Periphery say whether or not fans like their new music is “irrelevant.”
The progressive metal outfit, who released Periphery III: Select Difficulty last week, say they write music because they enjoy the collective creative process – and it doesn’t matter whether other people like it or not.
In their documentary Remain Indoors: The Making Of Select Difficulty, singer Spencer Sotelo says: “I’ve never been cool with writing art with the mindset of pleasing someone else. That’s not true art.
“It comes from your heart and soul and I think that’s why people are drawn to it – it comes from within. You’re not writing because you want to do something for somebody else. This record is for us – if people dig it, that’s just the icing on the cake.”
Guitarist Misha Mansoor adds: “I know this will come off as cold and I know that people have misinterpreted what I’m about to say, but I’m not really thinking about the fans. I don’t think about what people want and I know no one else in the band is.
“I know the things that make us happy and it’s the process of creating those moments where those sparks of an idea you have comes together. so you’re like, ‘Wow, that is just what i was expecting - or even cooler.’ Those are the things we care about.
“I hope some people love it, but it’s kind of irrelevant.”
Guitarist Mark Holcomb echoes his bandmates’ views – and even says Periphery are successful because of their self-centred songwriting process.
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He adds: “As much as we love our fans, once you start to toe that line of writing for your fans, that’s when you run the risk of coming across disingenuous or contrived in your material.”
Last month Sotelo said he preferred their relaxed songwriting style for Select Difficulty, as it let their ideas flow easier than in the sessions for their 2015 double-album, Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega.
Periphery will commence their US tour with Sikth, Chon and Toothgrinder on the Sonic Unrest Tour this week.
Periphery tour dates 2016
Aug 04: Raleigh Lincoln Theatre, NC
Aug 05: Atlanta Masquerade, GA
Aug 06: Memphis New Daisy Theater, TN
Aug 07: Dallas House of Blues, TX
Aug 08: San Antonio Alamo City Music Hall, TX
Aug 09: Houston House of Blues, TX
Aug 11: Phoenix The Press Room, AZ
Aug 12: San Diego House of Blues, CA
Aug 13: Los Angeles The Regent, CA
Aug 14: San Francisco The Fillmore, CA
Aug 16: Portland Hawthorne Theater, OR
Aug 17: Seattle The Showbox, WA
Aug 19: Salt Lake City The Complex, UT
Aug 20: Denver Summit Music Hall, CO
Aug 22: Minneapolis Varsity Theater, MN
Aug 24: Milwaukee Turner Hall Ballroom, WI
Aug 25: Grand Rapids Intersection, MI
Aug 26: Detroit St Andrew’s Hall, MI
Aug 27: Pittsburgh Mr Small’s Theatre, PA
Aug 28: Philadelphia Theatre of the Living Arts, PA
Aug 30: Boston Paradise, MA
Aug 31: New York Irving Plaza, NY
Sep 01: Baltimore Baltimore Sound Stage, MD
