Periphery (Deluxe Instrumental Edition)by Periphery

With their self-titled debut album finally released after years of anticipation, Periphery have made an album for the ages that will be very difficult for anyone in the "djent" scene. Opening powerfully with "Insomnia", new vocalist Spencer Sotelo makes his presence felt on top of some fierce polyrhythms with an able scream and simply gorgeous clean singing. It might be a little too "emo" for some people's tastes, but everyone will recognize the quality and strength of his range. "The Walk" follows Insomnia and is the most unrelenting traditional metal song on the whole album. We have other very strong cuts in the first half of the album, which is more pop-oriented with catchier songs like "Jetpacks Was Yes!", "Light", and "All New Materials". The 2nd half of the album is definitely more progressive in general than the first, and no track embodies that better than the 15 minute closer "Racecar", which is itself a masterclass in modern metal song-writing. At 72 minutes, some may tire of "Periphery", but I would argue that not a moment is wasted. This is the best debut in the metal scene in years and is easy to recommend to anybody who likes their music a little heavier than what's on the radio. 5/5!

Recommended tracks: Light, Insomnia, Icarus LIves!