Sunday the 14th (of February): Scale the Summit - Balkan

     I don't have a love song in mind for your much-belated February the 14th post, so I'll default to my typical trope of alliteration for a bit of instrumental romance in the form of some Sunday Scale the Summit.

     Scale the Summit have released a couple of albums since 2011's The Collective, and they've been pretty good, but if I had to pick I think The Collective is still my favourite. One of the many reasons why is late-album number "Balkan", a demonstration of Scale the Summit's ability to go on soaring musical journeys that morphs partway through into ending section dominated by a cyclical, slightly off-kilter tapped riff complete with phat accompanying bass. If you're familiar with Scale the Summit, it'll probably make you go "yeah, that sounds about right", but if you're new to this instrumental party, maybe this'll set this hook in your wee little earhole.

Scale the Summit - The Levitated

     You can't very well talk about modern instrumental metal-type music without giving a nod to today's band. If you dig this kind of music, you probably already dig these guys too, but that's no reason to leave them out of this week-long instrumental binge.

     You guessed it: we're going to Scale the Summit this evening. Which song, you ask? Why, "The Levitated", one of my favourite tracks from my favourite Scale the Summit album, 2011's The Collective. More than many other instrumental bands, Scale the Summit demonstrate perfectly the idea that words aren't necessary to tell a story or go on a journey.

Song of the Day: Scale the Summit - Whales

     Today's band are among many cool bands that are at last report in the midst of writing new material. And while Scale the Summit is certainly in good company when it comes to bands aiming to release new records in 2013, if their last outing, 2011's The Collective is any indication this one should be something special. In fact, The Collective made such an impact with me that last time I feature a Scale the Summit song it was that album's first track, and today it'll be that album's second.

Song of the Day (24th): Scale the Summit - Collosal

     Running a little behind, what with it being Christmas and all, but you still get some song recommendations for all your metal merrymaking. Tonight (for yesterday) I've got a song from a band I've mentioned before but never featured on their own day. Bit of a theme from yesterday, eh?

The List: Instrumetal

     OK, today I’m debuting The List, the first of what I intend to be several semi-regular, semi-themed posts here at Loud Noises. When I do a List post, I’ll be coming up with (gasp!) a list of bands/albums/whatever centred on a particular theme. (I know, I know, real original. Shut up.) Rather than agonize over actually ranking whatever it is I happen to be listing, these are just going to be lists of stuff you should check out, in no particular order (although I will of course mention when I think something is especially badass or otherwise worthy of note). And to start the listing off right, I’m going to try turning you on to what I feel might be a somewhat underappreciated variety of metal: instrumental metal, which for the purposes of this post I’ve decided to call instrumetal (nice portmanteau, huh?)