Periphery’s A Pale White Dot tour made it’s way through the Ramova Theater the night before Halloween with a lineup that brought four very different sounds under one roof. With Ando San and Grayhaven kicking things off, followed by Australia’s Ne Obliviscaris, the night eventually led to the progressive metal heavyweights Periphery taking the stage as the headliner — four bands, four different approaches to heavy music, and a lineup that made for an interesting night from start to finish.
Periphery has grown to be one of the bigger household names in progressive djent metal outside of just their stomping grounds in Maryland, thanks to their long history of heavy metal breakdowns, intricate multi guitar work, shifting time signatures, and very melodic choruses. The band has spent just over 20 years developing a sound that has helped shape the modern progressive metal scene. This time around, promoting their 2026 album release A Pale White Dot, which fans are calling one of Periphery’s best albums front to back.
Ne Obliviscaris (pronounced nay-ob-li-vis-KAR-is) puts on the type of show you’d imagine hearing while preparing to battle something mythical. They are a masterclass in extreme metal, with such a symphonic approach to their sound that you almost feel like you’re about to walk into war carrying a four foot sword.
Their music shared some similarities with Periphery, particularly in the intricate guitar work with composition that goes up and down. The difference is that Ne Obliviscaris brings a much more extreme and symphonic approach, incorporating violin, classical influences, and a combination of clean and harsh vocals with dual frontmen with beautiful hair. Their songs are everything but short, often stretching well beyond the typical song length and taking listeners through multiple different directions before reaching their conclusion. Theres a lot to take in, but thats part of what makes this band fun to watch.
Greyhaven was the second band of the night, and they brought a more traditional live band energy to the lineup, coming out with live amps and cabs, and PLENTY of attitude. Their sound falls somewhere in the metalcore and hardcore world with a style that’s a little less polished and a lot more unpredictable. It’s a very specific corner of heavy music, but for the people who gravitate toward it, there’s a lot to love.
Ando San wasn’t necessarily what you expected walking into the night without having knowing who was on the bill, but that’s exactly what made them such an interesting opener. Rather than relying on walls of distorted drums and guitars, they introduced a fresh pallet of rapid fire vocals, with impressive musicianship and an aesthetic that was impossible to overlook. This show specifically was worth while, with Ando San celebrating signing with Sumerian Records and it being a hometown show for the band’s guitar player.
With four very different sounding bands bringing something different to the stage, The Pale White Dot tour made for an interesting mix of sounds throughout the night. Each act brought its own identity to the lineup, and by the time the night came to an end, it was time for Periphery to take the stage and bring things home. This tour is almost half over, and it has a little something for everybody… even non-musicians.
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