Scale the Summit
Encyclopedia
Scale the Summit is an American instrumental
metal
band based out of Houston, Texas
. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records
.
The band draws influences from other progressive acts such as Cynic
and Dream Theater
. However, unlike most other progressive metal bands, they have no vocalist and play instrumental
music. The band gained notoriety as part of the Progressive Nation 2009
tour with Dream Theater
, Zappa Plays Zappa
and Bigelf
. In 2010, they toured North America in support of Between the Buried and Me
, along with Cynic
, and Devin Townsend Project. In 2011, they toured with Periphery
and Fair to Midland
.
. They slowly started to gain attention from magazines such as Kerrang, Rock Sound and Amp. A couple years later in 2009 they signed with Prosthetic Records
and began working on their second album, Carving Desert Canyons
. The release of the second album was extremely successful, earning the band a spot on the 2008 Progressive Nation Tour with Dream Theater. After a couple more years of touring, the band settled in again in late 2010 to record their most recent album, The Collective
.
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band based out of Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
.
The band draws influences from other progressive acts such as Cynic
Cynic (band)
Cynic is an American progressive rock band, incorporating experimental music, alternative, metal and jazz fusion elements, founded in Miami, Florida and currently based in Los Angeles, California. Their first album, Focus, released on September 14, 1993, is widely regarded as a landmark release of...
and Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
. However, unlike most other progressive metal bands, they have no vocalist and play instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
music. The band gained notoriety as part of the Progressive Nation 2009
Progressive Nation 2009
Progressive Nation 2009 was a North American and European tour headlined by the progressive metal band Dream Theater. The tour's concept was created by the drummer Mike Portnoy. The first leg of the tour began on July 24, 2009 in Miami and ended on August 29, 2009 in Los Angeles...
tour with Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
and Bigelf
Bigelf
Bigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
. In 2010, they toured North America in support of Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...
, along with Cynic
Cynic (band)
Cynic is an American progressive rock band, incorporating experimental music, alternative, metal and jazz fusion elements, founded in Miami, Florida and currently based in Los Angeles, California. Their first album, Focus, released on September 14, 1993, is widely regarded as a landmark release of...
, and Devin Townsend Project. In 2011, they toured with Periphery
Periphery (band)
Periphery is an American metal band from Bethesda, Maryland , formed in 2005.- Formation and lineup changes :Periphery was formed by guitarist Misha Mansoor in 2005...
and Fair to Midland
Fair to Midland
Fair to Midland is an American progressive metal band that formed in 1998 and is based in Dallas, Texas. They are currently signed to E1 Music. According to the band's official website, their name comes from "...an old Texan play on the term 'fair to middling'." The band produced two self-released...
.
History
In 2004, Guitarists Chris Letchford and Travis Levrier moved to Los Angeles to attend the Musicians Institute, where they met drummer Pat Skeffington. After a few months, the band was completed with the addition of Bassist Jordan Eberhardt. While attending M.I., Chris and Travis also attended a luthier course, where the duo learned to build their own custom guitars. At the end of 2006, Scale The Summit moved to Letchford's home town of Houston, Texas, where they released their self-released debut album, MonumentMonument (Scale the Summit album)
- Personnel :* Jordan Eberhardt – bass guitar* Chris Letchford – 8-string guitar* Pat Skeffington – drums, percussion* Travis Levrier – 7-string guitar...
. They slowly started to gain attention from magazines such as Kerrang, Rock Sound and Amp. A couple years later in 2009 they signed with Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
and began working on their second album, Carving Desert Canyons
Carving Desert Canyons
- Personnel :* Jordan Eberhardt – 6-string bass guitar* Chris Letchford – 8-string guitar* Pat Skeffington – drums, percussion* Travis Levrier – 7-string guitar...
. The release of the second album was extremely successful, earning the band a spot on the 2008 Progressive Nation Tour with Dream Theater. After a couple more years of touring, the band settled in again in late 2010 to record their most recent album, The Collective
The Collective (album)
The Collective is the third studio album by the American instrumental progressive metal band Scale the Summit. It was released on March 1, 2011, by Prosthetic Records...
.
Discography
- MonumentMonument (Scale the Summit album)- Personnel :* Jordan Eberhardt – bass guitar* Chris Letchford – 8-string guitar* Pat Skeffington – drums, percussion* Travis Levrier – 7-string guitar...
(July 10, 2007) - Carving Desert CanyonsCarving Desert Canyons- Personnel :* Jordan Eberhardt – 6-string bass guitar* Chris Letchford – 8-string guitar* Pat Skeffington – drums, percussion* Travis Levrier – 7-string guitar...
(Feb 17, 2009) - The CollectiveThe Collective (album)The Collective is the third studio album by the American instrumental progressive metal band Scale the Summit. It was released on March 1, 2011, by Prosthetic Records...
(March 1, 2011)
Band members
- Chris LetchfordChris LetchfordChris Letchford is an American guitarist. He is the lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Scale the Summit. His technical ability has been recognized in magazines such as Guitar World, Revolver, and All Metal Resource.-Background:Letchford began playing guitar when he was 8 years old...
– 7 & 8 string guitars (present) - Jordan Eberhardt – 6 string bass (present)
- Pat Skeffington – drums, percussion (present)
- Travis Levrier – 7 string guitar (present)