Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty

Periphery has slowly been becoming the boy band of the djent scene. Rising like a phoenix, Periphery brought the virtual reality of djent and brought it success in the realm of metal, giving it a true messenger. Their fifth record Periphery III: Select Difficulty, however, doesn't pigeonhole them into the small space that djent is commonly labeled with (those clichéd open and first fret notes, as part of the meme). It's one of the band's most diverse records, following the same elements they experimented with in the past, as well as adding new ones in.

My favorite part of this record is that it feels like the natural progression for the band. Their last releases were a double-album, Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega. The albums' songs needed the context of the story of the concept of the record to really balance them out - I didn't fully enjoy Omega because of this. The songs didn't really work too great outside the context of the album. Alpha was a much more enjoyable listen, however, because while it did also have the context of a conceptualization backing it, the album made great use of melody. The melodies on that album soared and really made the songs feel a lot more powerful. Select Difficulty brought that a step further, which is exactly what I wanted.

Melody is huge on this record. Vocalist Spencer Soleto has some truly defining moments on this record. The note he hits at the end of 'Catch Fire' is one of the most epic moments on the album. The way he belts out certain notes adds a whole other level of energy to the track. His singing style also has a certain swagger to it - it almost feels like the same pop fusions style Issues is known for. The back-half is a lot more melody-centric, and just generally less heavy in the grand scheme of things. The songs all have a softer and more alternative rock/metal sound to them. This only stays true for about every other track after the halfway mark, though. The vocals don't start making a mark on the album until the second track 'Motormouth', but they're not the focus until about 'Flatline' - the first track that feels like melody has importance and is not a backing to the thrashing instrumentals. The latter of the two songs has a massive ending to go with it, too.

Misha Mansoor is essentially the being of Periphery. His guitar work is what brought them into the spotlight, after all. Every track feels like a guitar feat - there's not one that doesn't have guitar anything less than epic. Whether it's the trashing, low-tuned pounding notes of 'Motormouth' or the sweet licks in 'The Way The News Goes...', there's always something going on. The album is full of massive instrumental movements and moments. The epic screams in the bridge of 'Marigold' are backed by a masterful metal instrumental complete with an orchestral intro and complex guitar riffs. There are layers upon layers of guitar goodness in 'Prayer Position', all of which build to an absolutely mindbending ending.

The softer moments on the record cannot be ignored, too. Massive orchestras can be easily missed if you're not careful, and they add a lot of dimension to the music. Closing track 'Lune' is half orchestral, half jamming, with beautiful symphonic pieces found interspersed within the track making it a very climactic closure to the record. 'Marigold' ends on an ambient piece for two minutes that adds a sense of aftermath to the track. The piano outro following 'The Way The News Goes...' is also a great touch.

Sadly, an album given so much acclaim does have some negatives. There are songs on this record that feels unfinished. The chorus instrumentals of 'The Way The News Goes...' are a mess, though the rest of the song leaves little to complain about. 'Habitual Line-Stepper' is another song that has great parts but feels very incohesive. And paired with their boy band position in the metal world, their lyrics sometimes don't support them. There are a lot of very cringey lyrics on the record, but one that immediately stood out that had me check the lyrics to make sure I had heard correctly are in 'Marigold': "Suck on the mother's dead tit" is a true feat of a lyric. And let's not get started on the title of 'The Price Is Wrong'...

Select Difficulty was the natural progression for Periphery. Sometimes band go in a direction that didn't fit what they were ready for, or they moved on too quickly from something they were just beginning to get a grasp of. Periphery is taking their time, and is hitting all the right stops along the way. Select Difficulty isn't a perfect album, but it's definitely up there with some of the band's best works. Lots of big moments make this album the Alpha (my personal favorite record from the band) with more riffs. There's room to grow, but the storm that is Periphery isn't going to be slowing down any time soon.

