Progressive metal band Periphery released their newest album A Pale White Dot on May 15 via 3DOT Recordings and Many Hats Distribution. To celebrate the new release, the band embarked on a North American headlining tour, which will run through November 18. On October 22, the tour began in Philadelphia at The Fillmore to a nearly sold-out crowd. Philadelphia fans made sure to show up and make it a memorable first night of tour, raising the roof until the end.
Starting off the night was genre-bending solo artist Ando San. Ando San blends rap with progressive rock instrumentals, using guitars to create deep, hip-hop-influenced beats. He uses interesting techniques to create these sounds, too, playing the 7-string guitar almost like a bass.
Ando San opened with his newest single “March For Me,” which was released on October 15, and the audience was immediately engaged in the music, headbanging along. He performed a few other new singles as well, such as “Hype Man” and “Triggas,” mentioning that they’re from his upcoming album titled I Wish You Would, set for release next year. With his unique approach to progressive rock, Ando San certainly warmed up the crowd for the rest of the night.
The second opener to take the stage was Greyhaven. As Greyhaven opened with the high-energy “Burn a Miracle” from their most recent album Keep It Quiet, the crowd was already jumping and headbanging along to the music. Greyhaven combines the soaring melodies of post-hardcore with the heavy instrumentals of metalcore, with a touch of intricate progressive metal-inspired rhythms.
The band closed with “Cemetery Sun,” the final track of Keep It Quiet, which had the whole room jumping off their feet and starting a pit. Even if many people were just introduced to Greyhaven that night, they certainly left as new fans.
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The third and final opener was Australian progressive metal band Ne Obliviscaris. Ne Obliviscaris is certainly a unique band, with songs over nine minutes long that feel like a true experience. The band combines symphonic metal elements, specifically a violin, with the heaviness of metalcore, bringing listeners along for the ride.
They opened with their 12-minute-long song “Devour Me, Colossus (Part I): Blackholes,” and the crowd was hypnotized. The energy within the room continued to escalate throughout the set, with the mosh pit growing bigger and bigger, and even starting a circle pit at one point. The band closed with their 11-minute-long “And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope,” and the pit kept moving until the very last note. Ne Obliviscaris successfully prepared the crowd for the headlining act.
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At around 9:20, the lights dimmed once again as the room filled with cheers. An instrumental intro played over the speakers as the lights on the stage began to shine, raising anticipation. Soon enough, Periphery walked onto the stage as the crowd erupted with excitement. The band opened with the fan-favorite “Scarlet” from their 2012 album Periphery II. The first crowdsurfers of the night already started to make their way through the venue, and this level of energy never showed any signs of slowing down throughout the night.
As one of the biggest names of the djent movement, Periphery stand out in the scene with their unique style of progressive metal, utilizing an extended range of detuned instruments to add to their technical prowess. The band performed a variety of tracks from their discography, including tracks from A Pale White Dot such as “Heaven on High,” “Mr. God,” and “Everyone Dies Alone.”
As the set continued, the crowd’s enthusiasm only continued to increase, with more crowdsurfers coming through and the pit getting wider. Halfway through the set, vocalist Spencer Sotelo told the crowd that they were gonna play a new track and that it was their heaviest song yet. The band went into the live debut of “Subhuman” from A Pale White Dot, and nearly half the floor became a pit.
Towards the end of the set, Spencer toasted to the crowd, saying that it had been a long time since they’d played the track they were about to perform. The band then went into the 7-minute-long “Lune” from their 2016 album Periphery III: Select Difficulty. Excitement burst throughout the room, considering the band hadn’t played the track since 2020.
As the song came to a close and the set seemed like it was over, Spencer said, “You thought it was over, but there’s only one way to end a night like this.”
To conclude their set, Periphery performed their 16-minute-long track “Reptile” from their 2019 album Periphery IV: Hail Stan. The pit never died down for a moment, as nearly the entire room got off their feet as other fans continued to crowdsurf, ending the night with a bang. Periphery’s show in Philadelphia was a successful first night of tour, making it a memorable night for everyone.
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