Scale The Summit - The Collective review
| Band: | Scale The Summit |
| Album: | The Collective |
| Style: | Instrumental, Progressive metal |
| Release date: | March 01, 2011 |
| A review by: | Ag Fox |
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
Instrumental Progressive Metal is one of the sub-sub-genres that's restricted to a small niche only, largely because for most bands they place a lot of emphasis on musicianship while the song writing is seldom ground breaking. Most of the time, it just sounds like some lengthy jam session with plenty of technicality and that's about it. Obviously, there's no vocals which makes the music lacking in the timbre department. Scale The Summit also play instrumental prog, but their latest album The Collective certainly differentiates them from the average instrumental wankery bands.
A brief scan of the album title and tracklist certainly screams "pretentious stuff", but as long as you have a rather imaginative mind and are the type that can appreciate the wonders of nature, this album might just appeal to you, whether you are into this niche (sub-sub-) genre or not. One does not have to be extremely artistic, but as I took note of the song title, I would just let the music carry my mind away, wherever it leads to. All this must sounds rather ambiguous at this point, so I'll try and elaborate. When listening to "Colossal", my mind shifts with the music, from the more mighty volcanic eruptions, to the relative calm of the ocean, then somehow I find myself staring at the infinities of the skies. On the other hand, "Whales" invokes memories of a heatrun from start to beginning with the initial calm, jockeying of positions, the buildup to the grand finale and the aftermath has somehow been captured within the music.
I am certain that everyone would see it differently, and some would even think I've been smoking too much, but if you are willing to stretch your creativity a bit and "see" the music with your mind's eye, it might invoke the similar feeling of awe in you just like when you see a fast forward version of the earth morphing with the four seasons or even the gathering of random molecules that lead to the formation of life itself.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 22.04.2011 by Ag Fox loves listening to music but is far from being a prolific writer. This corner just shows how territorial he is. |
Comments
Comments: 15
Visited by: 196 users
| K✞ulu Seeker of Truth Posts: 2573  |
So... if you recommend this, I would like to listen to this album. It is instrumental, and I might quite possibly like it. Also I shouldn't forget to see the music my mind's eye. Good job with the reivew. Thanks!
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774  |
Written by K✞ulu on 22.04.2011 at 22:15 I'm glad it made you motivated enough to check out the music 
---- loves 小巫
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| MeloDeathViking Posts: 516  |
I keep meaning to check out this album and haven't done it yet. Hell, I'm the one that added them to the suggestions list for this site, I should have been all over this album haha.
---- "I am not superstitious, but I'm a little 'stitious." - Michael Scott
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774 |
Written by MeloDeathViking on 23.04.2011 at 05:53 yes... it was you who recommended them to me in the first place o.o
---- loves 小巫
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
I like instrumental albums. I'm curious about this one as well although I never listened to a full album from these guys. Maybe now it's the time.
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| MeloDeathViking Posts: 516 |
Written by BloodTears on 23.04.2011 at 10:07 I really enjoyed their last album Carving Desert Canyons, I would also suggest that one. It's pretty diverese for being instrumental. I can't compare it to the new one yet tho.
---- "I am not superstitious, but I'm a little 'stitious." - Michael Scott
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| Dream Taster The Enemy Within Staff Posts: 1337  |
I saw those guys live a year ago, definitely great progressive metal with an edge.
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835 |
Written by MeloDeathViking on 23.04.2011 at 20:30 I will give it a try definitely. Thanks for your suggestion. Why can't you compare it though?
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774 |
Written by BloodTears on 24.04.2011 at 23:24 because he has yet to listen to the new one lol Written by [user id=113163] on 25.04.2011 at 01:06 forming into one is not necessarily a bad thing. it is called the collective after all.
---- loves 小巫
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| MeloDeathViking Posts: 516 |
Written by BloodTears on 24.04.2011 at 23:24 Because I haven't heard the new one yet (shame on me haha). It's at the top of my to do list tho.
---- "I am not superstitious, but I'm a little 'stitious." - Michael Scott
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| MeloDeathViking Posts: 516 |
Written by BloodTears on 24.04.2011 at 23:24 So after a few listens, my initial impression is I'm a disappointed. Just not as good as Carving Desert Canyons. A lot less diversity between songs, I feel like it all kinda runs together, and not in a good way. The only real stand out track to me so far is Gallows. The songs seem a lot more repetitive than on CDC. I still enjoyed the album, but it was definitely not what I was hoping for. I could listen to CDC multiple times in a row and not get bored, the same can not be said for The Collective sadly.
---- "I am not superstitious, but I'm a little 'stitious." - Michael Scott
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835 |
So, now I have had a few more time to listen to this one. I really like it, maybe it pales in comparison with some of their previous work, but since I have no knowledge of any of their other records, I'm pleased with this one as an independent force. It's just a good instrumental album, you know. I also see myself fleeting with the motion of the music and I like those sensations.
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774 |
Written by BloodTears on 06.06.2011 at 20:48 Glad you enjoyed it!
---- loves 小巫
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| Panterica Posts: 341  |
Good album indeed, but I have to agree that the songs might sound too similar.
---- Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
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