People say I’m a sucker for wankery, and while I’ve attended a G3 concert and own a Transatlantic live DVD, even I have my limits. That’s why I love Carving Desert Canyons, the second album from young Texas punks, Scale the Summit. This band is really the type musicians love to hate. They’re younger than you, and you’ll never be as good at your instrument as they are, but they’ve managed to write an album that blends instrumental mastery with mature songwriting that any prog-geek will eat up.

Each song features epic riff upon epic riff, all slickly layered to create some powerful and emotional tunes. The sound is BIG, and the pure tones from guitarists Chris Letchford and Travis Levrier allow the songs to breathe and take on their own unique characteristics. One thing I found interesting, is that while newer prog and metalcore bands tend to stress speed and blast out notes at furious pace, Scale the Summit slows the pace, and lets the songs evolve naturally. The riffs climb and produce intense dynamics, while the solos are tasteful and are intermixed intelligently within each song’s theme. Sargasso Sea is a highlight, with an fiery intro and lead passage that could’ve been pulled from Death’s “Human“. The Great Plains is another awesome song, with a wide-open main passage leading into a tapping groove that is smooth . The album is full of signature moments and from the harmonic ending to Dunes, to the crunching riffery of City in the Sky. Every song seems to build with a subtle and effortless expertise that is impressive and inspiring.

You may not like instrumental music, and you may not like prog metal, but I think that Scale the Summit has really produced a masterpiece here. Definitely worth a listen and so far, one of my favorite releases of a young 2009.

Mark’s Rating:

King says: “Fie! So many riffs, even I’m impressed!”

Justin’s Review:

Remember the days when guitar magazines were chock full of full-page ads from Shrapnel Records… dedicated to the latest solo wank-fests from the likes of Marty Friedman, Richie Kotzen or Tony MacAlpine? Yeah, me neither. And I highly doubt Scale the Summit do, because they were probably reading Berenstain Bears books around that time.

Well… it seems that the Ghosts of Masturbatory Guitar Past (Satriani, Vai, & Petrucci) have visited these dudes somewhere along the way, because they certainly know their way around an Ionian scale. And you know what’s even more impressive? They actually know how to write songs. Holy shit… stop the press! You mean to tell me that someone who is extremely talented at guitar actually knows how to write a song? Yes, my friends, you heard it here first.

With Carving Desert Canyons, Scale the Summit have resurrected a genre I assumed was long gone… Instru-metal. And I have to say, not since Return to Metalopolis has an Instru-metal album been so enjoyable (Australasia excluded). As Mark so poignantly points out, Carving Desert Canyons is not only rifftasitic, but intelligent as well. The production is top-notch (if they would only ditch that “Canyon” snare sound) and it’s a perfect soundtrack for Springtime cruising with the windows down (I’m sure the chicks you keep driving past will totally dig it).

StS’s self-proclaimed “Adventure Metal” is certainly a fitting tag, and if you’re looking for something that’s both rocking and uplifting at the same time, then this one is a must-own. (Let’s just hope StS don’t have to get subjected to too many Dream Theater fans at the next year’s Prog Nation).

Justin’s Rating:

King says: “Hey Dudes… Um… are you guys by chance looking for a singer?”

Have A Listen:

Scale the Summit – Sargasso Sea:

Download audio file (Sargasso_Sea.mp3)