### Scale The Summit: The migration

#### 14/10/13 || Cobal

These Texans caught my attention last year when I came across “The Collective”, their 2011 and 3rd release. After listening and reviewing such an original and creative work, I decided to keep an eye on their work in the future. In 2013, they release “The migration” and I really felt I needed to write a follow up on their work. In fact, I consider this is a must in the world of ongoing progressive metal.

Pretty much, everything I wrote about their previous record is valid for this one too, except I feel “The Migration” is generally heavier and definitely more diverse in terms of songwriting. The switch from genuine metal pieces to sweet slow tracks to jazzy dynamic ones is constant. If anything, that works for the listener to keep on paying all their attention to the music. This is one of those records that you have to listen to without distracters, or otherwise you’ll be missing a lot.

With regard to songwriting — and that’s an improvement in comparison with its older brother, I consider the way themes are used is great. Unlike other works in which virtuosity goes against the construction of solid ideas, one can really dig into the licks and solos here. Of course, as most of them are pretty complex, I discovered that after listening to them quite a few times. You could say some of the most dynamic parts are an acquired taste to me as they get to be a bit baffling here and there. There’s huge bragging of great musicianship, but that doesn’t prevent the songs from working as that: SONGS.

And speaking of the devil, I’d like to recommend a couple of those ones. It’s not like there are really bad tracks, but naturally, I feel more attracted to some that the others. “Narrow Silence” with its dynamic opening guitar-bass lick is frankly explosive and although not being particularly noisy or loud — au contraire, its groove is nothing but nod-provoking. On the other hand, the naive opening of the last track, “The Traveler” along the smooth way it unfolds into a tapping licks lesson fascinated me. As I said before, that without serving the music itself.

As previously stated, it wasn’t that easy to me to get to fully dig or understand this album at first. It wasn’t love at first sight, that’s for sure. So much complexity together is sometimes just too much. Maybe it’s just me losing my capability of concentration, but I do really wish this —and most — album were shorter. On the other hand, and while not band, I also wish the drumming were a bit more discrete. It’s too jazzy for my taste and after so much showing of coming from the strings, one needs a firmer metal base. I’m sorry, but that’s how I feel.

Judge by yourselves. Me, I’m gonna keep on hating the clumsy hooves Baphomet cursed me with while watching how people who can play do their thing. Cheers.

- Information
- Released: 2013
- Label: Prosthetic Records
- Website: www.scalethesummit.com
- Band
- Chris Letchford: guitars
- Travis Levrier: guitars
- Mark Michell: bass
- Pat Skeffington: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Odyssey
- 02. Atlas Novus
- 03. The Olive Tree
- 04. Narrow Salient
- 05. Oracle
- 06. Evergreen
- 07. The Dark Horse
- 08. Willow
- 09. Sabrosa
- 10. The Traveler