The two creative powerhouses shocked and astounded across North America.
Photos by Ekaterina Gorbacheva (@ekaterinagorbacheva.art) at
SOMA San Diego (Loathe) and House of Blues in Anaheim (Periphery):
In the contemporary world of endless tours and oversaturated media, a select percentage of acts stray from the horde and present unique bodies of work worth their weight in gold. Among these acts is the multi-faceted Loathe and Periphery, both of whom have excelled beyond measure in cementing a well-rounded musical persona worthy of its praise.
The two bands have just concluded a North American Tour run alongside metalcore legends Unearth and we were able to document several tour stops, including one at SOMA San Diego and one at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Both stops, like their predecessors, were nothing short of electric from beginning to end with each band building off of their latest releases, Periphery's being Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre (2023) and Loathe's being I Let It In And It Took Everything (2020) respectively.
Spearheaded by Kadeem France (Loathe) and Spencer Sotelo (Periphery), emotions ran high throughout both performances. Moments of vulnerability characterized by ethereal clean vocals transitioned into sheer aggression, matched by supporting instrumentation that ranged from highly technical guitar passages to Deftones-esque soul. Loathe swooned audiences amidst somber lights with back-to-back numbers Screaming and Is It Really You? while Periphery wore their three guitarists on stage, each ripping away with explosive leads and solos that both perplexed and uplifted.
I Let It In And It Took Everything (Heaviest of Art's #2 Album of 2020) and Periphery V are in heavy circulation worldwide, and rightfully so, for they stretch compositional boundaries in ways that signal a strong promise for the genre's direction. They're as wondrous in their live renditions with improvisational changes adding neat new elements to otherwise strong compositional offerings. Though the tour has now concluded, the purpose here is to commend each act for their expansive and forward-thinking artistry. Simply put, Loathe and Periphery are to remain on global listening lists. Whether it be in studio or on stage, every bit of heart goes invested and those engaged within its stand to benefit. The below photo galleries are but a glimpse of what was felt for consecutive evenings.
Loathe Photo Gallery (San Diego)
Periphery Photo Gallery (Anaheim)
