Washington progressive metal band Periphery have steered clear of following in traditional footsteps on their album Juggernaut: Alpha. The group of six have utilized their trio of guitarists to help create their rousing sounds. Frontman Spencer Sotelo’s vocals have great range that suit the group’s overall musical style. Guitarists Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen, and Mark Holcomb create artful tunes among the tracks with bassist Adam Getgood and drummer Matt Halpern. Smartly avoiding falling into the trap of being repetitive, Periphery have generated an impressive mixed collection of music.
The album itself is a bit of a whirlwind because it incorporates a variety of tones and styles; they could not be any more diverse with their musical abilities. Throughout the 10 tracks, there are many highs and lows throughout. It must also be acknowledged that some of the guitar riffs are reminiscent of video game sound effects, which are especially noticeable on “Alpha.” Periphery also end their song “MK Ultra” with something that sounds similar to elevator music, a sharp contrast in comparison to the first two minutes that are pure metal. The amount of changes that occur song to song and within the tracks themselves enhance the idea that Periphery is not a typical progressive metal band.
Periphery’s ever-changing sounds on Juggernaut: Alpha give the album an unexpected appeal. The massive amount of variety within only 10 tracks is unique, if not rare. The instrumentation ranges from calm to heavy while supporting Sotelo’s consistent vocal clarity. Juggernaut: Alpha maintains the necessary tones for the genre, yet it offers much more in terms of approach. The album will also be released on the same day as Juggernaut: Omega, a slightly more serious collection of seven numbers. Periphery’s imprint upon progressive metal has opened fans’ minds to their distinguished and unmatched music.
In A Word: Innovative
