Periphery – Live in London
Release Date: 13th November 2020
Label: Century Media Records
Pre-Order
Genre: Progressive Metalcore, Progressive Metal, Djent, Metalcore.
FFO: Protest the Hero, Monuments, Bulb, Veil of Maya, Erra, TesseracT.
Review By: Ryan Shearer
They had been teasing us for a while. From Spencer Sotelo (the band’s vocalist), posting re-recording snippets of their debut album on Soundcloud, or Mark Holcomb (one of the band’s 3 guitarists) posting teasers for music from an old side project Haunted Shores, I knew something was coming. It was out of left field that a live album appeared!
Periphery: Live in London is a recording of a show in, unsurprisingly, London. Unlike some other live albums, where each song may be from a different show to capture the absolute best performance across the tour, Periphery took it from a show they consider to be one of their favourite places to play. The band were on their Hail Stan tour, promoting their newest album Periphery IV: Hail Stan. Live in London predominantly showcases new songs from their latest offering, but occasionally throws back to previous albums as far as Periphery II.
I may be at an unfair disadvantage being a huge fan of Periphery, but after the ‘Strange Idea’ (which can be found on the Bulb Archive: Volume 8) intro ends, the ominous drone at the start of Reptile put a huge smile on my face. The prog epic spanning over 17 minutes sounds absolutely crushing on the album, and it’s no different here. Mikee from SikTh who provided the spoken word section makes a guest appearance, and a frenetic new solo courtesy of Plini makes this a truly unique performance. When the 12-minute-in breakdown hits it feels like you’re centre stage watching guitars from either side of the stage bounce off each other. The bouncy, heavy riff at 7:20 is absolutely fantastic; all the individual elements gel together with such a rich sound. Periphery are the poster boys for modern progressive metal production and writing; this live album is an indirect way for them to show why they are held in such high regard.
Remain Indoors allows Spencer to really flex his range, with new vocal melodies from the original flowing silkily over the cheerful riffs. Marigold is a fan favourite (as indicated by Spotify play count) and the crowd response shows just why. The brooding spoken word interlude is clearer than on the recording, with Spencer caustically paraphrasing ‘If I Were the Devil’ by Paul Harvey. It’s Only Smiles doesn’t seem to go down as well as the other tracks, but it serves well as a tension release with its poppier and less energetic approach. Psychosphere is a slow, droney and atmospheric track that builds some energy back into the crowd before all shit hits the fan.
Blood Eagle drops like an anvil in a Looney Tunes cartoon. Throughout, there is a rawness and aggression that so beautifully captures the vibe the track wants to portray. As Spencer growls and screams about the Viking torture method, the drums and guitars slap with pinpoint precision. It’s a rhythmically complex song for 1 person to play, let alone 3, but Jake, Mark and Misha all work together like a well-oiled machine. Those with (blood) eagle-eyes may notice this track is about 4 minutes longer than it should be, because it includes the crowd begging for ‘ONE MORE SONG’! Periphery, since their third album Periphery III: Select Difficulty, have liked to end their shows with Lune – this is no different.
Lune is a beautiful way to end the show, with the beautiful soaring lines and luscious chords reaching a crescendo and Spencer passing vocal duties over to the crowd. The anthemic ending melody is infectious, and the crowd is Subject Zero. The chant continues for a solid minute after the band finish playing, with the final “London you’re fucking amazing” being a fantastic sign off.
There isn’t a huge amount of interaction with the crowd outside of the music, but the occasional shout out to “make some fuckin’ noise” gets a big reaction every time. There is an ever so slightly depressing reference to 2020’s Download which was cancelled and moved to 2021, where Periphery are no longer on the bill (Currently at least, I’ll keep praying). The performance had one slight mess up during the bridge in Scarlet, a duff note in the Reptile main riff and a few moments where Spencer didn’t quite hit the note he goes for, but that’s part of the live experience. If it was perfect, it wouldn’t be a live show. Live in London is an immersive experience, and the occasional wrong note only makes it more human. The album captures the frantic energy Periphery are known for, and their experience navigating their now substantial catalogue dominates the crowd to their will.
If you’re missing moshing to some heavy progressive metal and want to experience that vibe in a slightly more comfortable setting, check out Live in London released on the 13th November.
(4 / 5)
