Periphery III: Select Difficulty

{{Infobox album

| name = Periphery III: Select Difficulty

| type = Studio

| artist = Periphery

| cover = Periphery_III_Select_Difficulty_cover.jpg

| alt =

| released = July 22, 2016

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Progressive metal|djent|progressive metalcore}}

| length = {{Duration|m=64|s=06}}

| label = {{hlist|Sumerian|Century Media|Roadrunner}}

| producer = {{hlist|Misha Mansoor|Adam Getgood}}

| prev_title = Juggernaut: Omega

| prev_year = 2015

| next_title = Periphery IV: Hail Stan

| next_year = 2019

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Periphery III: Select Difficulty

| type = studio

| single1 = The Price Is Wrong

| single1date = May 25, 2016

| single2 = Flatline

| single2date = June 24, 2016

| single3 = Marigold

| single3date = July 8, 2016

}}

Periphery III: Select Difficulty is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Periphery. The album was released July 22, 2016 through Sumerian Records, and was produced by Misha Mansoor and Adam Getgood.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/periphery-announces-select-difficulty-album-sonic-unrest-u-s-tour/ |title=Periphery Announces 'Select Difficulty' Album, 'Sonic Unrest' U.S. Tour |website=Blabbermouth.net |date=April 26, 2016 |accessdate=July 16, 2016}} The opening track, "The Price Is Wrong", was nominated for Best Metal Performance in the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-grammys-2017-nominations-winners-list-20161205-story.html |title=2017 Grammy Awards: Complete list of nominees |website=latimes.com |date=December 6, 2016 |accessdate=December 6, 2016}} It is the last album the band released on this label. It is also the last album to feature bassist Adam "Nolly" Getgood as an official member of Periphery before he left the band in 2017, though he still returned on Periphery IV: Hail Stan to produce, engineer, and mix the album, in addition to contributing final bass parts.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| MC = 70/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/periphery-iii-select-difficulty/periphery|title=‘Periphery III: Select Difficulty’ on Metacritic|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=November 12, 2018}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/periphery-iii-select-difficulty-mw0002950085 |title=Periphery III: Select Difficulty |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=July 14, 2023}}

| rev2 = Exclaim!

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite web | url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/periphery-periphery_iii_select_difficulty | title=Periphery – Periphery III: Select Difficulty | publisher=Exclaim! | date=July 26, 2016 | accessdate=August 2, 2016 | author=Slingerland, Calum}}

| rev3 = Rock Sound

| rev3score = 6/10{{cite web | url=https://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/read/periphery-periphery-iii-select-difficulty |title=PERIPHERY – ‘PERIPHERY III: SELECT DIFFICULTY’ | publisher=Rock Sound | date=July 21, 2016 | accessdate=November 12, 2018 | author=Haridimou, Candice}}}}

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 70 out of 100 based on 5 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Calum Slingerland of Exclaim! praised the band's "drive to keep exploring out of their stylistic box". Prog Sphere's Stefan Andonov stated that "Select Difficulty is by far their most diverse album, they have grown and have found a way to combine complex sounding vibe with the popular one."{{Cite web|url=http://www.prog-sphere.com/reviews/periphery-select-difficulty-review/|title=Periphery – Periphery III: Select Difficulty|last=Andonov|first=Stefan|date=August 1, 2016|website=Prog Sphere|publisher=|access-date=December 14, 2016}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| title1 = The Price Is Wrong

| length1 = 3:57

| title2 = Motormouth

| length2 = 4:50

| title3 = Marigold

| length3 = 7:20

| title4 = The Way the News Goes...

| length4 = 5:04

| title5 = Remain Indoors

| length5 = 6:10

| title6 = Habitual Line-Stepper

| length6 = 6:52

| title7 = Flatline

| length7 = 5:51

| title8 = Absolomb

| length8 = 7:44

| title9 = Catch Fire

| length9 = 3:54

| title10 = Prayer Position

| length10 = 4:37

| title11 = Lune

| length11= 7:47

| total_length = 64:06

}}

Personnel

Periphery

Spencer Sotelo – lead vocals
Misha "Bulb" Mansoor – guitar, synths
Jake Bowen – guitar, synths
Mark Holcomb – guitar
Adam "Nolly" Getgood – bass, guitar
Matt Halpern – drums, percussion

Production

Misha "Bulb" Mansoor – production
Adam "Nolly" Getgood – mixing, engineering
Ermin Hamidovic – mastering
Taylor Larson – vocal production
Spencer Sotelo – vocal production
Jason Richardson – additional vocal tracking
Pete Adams – additional vocal tracking
Randy Slaugh – live orchestra, choir production, engineering
Ken Dudley – orchestral sessions mixing

Additional personnel

Emily Rust – violin
Cymrie Van Drew – violin
Megumi Terry – violin
Caryn Bradley – viola
Kelsey Clegg – viola
Clayton Wieben – viola
Chris Morgan – cello
Robert Willes – cello
Adam Heyen – French horn
Tyler Arndt – trumpet
Tom Francis – bass trombone
Austin Bentley – choir
Tiffany Yeates – choir
Jonathan Allred – choir
Randy Slaugh – choir
Eric Slaugh – choir
Jeffrey Slaugh – choir
Hayley Malesich – choir
Kelsey Clegg – choir
Clayton Wieben – choir
Taylor Larson – choir
Emily Piriz – choir
Nick Day – choir
Jake Bowen – choir

Charts

scope="col"\| Chart (2016) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Australia\|8\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=July 30, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Austria\|42\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=August 4, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Flanders\|86\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Wallonia\|139\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|22\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=July 31, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|39\|id=308717\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}
{{album chart\|Oricon\|102\|M\|artist=Periphery\|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/512483/products/1185365/1/\|title=Periphery – III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|publisher=oricn ME inc.\|accessdate=August 3, 2016}}
scope="row"\| New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2016-08-26\|title=NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=August 1, 2016\|access-date=July 29, 2016}} \| 3
{{Album chart\|Scotland\|45\|date=20160729\|rowheader=true\|access-date=November 18, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|43\|artist=Periphery\|album=III – Select Difficulty\|rowheader=true\|access-date=August 3, 2016}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|57\|date=20160729\|rowheader=true\|access-date=November 18, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|22\|artist=Periphery\|rowheader=true\|access-date=August 2, 2016}}

References

Category:Periphery (band) albums

Category:2016 albums

Category:Sumerian Records albums

Category:Century Media Records albums

Category:Roadrunner Records albums