Periphery IV: Hail Stan
| Company type | Independent record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Owner | Periphery (band) |
Periphery IV: Hail Stan represents the sixth full-length album from the American progressive metal ensemble Periphery, officially released on April 5, 2019. This record is notable as their inaugural project following their exit from Sumerian Records in 2018, opting instead for an independent launch under their own imprint, 3DOT Recordings. It also marks the first album after bassist Adam "Nolly" Getgood left the band in 2017; despite his departure, he remained involved by producing, mixing, and performing the bass parts originally written by guitarist Misha Mansoor. The album incorporates live orchestral elements and choir arrangements crafted by longtime collaborator Randy Slaugh.
Release and promotion
The announcement for Periphery IV: Hail Stan came on February 6, 2019, coinciding with the debut of its lead single, "Blood Eagle," which was released alongside a music video. The follow-up single, "Garden in the Bones," was unveiled on March 1, 2019. Prior to its official release date, the album was streamed in full on Periphery's YouTube channel starting April 1, 2019. Among the tracks is the band's lengthiest composition to date, "Reptile," running 16 minutes and 44 seconds. Additionally, "Sentient Glow" is featured as a reimagined version of a Haunted Shores song, a side project involving Periphery guitarists Misha Mansoor and Mark Holcomb.
Critical reception
Critics widely praised the album upon release. Already Heard awarded it a 4 out of 5 score, emphasizing Periphery's skill in evolving their sound while preserving unity throughout the album. Damon Taylor from Dead Press! described it as a confident and richly layered record that rewards multiple listens.
Distorted Sound gave a flawless 10/10 rating, applauding the band's creative ambition and labeling the album nearly perfect—a pinnacle achievement within progressive metal. Lukas Wojcicki of Exclaim! rated it 8/10, highlighting its polished production and masterful execution that balances innovation with Periphery’s signature style.
With a perfect score of 10/10, Metal Injection humorously referenced the album’s subtitle while affirming its exceptional quality. Similarly, New Noise granted a full score, noting that the band’s willingness to experiment combined with engaging performances makes this their strongest release to date.
PopMatters commended the album for retaining Periphery’s core strengths while introducing fresh elements, deeming it an outstanding accomplishment likely to appear prominently in year-end rankings. Loudwire recognized it as one of the top 50 metal albums released in 2019.
Track listing
Notes
- The track "Chvrch Bvrner" is presented entirely in uppercase letters.
Personnel
- Periphery
- Spencer Sotelo – lead vocals, supplementary mixing and engineering
- Misha "Bulb" Mansoor – guitars, programming, orchestration, production duties, additional mixing and engineering
- Jake Bowen – guitar, programming, cover artwork contributions
- Mark Holcomb – guitars
- Matt Halpern – drums
- Additional personnel
- Adam "Nolly" Getgood – bass guitar performance, engineering, production, mixing
- Ermin "Red Pill" Hamidovic – mastering engineer
- Ernie Slenkovich – additional engineering support
- Joe Hamilton (Prism Recordings) – extra editing work
- Mikee Goodman – guest vocals on "Reptile"
- Randy Slaugh – live orchestration creation, choir production, arrangement and conducting
- Mitch Davis, Ken Amacher, Randy Slaugh, Austin Bentley – engineering and editing assistance
- Choir members: Enoch Campbell, Clayton Wieben, Diana Shull, Andres Cardenas, Jordan Jensen, Bryant Wilson, Connor Law, Rocky Schofield, Austin Bentley, Kemarie Whiting, Miriam Housley, Matt Jensen, Sebastien Ruesch, Sarah Farr, Ryan Whitehead, Joseph Facer, John Yelland, Wesley Monahan, Hailey Arnold, Alyssa Lemmon Chapman, Eric Slaugh, Mac Christensen, Samson Winzer, Chad Chen
- Cymrie Van Drew – violin
- Emily Rust – violin
- Caryn Bradley – viola
- Chris Morgan – cello
- Steven Park – French horn
- Chris Kutsor – cover art and layout design
Charts
Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart| Chart (2019) | Highest rank |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 21 |
| French Albums (SNEP) | 147 |