(c) Ekaterina Gorbacheva
The uncrowned kings of Djent are back: Periphery took more time than ever for their new work, partly due to physical distance and home recording limits. In fact, the modern-prog masters started work on their new record back in the fall of 2020, choosing to push down last imaginary boundaries while challenging themselves with new creative challenges. „Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre“ is more than just a fantastic title and combines the familiar with big surprises.
A surprise is called “Silhouette”, placed in the middle of the plate. Periphery wrote a synth ballad for whatever reason. 80s wave chic meets subtle electronics, soft vocals and disguised dubstep approaches dominate, the final change of key has Eurovision qualities. The following “Dying Star” is also catchy, like a classic Prog song in places. If you’re worried about the fabric softener, it’s best to start from the beginning, because the opening “Wildfire” has everything you’d expect from the US quintet. Frontal force, djent élan, complex breaks and hypnotizing clear vocals ensure a hell of a ride with a jazzy middle section and saxophone solo by Jørgen Munkeby – a bizarre and at the same time incredibly entertaining mixture.
There’s nothing straight about this anyway, even if “Everything Is Fine!” moves forward comparatively uncompromisingly in its five minutes and quotes the most brutal aspects of the early work. The airy, classic-prog guitar solo in “Zagreus”, in the eye of the raging storm, confuses and bewitches in the best sense of the word. And then there are the last two tracks, which together take up a good 23 minutes. “Dracul Gras” serves Periphery at its best. Repeated moults and freaks fuel themselves through the quintet’s work, preferring to take the rock-hard, complex side of the band with them, before a calm, almost forgiving outro serves idyll. The more classically designed “Thanks Nobuo” also has a lot to offer, turns out to be an oversized Prog anthem, is catchy and lets electronic elements flow in in installments.
Skilful overload meets the best entertainment: Once again, Periphery push the possibilities of the album format with 70 crazy, changeable minutes, break new ground and at the same time devote themselves to established acts of madness of the new Prog school. The album title “Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre” is of course – as so often with this band – to be understood with a certain wink. Sometimes Periphery actually overdo it, like in “Silhouette” or the unnecessarily lengthened finale, but several rough and at the same time filigree neckbeats easily compensate for that. A bit powerful and yet always entertaining: Periphery remain a bank.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: 03/10/2023
Available via: 3DOT Recordings (Bertus)
Website: periphery.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PeripheryBand
Slider-Pic (c) Ekaterina Gorbacheva
Category: Magazin, Reviews