Periphery - "Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre"
This one's for the Metalheads
Periphery is another “new to me” band, but I’m glad I picked them up. “Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre” is actually their seventh studio album, but apparently most of their albums are self-titled? The album is a ride, start-to-finish. While it doesn’t seem to have any prevailing through-line (that I’ve found), it is an auditory assault. Periphery is a Prog Metal and Metalcore band, and the album ranges all over and through a litany of styles (there are even one or two techno-/synth-driven segments) over the course of its 70-minute runtime, with intense bass lines and smooth melodies; demonic screams and gorgeous clean vocals; guitars both smooth and elegant to djenty and technical.
Basically, if you can think of two polar opposite approaches, they’re in here, and done in a way where it feels like they belong together. Most tracks sound like a topographical chart of the Rockies, which, since four of the nine tracks clock in at over 8 minutes (and only two are sub-5 minutes), is out of necessity as much as artistic choice. Few tracks feel stagnant, which makes the album a lively, energetic experience.
I do need to add that two tracks, album-opener “Wildfire” and “Everything is Final”, were in the realm of “too much” for me. Nothing but harsh vox on those two. But even pulling those from my list left me with 7 tracks clocking in at 58 minutes total - more than enough for a full album of music, so the penalty there is fairly minimal. I’m dropping it in the Teal bucket for now, but I really like this one.
I do want to end with the acknowledgment that the final track on the album, an 11-minute banger, is titled “Thanks Nobuo”. I believe this can only refer to Nobuo Uematsu, who is best known for composing the soundtracks for the majority of Final Fantasy soundtracks during his time at Square, until he retired in 2004 (FFXI was the last of those efforts as it released in 2002). Other notable contributions include the soundtracks for “Ah! My Goddess”, “Lost Odyssey”, “Blue Dragon”, and the SSB Brawl main theme; he also collaborated on the soundtrack for the FFVII Remakes. I would love it if somebody better-acquainted with the FF soundtracks would give this one a listen. There may be some samples or influences there.
Rating: Teal Blue