Favorite Tracks: Marigold, Catch Fire, Lune, Flatline

Least Favorite Tracks: Motormouth, Habitual Line-Stepper

Rating: 78 / 100

Major Lazer - 'Cold Water' (ft. Justin Bieber & MØ)

2016 has lacked the true song of the summer. While we're well into it by now, there's still time. Major Lazer may have finally given us the answer to our problem. The new, highly-anticipated 'Cold Water' featuring Justin Bieber and MØ has finally dropped, and it's the chill track this summer was waiting for.

'Cold Water' is the perfect blend of chill and dance vibing. Bieber's vocal delivery on this track is spot on. From the second the song kicks in, his vocal adds flavor to the confession he sings: "Everybody gets high sometimes, you know / What else can we do when we're feeling low? / So take a deep breath and let it go / You shouldn't be drowning on your own". His melody flows with the sweet guitar licks and synth punches as the background harmonies create the perfect chords.

MØ's contribution may not be as significant as Bieber's, but it's still a great one. Her verse serves as a bridge, the instrumental sweetly building up behind her strong vocals. The final chorus kicks in with Bieber kicking back in for a sweet duet between the two, MØ's voice strongly harmonizing with Bieber's gentle "I'll be your lifeline tonight" lines. The song ends quietly, the arpeggiated guitar chords (the add so much color to the track, might I add) replacing MØ's harmony, a subtle but brilliant way of closing out the song.

Is 'Cold Water' the song of the summer? It has the potential to be. Chill and blue vibes and boasting some of pop's biggest names, it's definitely up there. It'll be getting major airplay soon, and it's bound to be on everyone's playlists. Turn the song on, lay back with someone close to you, and enjoy the fresh air. That's what this song's built for.

Rating: 85 / 100 

Clams Casino - 32 Levels

Producer Clams Casino, known for tackling music with a bunch of big names such as FKA twigs and A$AP Rocky, has released his debut LP 32 Levels. The record features a wide array of artists from several genres, and combines elements of both hip-hop and electronica into one collection of songs.

There's two clear halves to this record. The first half is a very hip-hop centric collection of songs, while the second half takes a poppier route. Clams Casino produces beats and instrumentals for the tracks - and those are always spot on. The problem, however, lies with the features.

The first half of the record is very much hit-or-miss. Instrumentals are never the problem. There are some okay tracks like 'Be Somebody' featuring A$AP Rocky and Lil B, with a great instrumental but lyrics that just feel like one big name drop (with no real point of doing so) and 'All Nite' with Vince Staples which has a strong message but a horrible delivery. Then there's songs that have absolutely nothing interesting going for them - 'Witness' is just plain trash, while the next two tracks are just completely forgettable. The hip-hop half falls into the trap of becoming way too self-obsessed and sits itself on a high horse, perhaps the fault of the features. The lack of variation and climax makes it come and go, as if it never happened.

The poppier half has a more agreeable composure. Lots of strong voices bring a more refreshing palette to the album, a good contrast from the monotonous hip-hop side. Mikky Ekko sounds huge on 'Into The Fire', finally giving the album some feeling of exposition nearly three-fourths of the way into it. The same goes for 'Back To You' with Kelly Zutrau, the only song on the record that has some excitement to it with the build in its second chorus. Kelela features on 'A Breath Away', the song featuring Indian percussion that really adds a nice color to the record. Sadly, the second half has more going against it than it does for it (though, it has more to brag about that the earlier part of the album). Same Dew's track 'Thanks To You' starts promising but gets really repetitive with its slowly punching in-and-out synth instrumental, the slow and glitchy track not going anywhere for its three minute run, making the entire track blur together. 'Ghost In A Kiss' is some odd ASMR fusion with hip-hop, and it just doesn't go down well under any circumstance. The last track lacks any finality to the album, leaving it on a down note, as is the case with much of this record. There's no climax found anywhere in any track. Light choruses and slow verses rule this record, and there's nothing within them to show for.

Clams Casino produced some fantastic instrumentals, but failed to bring those anywhere of worth. This album fails to have a big defining moment and feels like background noise for much of it. A single track on this record has any sense of excitement in it. If you're looking for something to put on the background as to not pay attention to it, this is the one, because nothing will go on during it. Perhaps he should stick to getting his production credits.

