I gotta be honest: I cannot for the life of me keep track of who the crap was in Periphery or Haunted Shores when. Misha Mansoor was definitely involved with Haunted Shores at some point, but I assume that involvement ceased before former Periphery vocalist Chris Baretto joined… although I don’t think that Baretto a part of that band now, though I could be wrong… and then I guess at some point current Periphery vocalist  Spencer Sotelo also did a track with Haunted Shores… and we just got a press release telling us that HS guitarist Mark Holcomb (above, with Mansoor) has joined Periphery full-time after filling in with them on their last few tours after other other guitarist Alex Bois parted ways with the band back in July, and… maybe now Bois can join Haunted Shores? And I just went cross-eyed typing all that shit. Seriously, it’s easier keeping up with who is what version of L.A. Guns than it is with who was in what version of each of these bands at what time.

I’m sure someone will try to explain it to me in the comments section, but don’t bother. The important thing is, like I said, Holcomb is the new permanent guitarist in Periphery. Or, uh, that is, he will be, following the band’s upcoming European tour with Dream Theater, because a dude named Nolly from Red Seas Fire was already slated to be on that tour. But after that! Holcomb all the way!

In all seriousness, I saw Holcomb play with the band just a few weeks ago, and he was great. So if any Periphery fans were worried about who Bois’ replacement was gonna be, they can now breathe a sigh of relief.

-AR

Last month Periphery replaced singer Chris Baretto with new guy Spencer Sotelo while Periphery-soundalikes Haunted Shores took on Baretto to fill their vacant singer slot. While Haunted Shores countered almost immediately with a new Baretto-sung track, Periphery had yet to show off Sotelo’s pipes… until now.

Periphery just posted a new version of their song “Light” featuring Sotelo’s vocals; the song had previously been available with Baretto. There’s also an album teaser featuring clips from various songs with Sotelo’s vocals on them. I don’t have Baretto’s version of “Light” on hand anywhere to cross-reference, but from memory I’d have to say that the new guy sounds a helluva lot like the old guy; he sounds damn good. But the ultimate test will be in the live setting — can Sotelo nail these notes on stage, and can he match Baretto’s energy? The last we’d want is a Scar Symmetry-like fiasco to unfold. I guess we’ll find out when Periphery open for Fear Factory on an otherwise yawn-worthy bill this Spring.

-VN

Thanks to Kris Flynn for the tip. Photo credit: David J. Reigada

Shockwaves Ripples emanated throughout the metal blogosphere last month when Sumerian young guns Periphery announced that vocalist Chris Baretto had been replaced by Spencer Sotelo. It seemed like Periphery were just getting into the groove with Baretto having been singerless for so many years, on the heels of successful Summer Slaughter and East Coast headline runs, and with their Sumerian Records debut slated for release this Spring. And not for nothin’, Baretto is a talented singer and an enthralling frontman capable of energizing any audience…. the move was a bit of a head-scratcher.

But fear not, Chris Baretto fans. Haunted Shores, an instru-metal band we featured here this past October, have tapped Baretto to fill their vacant vocalist spot.

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We’ve been hearing rumors that things weren’t working out between Periphery and their vocalist, Chris Baretto; well, now those rumors are confirmed, as Baretto has been replaced by Spencer Sotelo:

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