In the age of digital music, it’s becoming harder and harder for music fans to find a good physical copy of their favorite album. But thanks to the resourcefulness of street vendors in Mexico, we were able to track down a leaked copy of Periphery V – and we just had to review it.
When in Mexico, as they say.
The CD had been handwritten in sharpie. We’d bought leaked CDs before, but this was a whole new level. The album cover was also a bit different – instead of featuring the band members, it featured a cartoon of a Mexican street vendor selling his wares with a record player in one hand and a CD in the other.
The way the tracklist was written onto the CD was a nice touch. Whoever wrote onto the CD had nice handwriting. Some might even say, beautiful.
The music itself was surprisingly good. While there were some audio glitches here and there, the overall sound quality was still quite good. We also noticed that the album featured a few bonus tracks not found on the original release. We’re not sure who added them, but they were a nice surprise.
The first thing that struck us was the rather unexpected opening track. Instead of the typical prog metal we’ve come to expect from Periphery; we were treated to a rousing rendition of the Mexican national anthem. The performance was surprisingly good, and we found ourselves singing along. We’d give that one a solid 8/10.
The songwriting was, as expected, outstanding. Every song on the album was a pleasure to listen to, from the riffs to the solos. The band managed to capture the same energy and emotion as their previous releases while still pushing the boundaries of their sound.
The song, ‘Wax Wings, ‘ sees Periphery going into familiar territory with Spencer screaming, “My wings are made of wax, and I’m burning out of control.” The lyrics are about the idea that we are all flawed, and our wings of hope and ambition will eventually melt away. The song speaks to the idea that we are all just trying to hold on, but our dreams will eventually evaporate in the end. As expected, Mark Holcombio and Mish Mansoor go, “Bow-wow, chicky bow bow” with their guitars.
The standout track on the record is by far ‘Silhouette‘, the closest thing you will find to a traditional K-pop song on the album. It is a mid-tempo pop-ballad with a catchy chorus and a romantic, dreamy atmosphere. The track showcases the group’s vocal abilities, especially leader Spencer Sotelo, who gives a strong and emotional performance. The lyrics, written by Sotelo himself, talk about how he is trying to find his way back to a loved one and how he still sees their silhouette in his dreams. It’s a beautiful and heartfelt track and one of the best on the album.
‘Dracul Gras‘ is a fun and spooky track that blends elements of Halloween, Halloween horror, and Mardi Gras. The song has spooky synth lines, a bouncy beat, and a creepy chorus. The lyrics tell the story of a mysterious Mardi Gras celebration that takes place on Halloween night. The song is sure to get you in the spirit of the season. The chorus will get stuck in your head for days, “It’s Dracul Gras, it’s Halloween, so come and join the macabre scene,”
The song, ‘Thanks Nobuo,’ is a furious djent-laden tribute to music composer Nobuo Uematsu. The song also features a melodic breakdown that pays homage to Uematsu’s most memorable compositions, such as ‘One Winged Angel’ from Final Fantasy 7.
A track not on the official tracklist, which translates to “I’ll be home later” in Spanish, is “Volveré Más Tarde”. The song is in Spanish, and we are not sure if it’s Spencer singing in this one. It sounds like an audio recording of someone having a conversation on a loudspeaker as children play in the background, a dog can be heard barking once, and you can hear cars in the background. There is no guitar, drums or bass on this one.
Overall, not a bad album. It gets a solid 8.5/10