Favorite Track: Back To You

Least Favorite Tracks: Blast, Witness, Ghost In A Kiss

Rating: 56 / 100

Bright Light Bright Light - Choreography

The 80s was an... interesting time. Lots of those who lived through it will remember it for its energetic music. Bright Light Bright Light channels that 80s flair in his new record, Choreography. His third LP shows him mastering his synthpop sound, embodying everything people loved from the 80s.

Choreography will get you dancing. It's a very big record in terms of vibes. Right at the start with 'All In The Name' we have big celebration vibes complete with a soulful choir. The album's grooviness doesn't falter at all throughout it's length. Some songs like the massive 'Kiss For Kiss' featuring Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters has a very lovey flow to it, the infectious track feeling modern all the while combining elements of its time period. The song builds over time, elements appearing and going throughout, keeping the song fresh. The chorus has a very distorted synth that almost feels like metal rhythm guitar that builds up so much great tension, making the song sound huge.

If anything, this album feels a little too 80s. It all gets repetitive - the first song itself struggles with feeling overdone. Tracks like 'I Only Want To Please You' with Ana Matronic (also of Scissor Sisters) feels like it came straight from an 80s track, no sense of innovation or anything besides production feels fresh about this track. The album becomes very standard to listen to in the second half - it becomes forgettable. That's where it's fault lies, it doesn't try to be anything interesting for most of its playtime and tries to appeal to a single type of listener. Elton John features on three tracks, but his contributions, shockingly, don't really add anything to the music.

Choreography will give an 80s child a taste of what they grew up listening to, but to an outsider it won't be much of an enjoyable listen. It's a big dancey record and a lot of the tracks do well as standalone songs, but as a consecutive listening experience, just doesn't amount to a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Bright Light Bright Light is on the verge of something, but he's not quite there yet.

Favorite Track: Kiss For Kiss

Least Favorite Track: I Only Want To Please You

Rating: 67 / 100

Katy Perry - 'Rise'

No one does pop like Katy Perry does. Her signature voice and fun sound often gives way to the summer's biggest jams and sweet tracks to accompany the realities of every day life. After nearly two years of general studio silence since her last record PRISM, Katy Perry has returned out of the blue with the massive new single 'Rise', an uplifting anthem that will be part of the soundtrack to your success story.

'Rise' is huge track. It has a very anthemic and call-to-arms vibe to it, its electronics and immense synths building giant walls of noise, the pulsating sound moving like your heartbeat as you race to the finish line. Perry confidently chants, "When the fire's at my feet again / And the vultures all start circling / They're whispering, 'you're out of time' / But still, I rise" in the chorus, painting the picture of being at the end of hope, but fighting back against that. This song screams hope and energy - that final push to keep going.

Sonically, this song feels really pleasing to listen to. The intro features Katy Perry singing reverberates almost defeatedly as a brooding beat kicks into the atmospheric synth. The pre-chorus builds up epically with powerful splashes of percussion bring the song to its massive chorus, the beat pounding as Katy's voice soars above a cavernous instrumental. The song continues in much the same way throughout, without much change. It doesn't really feel like it needs much changing - the song flows incredibly well and doesn't lose pace or conviction as it progresses. The vocalizations towards the end are a great touch, providing for one final epic touch before the song concludes.

'Rise' is a motivational song in the simplest sense. It's about rising up against the rest when everything is against you. That seems to be the recurring theme for the songs chosen to be the song of the Olympics. Katy Perry really channeled that awesome feeling of beating all expectations and coming out on top. This could also mean her next album is just on the horizon, and that'll be a welcome surprise, too.

'Rise' is available for purchase via Apple Music.

Rating: 85 / 100

Gone Is Gone - Gone Is Gone

Everyone loves a good stoner rock anthem. Supergroup Gone Is Gone just released their debut eponymous EP, and it's full of those. The band's giant lineup features Troy Sanders, vocalist and bassist of Mastodon, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwin of Queens Of The Stone Age, Tony Hajjar on drums from At The Drive-In, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Zarin. If that lineup alone isn't enough to pick this record up, you may be crazy.

