a treat in itself, but when coupling it with the extensive DVD outing that is packaged alongside it, "Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People" is pretty much a must have purchase for anyone even remotely interested in the band. May Primus continue to suck for many years yet.