Photo by Josefa Torres

American prog-metal superstars Periphery are currently on a North American co-headling tour with instrumentalists Animal as Leaders, and return to Canada for one of two dates this weekend. They’re currently promoting their fifth album Periphery III: Select Difficulty, which is somewhat of a return to form after the simultaneously-released concept albums Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega in 2015.

Although the band has a reputation for mixing progressive metal with Meshuggah-esque riffs, they come off more like a crunchier Dream Theatre, with well-crafted melodies taking the lead over chunky bursts of sound. It’s a combo that has resonated deeply with younger fans, as well as the band’s kitchy sense of humour. The whole package is bright and in-your-face, a tone that doesn’t always sit well with more cynical heavy music fans.

On their last tour stop in Toronto, I spoke with guitarist and band founder Misha Mansoor about being tagged as a progressive band, going back to their trademark style after a double concept album, and what he thinks of the excessive trolling the band often receives online. Listen in the SoundCloud player below.

Periphery’s North American tour with Animals as Leaders runs through to December 3rd. They’ll be at the Music Hall in London, ON this Sunday November 5th, and Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on November 28th. You can watch the live video for the Rick and Morty-themed “The Way The News Goes” below.