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SCALE THE SUMMIT ARE THE COLLECTIVE TO WATCH IN 2011

 Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 1:30pm by

Are we suffering from an embarrassment of riches or what? New Devin, new BTBAM, new Protest the Hero, new Meshuggah, new Obscura… Mastodon are writing, Opeth and Dream Theater are already recording… surely there’s never been a better year to be a prog metal nerd than 2011. And it just keeps getting better; SMN News is reporting that Scale the Summit have set a March 1st release date for their new album The Collective.

For the uninitiated, Scale the Summit are an extremely talented young instrumental band from Colorado. Their Prosthetic debut Carving Desert Canyons ranked as #11 on my 2009 year-end list. They rocked our faces off when they opened for BTBAM, Cynic and Devin Townsend last year (that they were invited on such a tour should give you an idea of their pedigree), and did so tagain when they played our 2010 SXSW showcase. Most importantly, they’re insanely talented and original. In an era when “instrumental” usually means “djent” in the metal scene, Scale the Summit are far from it. But enough waxing ecstatic; listen in for yourself to some of the tunes from their last album.

Can I get an “amen”?

-VN

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  • Different Drummer

    I’m pretty sure these guys are from Houston, TX, not Colorado. Easy mistake though (if I’m right) as there aren’t any scales to summit or canyons to carve in Houston.

    • http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/ Alkahest

      They’re definitely from Texas.

  • Matt

    I traded going to see Devin/Cynic/BTBAM/STS to attend the Stewart/Colbert rally. I have been kicking myself every since.

    • Random

      How? They were months apart… The Dev/Cynic/Btbam/STS show was jan last year, Colbert/Stewart was in the fall…

  • Driven9

    a-fucking-men!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Austin-Wells/100000827221296 Austin Wells

      Amen to that a-fucking-men!

  • Jeremy

    http://scalethesummit.com/band.html

    Yep, definitely from Houston. Their band bio does say two of the guys moved from LA to Houston in 2006 but where Colorado came from I don’t know. The mountains on their album cover look a lot more like something you’d find in West TX or New Mexico than Colorado.

    • john

      The mountains on the cover are called The Wave, and it’s in Colorado. Maybe that’s where the idea came from?

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave,_Arizona

      • Jake

        Arge. No. The Wave is in Arizona, and it’s a formation.

        • john

          Right. It’s ON the Colorado Plateau IN Arizona NEAR Utah.

          I need to read more comprehensively next time…

          • Jake

            On the Colorado Plateau, in Coyote Buttes, in Arizona. :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alejandro-Aldana/683878171 Alejandro Aldana

    they fucking rule. i hope to see them at santos party house this spring.

  • troe

    I saw these guys a couple years (maybe a year, don’t remember) ago as the opening act for Prog Nation. They are quite skilled and technical indeed, but they just didn’t really have enough “feel” for me. But that could’ve just been the couple songs they had played. As far as instrumental metal goes, I’d take Dysrhythmia any day.

    However! With these guys along with the previously mentioned releasing albums soon, one hell of a show is sure to be put on.

  • Peteshusler

    It doesn’t matter that they’re definitely from texas, quit looking for something to pick at. Oh, shit! They’re from Texas, and not Colorado? I’m definitely never going to listen to this now.

  • http://touch.facebook.com/index.php?eu=gFPxcZD3UbrNwmam7VXhpA Peteshusler

    They’re definitely not from Australia. Haha kiddin’ my fellow metal nerds. We can all be friends:)
    It’s just silly when you are looking for something to pick out in an article. I know we gets bored, but that’s no reason to be silly little guys….

  • Jake

    This is bugging the shit out of me. The cover for Carving Desert Canyons isn’t a canyon at all. It’s a formation called The Wave. It’s really fucking cool, but it isn’t a canyon.

  • hackman

    fucking love these guys. talked to the guitar players for a sec on the btbam/devin/cynic tour and they couldn’t have been more humble and down to earth. 2011 is gonna make up for 2010 for sure

  • Ryd1ZZ

    Just picked up the pre-order package yesterday. Can’t wait to hear thew new tunes.

  • Igottawocket

    Don’t forget new Baroness. I’m jumping up and down like a little school girl.

    And Dropkick Murphys, but I wouldn’t expect too many on this site to care…

  • ACoffinShip

    Fucking love these guys. I saw them on tour with Devin Townsend, Cynic, and Between the Buried and Me. Amazingly epic show.

  • Braden

    Awesome band. Amazing sound. Stoked for their new release.