### Scale The Summit: The collective

#### 09/10/12 || Cobal

Scale the Summit is Texan progressive metal with no lyrics and The collective, their last work, was released in March last year. Part of the reputation they’ve earned during their two years lasting career is apparently due to main guitar player Chris Letchford, who has received some attention by the press. As usual, I came across this by chance, and you could say I’m somewhat a lucky guy.

The collective is a pretty interesting album. To tell you the truth, it makes fun and even relaxing listening, and even though relax ain’t something one looks for when listening to something labelled as metal, let’s face it: nobody is in the mood for wicked velocity, rawness and brutality all the freaken time. So I’d say this is some sort of metalized jazzy progressive rock that allows the listener not to feel like burning churches for once.

Now, one of the first things that were evident to me when checking this refined beast out was these young musicians (it’s claimed their ages range around 22) did study music. The same as you most likely are, I’m sick of mediocre bands using adjectives such as “experimental”, “progressive”, “technical” or even “avant-garde” without the slightest scruple and even worse, being fully aware of their limitations. Luckily for us all, this is not the case.

In opposition to what one could think about an instrumental band with a recognised guitar player leading it, the song writing here is exquisitely balanced in terms of the role each instrument plays. All guitars, bass and drums do have their moments and they are never too long, so that I didn’t ever get bored. Au contraire, being taken by these fine compositions in a musical trip that flows from technical metal to smooth jazzy parts is such an experience.

Also, they way every line is weaved to one another is remarkable. Complex rhythmical patterns, fully accomplished counterpoints, delightful guitar solos, syncopated drums, etc. are all resources working for the music and not all the way around as it often happens to gifted musicians who haven’t brought their shit together yet.

Now yes, there are a few cons here, nonetheless they might not even be negative features if this weren’t a metal site. For example, all songs seem to follow some sort of light path that conveys a kind of hope feeling or something. Optimism is a feeling no metalhead wants in his music, if you know what I mean, and Scale The Summit seem to be lil’bit too happy judging by their work.

All in all, this is a fine work. It will only work for you if you’ve got the taste, though. As for me, this is something that has already made it to my personal collection and that I’ll gladly listen to whenever in the mood for some peaceful but rocking time. By the by, I found out these guys have put out a couple tab books for both guitars and bass, and I’m thinking of giving them a shot. Cheers.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Prosthetic Records
- Website: www.scalethesummit.com
- Band
- Chris Letchford: guitars
- Travis Levrie: guitars
- Mark Michell: bass
- Pat Skeffington: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Colossal
- 02. Whales
- 03. Emersion
- 04. The Levitated
- 05. Secret Earth
- 06. Gallows
- 07. Origin Of Species
- 08. Alpenglow
- 09. Black Hills
- 10. Balkan
- 11. Drifting Figures