Album Review: Periphery V A Djent Musical Masterpiece

Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre

Djent masterminds Periphery are back with their latest album titled Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre. The album will be released on March 10th, 2023. The group consists of vocalist Spencer Sotelo, guitarist Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen & Mark Holcomb, and last but certainly not least drummer Matt Halpern. The band’s bassist who records on the records Adam “Nolly” Getgood reprises his duties on P5.

The guy’s released three tracks from the album over the last month or so. “Wildfire” which features a saxophone solo by the incredible Jorgen Munkeby, “Zagreus” and “Atropos” for which the band put together an insane music video that was released back on February 16th. When this review is posted, Periphery will be on a U.S. tour with Loathe and Underoath, so it’s a great opportunity to catch some new songs live! Now let’s talk about Periphery V. The album consists of 9 tracks clocking in at about 70 or so minutes and to be clear there is no lack of epic on this album with tracks ranging from 5 minutes all the way up to 12 minutes.  

The album kicks off with the perfectly named “Wildfire” which sets the tone for the chaos to come on P5. You’ve probably heard it already since it was the first taste of new music from the band since 2019’s Hail Stan. It’s progressive, the guitars chug away in true Periphery fashion, and we get treated to heavy screams from Sotelo followed by a catchy and soaring melodic chorus. There’s even a touch of jazz piano and a saxophone solo from Jorgen Munkeby, how much better could you start an album?

For “Atropos” we enter down-tuned guitar heaven before Spencer comes in with a clean poppy vocal melody before unleashing a violent scream and a brief guitar assault. The track has, in my opinion, a Periphery II vibe to it which I actually get from the album’s first few tracks. At times there’s almost a nu-metal influence in “Atropos” while still maintaining the band’s authentic feel. The 8-minute and 24-second track does a great job of keeping beautiful chaos organized and audibly enjoyable. Full orchestra lends to the end of the track to move into the next song. 

“Wax Wings” is undoubtedly my favorite track on the album and gives me classic Periphery vibes. This track reminds you of why this band is as loved as it is. It’s mainstream yet as metal as you can want and a great intro track to ease people into the band. The track really showcases Spencer Sotelo’s vocal ability and range from brutal screams to soaring and at times angelic vocals. It’s hard to pick my favorite part of this album or the musicianship on it. Every member plays their part incredibly. The production of the album is no surprise coming from these guys but just when you think what more can they do as musicians? They raise the bar once again.

Track 4 known as “Everything is Fine!” is well, really F**King Heavy!!! This track will blow your face off, moments of the song I felt like I might be listening to Dillinger Escape Plan. I don’t know how to explain it other than the whiplash you get after a car wreck. It’s chaos, a song of pure unpredictable carnage. 

“Silhouette” is a complete shift of tone and direction, it’s poppy, synthy, and the closest thing Periphery has done to a ballad. It’s the band doing something different and unexpected. It is an 80s-style synth-pop anthem. “Dying Star” returns closer to the sound we’re used to from the guys, the guitars shine bright and Halpern’s technical drums come to the forefront. The song’s odd time signatures and catchy choruses make “Dying Star” a must listen to. 

Next up we kick back into familiar territory with one of the album’s 3 singles “Zagreus.” It’s a heavy track like the Periphery we know and love with a great balance of clean vocals and harsh screaming.  “Dracul Gras” which translates to “Fat Dracula” with its chunky guitar riffs and a mix of screams and melodic vocals from Spencer Sotelo. The song is the longest on the album and packs one of the heaviest punches. 

The album ends with what is a final bow for this masterpiece of music with the track, “Thanks Nobuo.” A nod perhaps to the Japanese Composer of the Final Fantasy series, Nobuo Uematsu, they put it all out there for this one. The orchestral/synth composing and arrangements by Misha Mansoor are done brilliantly and should be overly appreciated for how incredible of a job Misha did on this track. The sounds take you on a journey to a surreal space. What an epic ending to an album!

In my opinion Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre is one of the best this band has released yet, that’s not to take away from the group’s body of work but rather show their ability to continue to grow and compose unique music. The band covers a wide spectrum of genres on this album ranging from metal, pop, rock, and jazz. There is something for everyone on this musical journey we now know as P5.

Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre comes out March 10th!!!