The progressive metal Periphery III: Select Difficulty release appears just a year past the band's last outing, delving into sonic intricacies from the beautifully serene to the crushingly brutal. The D.C. natives pummel further through their djent compositions, progressing in a continuation of their genre defining sound.
Periphery III: Select Difficulty wastes no time kicking through the gates with “The Price Is Wrong” and “Motormouth,” bellowing brutal screams, beset by guitar solos and cryptic buildups. In contrast the “Marigold” single opens up in a frenzied orchestral arrangement, a dramatic opus swallowed by an urgency of melody and cartoonish gun battles. The melodies continue to layer in “The Way the News Goes…” to a briefly poignant piano ballad end.
Periphery’s songwriting has evolved past the Juggernaut album just a year prior, hearkening back to the epic progressive metal outing of Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal. The electronic tints of “Remain Indoors” shimmer as “Habitual Line-Stepper” reaches intensely for the jugular with guttural screams, vocalist Spensor Sotelo effortlessly drifting off into crooning melodies.
Periphery brainchild Misha Mansoor directs the band’s sound through overseeing production and performing lead guitar, along with 2 others. The wall of sound from these 3 guitarists continually warps in shapes and layers, building on the percussive djent elements of which they’re renowned for in tracks such as “Flatline” and “Absolomb.”
Lyrically Sotelo pairs the symphony of sound with songs such as fading love (“Absolomb”), trying to hold on to it (“Catch Fire”), getting ever lost (“Prayer Position”). So much time spent with jaw agape over Periphery’s melodic tapestries (cue in the closing “Lune” track) and you forgot that each one of their 6 members play an integral part in presenting their sonic revelry – proof of which is found on any of their individual "playthroughs" up on the band’s YouTube Channel.