As with any good stoner rock record, you have to have riffs, and this album is chocked full of them. Right from the get go with the giant riff of 'Violescent'. you know you're in for a mental listen. The instrumental crashes epically while Troy Sanders sings roughly above the thrashing riffs. Big instrumental moments are a key part of the record, the epic six minute anthem 'This Chapter' closing the record on many big moments. Other excellent moments include the incredible "All that bleeds is dying" part that concludes 'Stolen From Me' and the evil sounds of 'Praying From This Danger'.

The album does have a few faults in it, though. Two interludes can be found within the record, not really adding anything and interrupting the flow. 'Recede and Enter' does a better job at transitioning into the next track, but 'Character' is an aesthetic interlude with spoken word coming straight from Corey Taylor's playbook and feels like it just drags on for too long. There's also the case of 'Starlight', which is a good song overall, but the vocals and instrumental don't quite fit together. There's a lack of cohesion on the record that makes it hard to really take in at some points.

Gone Is Gone is the new force on the block. Their debut EP shows that they know how to bring the jams, though a little more work is needed, perhaps more chemistry within the group. That cohesion issue really broke apart the record in some places. Their album will be absolutely massive when it drops, though. There's plenty of jams on this record to keep us good until it comes, luckily.

Favorite Tracks: Violescent, Stolen From Me

Least Favorite Tracks: Character, Recede and Enter

Rating: 66 / 100

Emily Jane White - They Moved In Shadow All Together

Darkness always holds some sort of meaning, regardless of what light is shined upon it (or lack thereof, rather). Emily Jane White uses her distinct brand of dreamy, dark folk in her new album They Moved In Shadow All Together to take you on a revealing journey of your inner self. It's a truly cleansing experience to listen to this record.

This album isn't dark folk in the reign of Chelsea Wolfe; this album does not condemn humanity or sound like darkness is swallowing you. It feels more like your running into a pale horizon as the darkness slowly trails behind you, taking memories and dreams with you. It's beautifully put together, beautiful harmonies and slowly trudging instrumentals making the music resonate through your core. The albums also flow gently like a calm sea, 'Pallid Eyes' especially feels like it has a calm sway to it. 'Antechamber' has it's own type of presence, its soaring harmonies contrasting the dark instrumental that has a odd optimism in it. The instrumental moves like a ballet dancer, weaving gracefully in and out and stunning jumps and dives. This album, while slow moving and dark, has a lot of character embedded within it.

Have I mentioned this album is beautiful yet? There are so manny blissful instrumental moments on it that add so much taste to it! The piano performances on the album are fantastic: moments include 'Rupturing' which has a gorgeous ascending piano part that is accompanied by strings to build back in (it reprises itself as a sort of pre-chorus), 'The Black Dove' with a sweet piano intro that leads into a mysteriously and grandly swelling into a truly epic folk song led by confident percussion. The drums on this album are absolutely fantastic, too. Whether it be the slow guiding beat to 'Frozen Garden' or the epic crashes of 'Hands', the percussion on this album was executed incredibly, done with master precision. The instrumentals can also swallow you whole, in the case of the amazingly beautiful cavern that is 'Nightmares On Repeat'.

The lyrics and vocal melodies on this album may the best part of the record. The harmonies are spine tingling and the words chilling. There's not a single lyrical moment to be highlighted, as the entire album is written incredibly. Every word and every line feels so perfectly in place in the scheme of the story this album has that it's almost like you can reach out and hold them. The melodies add movement to this wonderful story, take the haunting melodies of 'Moulding' for example. Absolutely crushing and beautiful.

There's something starkly beautiful in the simplicity of They Moved In Shadow All Together. It hits so close to the heart and feels so real and personal... It sounds like the lovechild of Aurora's music and Chelsea Wolfe's (two artists I can't get enough of), fitting right in between the beauty of both artists' styles. Emily Jane White's new record is a folk masterpiece, as far as I'm concerned. Listen to it. It'll change you.

