 | Tracklist:
1. "Colossal" 3:48
2. "Whales" 6:28
3. "Emersion" 2:33
4. "The Levitated" 3:02
5. "Secret Earth" 3:38
6. "Gallows" 4:33
7. "Origin of Species" 2:45
8. "Alpenglow" 3:58
9. "Black Hills" 7:59
10. "Balkan" 3:44
11. "Drifting Figures" 3:10
| Ranking: #18 for 2011 | |
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On 200 Lists
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| Summary: Scale the Summit continue carving out their niche in the instrumental metal world, creating an album bursting with creativity and poise. |
4 of 4 thought this review was well written
You’ve got to hand it to the guys behind Scale the Summit. For a few years now, they’ve been ahead of their instrumental metal brethren, ameliorating the tried and true formula and creating some of the most intriguing and tasteful music in the genre. Add The Collective to their already impressive resume, for Scale the Summit once again impress, this time with the best material of their careers.
The Collective plays a lot like its 2009 predecessor, Carving Desert Canyons--well, almost to a tee actually. Relying on the same basic song structures and same bag of tricks, not much has changed on The Collective. However, more so than ever, Scale the Summit seem intimate, with the music and technical wankery actually feeling more purposeful than ever. Sure arpeggios are doled out in spades, but everything feels so much more necessary. Where Carving Desert Canyons was the band’s frenzied exploration into tech-metal, this album feels like a thoughtful dissertation, and one which ultimately displays their talents far better than anything else before it.
As before, Scale the Summit play a streamlined style of instrumental metal. Not to be confused with post-metal, The Collective zips along without stopping for any frivolous builds or climaxes. It’s in the same vein as their previous two releases, but with more emphasis on subtleties. Songs like “Black Hills” and “The Levitated” ebb and flow beautiful, slowing down the pace and taking the intensity way down. It’s effective, and does quite a bit to break up the monotony that was found on their Monument. Yet don’t mistake this for Scale the Summit going soft. Lush, sporadic, and heavy tracks like “Colossal” and “Whales” still permeate, and offer some of the most impressive pieces and the entire record. The quartet haven’t lost the ability to astound, with the guitar virtuosos featuring some of their best material here. A lot of this can be attributed to the phenomenal production as well, with every instrument audible, and everything meshing perfectly.
The Collective is the band’s longest album by far, clocking in at about fifty-two minutes. The curt, digestible nature of Scale the Summit has always been a draw, as trimming the fat has made everything they’ve done feel much more filling and relevant. Their third release suffers a bit because of it, with the album feeling bloated and overlong. However, it‘s tough to really see this as a deal breaker, because literally every track is worth a listen. Scale the Summit have really hit one out of the park with The Collective; an album that by all rights should make them a household name.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 3.5
Album's coooool.
Digging: Suis La Lune - Riala | | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Pos'd. I love how you describe the tastefulness of their technicality as "necessary." The Best Buy by my work better have this today cuz I'm going out to pick it up.
| | | Album Rating: 4
gonna see them next wednesday with Periphery, Caslantic, and Fair To Midland
Digging: In Mourning - The Weight of Oceans Digging: In Mourning - The Weight of Oceans | | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I knew it would be good, but not THIS good.
Digging: Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight Digging: Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards The Daylight | | |
Good review like usual! For some reason I've never listened to these guys.
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Xeno, if you'd bundle all your reviews together into a book would probably be my favourite book ever. Next to the Satanic bible of course.
Digging: Walknut - Graveforests And Their Shadows Digging: Walknut - Graveforests And Their Shadows
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I have it, yet to listen.
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
i quite liked this album
Digging: Marina and The Diamonds - Electra Heart | | | Album Rating: 4
good review Xeno, I'll give this a try
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned | | |
I liked this.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Stupid Best Buy doesn't have this yet. FOILED!!!
| | | Album Rating: 3
Eh.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I really like this. It's weird however, because even though I feel like this is their best album, I think that "Carving" was more memorable. But there are a few songs on this that are just......wow. Black Hills and Gallows are epic
Digging: Hard Jams Inc. - Mars Volta False Prog Digging: Hard Jams Inc. - Mars Volta False Prog | | |
Never heard of these guys before, but the review was quite good!
Pos'd
Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire Digging: Lemuria (BE) - Tales, Ale, and Fire
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"ebb and flow beautiful"
think you wanted "beautifully"
Other than that, another fantastic review. Nicely done Xeno
Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled
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"Songs like “Black Hills” and “The Levitated” ebb and flow beautiful,"
change to 'beautifully'
good review. thinkin about picking this up
Digging: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
album is fucking flawless. great review xeno, have a pos. whales is just... wow.
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I bet this is as mediocre as CDC. Skip.
Digging: Animal Collective - Honeycomb/Gotham
| | | Album Rating: 4 | Sound Off
You'd lose that bet
| | | Album Rating: 5 | Sound Off
You'd lose that bet [185483]
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