[MUSIC REVIEW] Scale the Summit – The Collective
SCALE THE SUMMIT
The Collective
[Prosthetic Records]
Verdict: 8.5/10
RIYL: Instrumental progressive metal
Instrumental music is always a hard sell, especially in the metal genre. One of the key selling points to heavy music is the energy and power that exudes from a vocalist, and rarely do instrumental bands find a way to have a voice without a singer. California’s SCALE THE SUMMIT likes to say that their “strings are our voices”, and that is a very accurate statement as to the success of the band. While the band is highly skilled, the music almost never reaches ANIMALS AS LEADERS-levels of wankery. Instead, the band weaves sonic pieces together to create a landscape of sound. The Collective was originally released back in March, but is now being re-released in vinyl featuring a new track, “Redwoods”, which fits perfectly in the mix. The success of the album rests on how the band is able to build energy through their instruments. The bass is high in the mix, and is often seen moving up and down the fret board with buoyancy. Drummer Pat Skeffington is ferocious on drums, but his ability to limit the moments of mayhem helps keep the band in check. Of course the dual-guitars steal the show. Most often there is a riff part that plays over an interesting lead, but the band mixes it up often. The only major complaint is the slow parts of certain songs can get a bit like elevator music, but trust me when I say that I would be happy to hear any part of this album on an elevator. The lack of a vocalist will turn off many, but instrumental metal group SCALE THE SUMMIT has produced a gem in the progressive metal field. – by Nicholas Senior
>> Recommended Listening: “Whales” and “Gallows”
>> Production Notes: Produced by Mark Lewis (Devildriver, The Black Dahlia Murder) at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida
>> Release Date: January 25th, 2012
>> In Conclusion: SCALE THE SUMMIT is still trying to reach the peak of their genre, and with releases like this, they are getting really close to the top of the genre.