Favorite Tracks: The Black Dove, Nightmares On Repeat, Hands, Antechamber

Least Favorite Track: The Ledge

Rating: 89 / 100

Top 10 Albums Of 2016 (so far):

1. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
2. AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend
3. Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor
4. Deftones - Gore
5. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
6. Foxes - All I Need
7. Daughter - Not To Disappear
8. Gojira - Magma
9. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
10. Emily Jane White - They Moved In Shadow All Together

Chevelle - The North Corridor

When taking on a Chevelle record, you better know you're heading into the territory of nothing but jams. Their eight record The North Corridor is full of those big riffs, but does find its ways to make it sound repetitive, much like some criticisms of their previous albums have claimed. There hasn't been any curve in sound, if that's what you're looking for.

This album has a very safe alternative metal sound to it. The riffs are big and in your face, if not repetitive, and the spidery vocals and big choruses make up each track. Opening track 'Door To Door Cannibals' starts off with promise, but ends up just being boring, and by the final chorus has you waiting for the end to come. The Tool-esque melodies (the song's vocals has be thinking of 'Ticks & Leeches') give this track some endearing qualities to metal fans, and the big alt. metal chorus is also a treat. If you want a great chorus though, 'Enemies' is your song: its chorus is absolutely massive, though the verses are a bit stale.

The problem with this record is that yes, the riffs are big and metal, but they all kind of sound the same. 'Joyride (Omen)' has that big, upfront metal sound with the distorted bass but just fails to do anything else with its sound besides sound really standard. This album feels like it's full of attempts at something interesting, but none of these attempts got anywhere. 'Punchline' is full of references to jokes, which is lyrically amusing, but has no real place in the album. There's a lot of lyrics that just seem off in the record; 'Young Wicked' comes to mind - it feels almost like it was going for an 'Another Brick In The Wall' vibe - but in oddity it makes up for an engaging instrumental and progression. 'Shot From A Cannon' clocks in at a huge 8 minutes, but there's really no purpose for it to be that long. It's length can be thanked for a long, stale instrumental jam section complete with an uninteresting lead guitar and all. A very incompetent ending to an album that feels much the same. 'Rivers' also has that big instrumental ending, but in grandness it lacks substance to make it actually good.

Chevelle brought jams, sure. These jams get stale after hearing them consecutively on the album, sadly. There's little engagement on The North Corridor. Fans who were disappointed by their last effort La Gargola won't be impressed much by this release, either. It's stale and uninspired. Not much else to it.

Favorite Tracks: Enemies, Young Wicked

Least Favorite Tracks: Shot From A Cannon, Punchline

Rating: 56 / 100

Jay-Z - 'Spiritual'

Seven people have died over the course of the last week in three different locations. First, Alton Sterling was shot and killed by officers while selling CDs in Baton Rogue, Louisiana. Then, Philando Castile was shot and killed in front of his bride and four-year old son by a cop over a broken headlight in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Lastly, in Dallas, Texas, during a peaceful protest in response to these events, snipers opened fire into the crowd, killing five police officers watching over the protest.

This is the state of America. It's starting to feel as if we can't go a week without another mass-shooting occurring. The line is starting to blur over what exactly our issue is; are our cops racist? Do we discriminate against blacks as if it's the normal thing to do? Do too many people have guns? All the issues keep piling up, as if we can't even come to a consensus on what the real problem is.

Some wager that nothing changes until someone important speaks. Many artists have turned to music to express their views on the matters tearing our country apart. Jay-Z is the latest musician to offer input, releasing a new single titled 'Spiritual'. The song was written a year ago, and seems to be more relevant to the Mike Brown case than this last week's events. This just goes to show, though, that as a country we have made little progress in correcting our errors, as the message of this song still holds true to today.

