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Periphery - The League of Extraordinary Djentleman Tour - Camden Underworld – February 11th 2011
Support: Tesseract & Monuments
Throughout last year, the term “Djent” was making for heated discussions. As a sub genre of progressive metal, it divided fans (and musicians) in equal measure. For some it was an ace innovation, whilst for others it was no more than a watered down version of a sound that shouldn't be messed with. But if the sell out crowd at the Camden Underworld is anything to go by, “Djent” does seem to be the way forward for this genre.
The main attraction was Roadrunner signed US experimentalists Periphery, as part of their first visit to these shores, but first up was UK five piece, Monuments. This band likes to operate dual vocalists (Greg Pope and Neema Askari) in the same vein as bands such as Sikth and Askari's former band Fellsilent. The musicianship was without question exceptional, but on occasion the vocals faltered and were not very well mixed. Still, this was only a minor glitch, and for the majority of the time, the band had plenty of great tunes to offer, including 'Admit Defeat' and 'Memoirs', and their soon to be released album should certainly be one to keep an eye out for.
Up next were progressive metallers Tesseract. The band has been kicking around for a good few years, but is now on the verge of breaking into wider musical territory. Their long awaited debut 'One' is due out next month, and by the sounds of this performance, it already looks like a contender for album of the year. The majority of the material was taken from their concept EP 'Concealing Fate', which will also be included on the record. Standout tracks included 'Deception' and 'The Impossible', showcasing frontman Dan Tompkins's impressive range of vocals. They also took the time to perform new single 'Nascent', which had a more than satisfactory reception from their appreciative audience. The set was rounded off with 'Acceptance', and by this point; the band had clearly shown why they are viewed as one of the best metal bands of recent years.
It was obvious now that Periphery had a tough act to follow. But, having already enthralled many fans across the country, the band were up for something special to round off the last leg of their tour. Vocalist Spencer Sotelo confided in the crowd that he'd had doctors' orders not to perform because of chronic bronchitis. “I say **** that”, was his response, receiving the biggest cheer of the night. Periphery have been through several vocalist changes, and whilst Sotelo might fall somewhat short of his predecessors, he still proved that he is just as capable of belting out a high note or two. The band's sound sits comfortably between the likes of Dillinger Escape Plan and Underoath, so there were plenty of good vibrations heading the crowd's way. They began with 'Light', followed swiftly by 'Buttersnips' and 'Totla Mad', which met with a frenzy of crowdsurfing. However the one tune that everyone had been anxious to hear, 'Icarus Lives', was saved till nearly the end. By the time the opening note had been played, the crowd were making the most of the tiny space, unleashing their appreciation. The closing song of the night came in the form of 'The Walk', which again made for a great singalong from their fans. Despite tonight being an exceptional performance for the band, I personally would have welcomed a number of other tracks from their album, in particular, 'Jetpacks Was Yes'.
But in truth, the night belonged to Tesseract, who have a great future ahead of them, and are definitely a key band to see live, whatever brand of metal you are interested in.
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