SCALE THE SUMMIT – Carving Desert Canyons

Scale the Summit is a band that plays nothing but instrumental Metal. With an average age of 22, these guys might just have plenty of Metal ahead of them. Don’t let their youthful nature fool you; these guys sound as though they’ve got 20 years of experience under their belts. They lean towards the technical side of the scale and could also be thought of as Progressive. Their first album, Monument, was self-released back in ’07. It met with significant applause and cries for more of the same. Wisely, Prosthetic Records picked them up and gave them a deal. With that deal comes Carving Desert Canyons.

The album kicks off with “Bloom.” It’s heavy and technical, as is virtually every other song on the album. Scale the Summit shows no shortage of skill where playing goes. Every member of the band is deserving of praise because their musical aptitude is exemplary. Furthermore, the band’s sound is crisp and clear. Everything comes off sounding professionally done.

The problems with Carving Desert Canyons come about because of consistency. Even after repeated spins, there’s very little that distinguishes one track from the next. It’s admirable when a band stakes a claim to their own specific sound and does what they can to hone that sound, but in this instance, there simply isn’t much in the way of variety. Time and again, the pace on this one feels the same. There is one exception – “The Great Plains.” On this song, the band actually shows that they’re capable, if only for a few minutes, of shedding their overly technical side. About a minute and a half in, “Plains” evolves into some highly soothing guitar playing that is firmly backed by the other musicians. Two minutes later, however, things return to more of the aforementioned, seemingly mechanized, playing. It’s probably not a good sign when you can interchange the titles of every song on an album and still end up getting the same feel from them. Sadly, that’s exactly what you can do with this one.

Dream Theater and Fates Warning are some of the many bands known for technical meandering. If that’s your thing, this is precisely the album for you. There’s no end of twisty and tight turnings with Carving Desert Canyons. Musical precision is the forte for the boys in this band and they deserve recognition for their skill. For those looking for something a little more traditional, steer clear, as this one can be a bit difficult to stomach, even after it’s been in your player for a while.