In a message released alongside the track, Jay-Z stated: "Punch (TDE) told me I should drop it when Mike Brown died, sadly I told him, 'this issue will always be relevant.' I'm hurt and saddened that I knew his death wouldn't be the last... I'm saddened and disappointed in THIS America - we should be further along. WE ARE NOT." The song was written a year ago, but all of it is still relevant. The pre-chorus of the song reads 'Spiritual, yes it is spiritual / No I am not poison, no I am not poison." The message simple, but the delivery sounds pleading, as if it's desperately trying to make the message heard. It seems that hasn't worked yet, as the song continues later 'Got my hands in air in despair / Don't shoot, I just want to do good."

The song has a dark complex surrounding it. The piano serves as the main instrumental melody, flowing mysteriously and all-too knowingly. The song is relatively simple in terms of instrumental, mainly focussing on the message rather than the means. It does have a dark sound to it that feels very rejected and abused, though, which takes that message another step further. The song is't anything special, beyond it's message, but that seems to be the point.

Will things change in America? How many will die by the hands of others before we say enough? Jay-Z's 'Spiritual' comments on the nature of black prejudice faced in society, seen as far back as last year with Mike Brown and as recently as just a few days ago. It's a dark place when the people supposedly protecting you are what you have to be afraid of every day. We can change when we find the love and peace in our hearts to love each other and everyone. That day just seems to keep getting farther away.

Rating: 73 / 100

I would like to offer my condolences to all of those lost and affected by the tragedies of this past week. The world is cruel and at times evil, but in the end, we will all see our way out of the darkness into a better light. Rest in peace to all of the officers and individuals who lost their lives and were injured, and our thoughts are with the families and friends to those affected, and to those who live every day fearing this is what they will have to face. Spread love, not hate.

Message To Bears - Carved From Tides

A good ambient album will take you places. Some albums will take you to some place fantastic and mystical, while others can take you on a late night stroll through the forest or a late night through the city. Message To Bears' fifth record Carved From Tides is like a snow-ladden travel through the unknown. You don't know where you're headed, but it's certainly chilly and full of wonder.

This album has tracks that are simply beautiful. 'Spin-Float' features sweet, rich acoustic guitars on top of atmospheric synths that fill the track with a warm glow, and guest Gemma Alexander sings enchantingly over it. 'Breathe' is another beautiful track, shining with the same kind of dreamy piano vibe as Radiohead's 'Daydreaming'. What this track differs with, though is the beat that churns with the ever growing track. It builds in an almost epic way, as the instrumental becomes ever-more encompassing with its crystalline piano and sampled vocals. 'They Ran' is much the same, in a different way, though. The track features effected piano rather than the purer format, and focusses more primarily on growing ethereal vocal samples to make up its atmospheric vibe.

This album almost tells a story. The music flows like poetry without words. From the beginning you get the feeling of walking somewhere just before dawn with snow falling gently from the sky - the synths shimmering with the same glow and the snowflakes. You get the vibes of walking through a snowy forest in 'Blossom', while at the end with 'Hold On', rather than being a giant climax of a blizzard swallowing up the sky (surely that's not what you expected, though), you can feel the snow slowly trickle off into a gentle flurry as the first streaks of light breaks through the grey clouds. It's a very warm feeling you get at the end of this record; that's not to say that the album is otherwise cold and unwelcoming - well, it will give you chills, - but it feels like your experiencing a faraway familiar emotion. 'When You're Gone' seems to personify that emotion, speaking of ghosts in a distant way, as if it haunted the narrator until this sort of revelation. It's hopeful. It's interesting - you can't quite put a finger on exactly what the emotion is, perhaps nostalgia or one of its offspring, but it certainly feels lifting.

Message To Bears creating an ambient masterpiece. A lot of the tracks do work better in context of the album's consecutive poetry rather than standalone items, but as one start-to-finish piece, it's a fantastic listen. It gets slow at parts - which is what adds to the standalone argument - but it can be forgiven for that at its emotional climaxes. It's like a fine diamond that's not quite so perfect. It's cracked with the stories of a lifetime, that story being told through the music of Carved From Tides. Ambient album of the year goes to this one.

Favorite Tracks: Breathe, Hold On, Blossom, When You're Gone

Least Favorite Track: I'll Lead You There

Rating: 84 / 100