Periphery
Juggernaut

No catchy phrases this time: Juggernaut, split into two albums called Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega, represents for me, one of the many peaks (and perhaps the true masterpiece) of the American band, eagerly awaited for a full 3 years after the release of the other masterpiece PII and which, however, divided public and critics.

What is different about this album compared to others by the same group?

First point: it is a concept album.

Juggernaut develops a complex and intricate story that has nothing to envy of the much-acclaimed Metropolis pt. 2, Tommy, and more, a detail that denotes a courage and a desire to experiment that almost no other Djent band possessed at the time.

Second point: CINEMA!

What does it have to do, you might say? Nothing, except that the album is developed in a cinematic manner, with various interludes, instrumental intersections, and indeed, cinematic atmospheres, making the experience impossible to enjoy unless as a cohesive and unified whole.

Technically superb, from the point of songwriting and execution, we can say that the album contains a plethora of tracks that have now become classics within their repertoire: The Scourge, Stranger Things, Priestess, Heavy Heart, Omega, Alpha, even the super catchy The Bad Thing and 22 Faces are tracks that remain in my annals, as they are a perfect balance of melody, superlative technique, top-notch vocal performance, and in general, powerful inspiration.

It may also be the "homemade" but nothing short of excellent production that gives the album's nuances a crystal-clear power, it's really hard to completely discard this album, as many have done, perhaps leaning on those 3/4 fillers present in the double album (such as Hell Below, Graveless, Four Lights, tracks indeed underwhelming compared to the rest) and in general to the "experimental" vibe that the whole work possesses, very distant from the immediacy of the subsequent album (PIII) and the two previous ones (PI and PII).

It would surely have worked better as a single album, but it is nonetheless impossible to deny that listening to this CD one can sense an air of courage and boldness in wanting to surpass themselves and their limits, even facing harsh criticism, which denotes a rather important audacity and which, in my opinion, results in something extremely positive.

Add a star if, like me, you are a fan of the best modern, changing, and melodic sounds.