Periphery – ‘Clear’ [Review]
Whether you love or hate these guys, one thing cannot be denied: Periphery are not your standard metal band. While many acts continue to follow the well-travelled offline career path – centred primarily around toilet circuit gigs, the occasional EP, and appeals to labels to fund an album – Periphery head honcho Misha Mansoor made his name online, releasing solo material under the alias ‘Bulb’ and constructing his brand through unconventional (but clearly super effective) communication channels. Although it is popular in some circles to regard online audience-building as the mark of the heretical, double-dealing cheater, in the music business it’s just good sense.
Today, as if to affirm that conclusion, new YouTube bands are born on a daily basis, while labels focus increasingly on ‘platform size’ and ‘audience engagement’ as key metrics when considering a future signing. In a world where everything is on the table – not just the likes of Alex Day and Dorje but more or less every musical performance that has ever taken place in front of a functional video camera – sitting on your laurels guarantees, now more than ever, the inexorable certainty of crushing failure.
Fortunately, Periphery have proven more than aware of this fact, making a clear and conscious effort to consistently push themselves out of their collective comfort zones. Of their work so far, nothing proves this point as effectively as Clear. Read more…