Periphery II: This Time It's Personal

Okay gentleman, it's time for the first music review, and with that I've chosen to take a listen to the newest album recorded by progressive metal band Periphery. The band is know for their modern heavy sound and polyrhythmic patterns layered with spacious melodies. This album, entitled Periphery II, would be no different. The album was released on July 3, 2012 in America through Sumerian Records. While I personally enjoyed this album, this technical style of music may not be for everyone. With songs like "Facepalm Mute" changing from odd time to common time and back, it can make it difficult to bob your head.

While this album has a very heavy sound and is very much a metal album, Periphery, being the progressive band that they are, does incorporate a good amount of programed rhythms and melodies into their music. One track on the album, entitled "Epoch", is entirely programmed and is not "metal" at all. It only goes to show the talent level of the musicians and their ability to create more than just one type of sound. That being said, in addition to the programmed instruments, the band brought in Alice McIlrath on violin and Lezlie Smith on cello. Their talents can be heard at the beginning of "Having a Blast". Other guest appearances include Guthrie Govan of The Aristocrats who has a  guitar solo on "Have a Blast", John Petrucci of Dream Theatre having a guitar solo on "Erised", and Wes Hauch of The Faceless with the guitar solo on "Mile Zero".

The complex rhythms being held down on the drums and unrelentless layers of heavy stringed guitars, along with the powerful vocals and musically interesting programmed parts make this album one of my new favorites. It is safe to say I will be listening to this for quite some time.