Hailing from Copenhagen, Scimitar brings a breath of fresh air to the metallic underground with their debut release, Scimitarium I. This album has brought the sounds of traditional heavy metal to the modern age. By taking the trending sounds of raw production and aggressive black metal inspired drumming with punchy and melodic riffs that drip with atmosphere and fuse it with some gripping old school heavy metal ingenuity, you have yourself an album that feels both familiar and novel.
Starting with a haunting riff filled intro, the band hypnotizes you into their embrace, thrusting you into the following track with chaotic blast beats, melodic guitars that drill into your psyche, and a hauntingly beautiful voice that stands out among the shrill and shrieking underground. The album has a solid flow and structure to it where each track transitions into one another seamlessly, creating a cohesive and immersive listening experience.
The band is able to build this mystical atmosphere, combining gothic resolve with ecstatic heavy metal fury. While some may point out that this could represent the last breath of the short-lived modern revival of NWOBHM, I feel that Scimitar carve their own path, staying true to themselves rather than chasing trends. Their sound carries the spirit of the old without feeling shackled by it, offering something that feels both timeless and uniquely theirs.
The vocals are the biggest takeaway from the album for me personally. Shaam Larein provides a haunting and deeply emotional presence with her voice. She bridges the worlds of classic and operatic heavy metal with a modern Gothic and extreme metal edge to it. To me it calls to mind Ann Wilson’s passion and Dio’s grit in a modern day metal package.
Scimitar are a force to be reckoned with in the underground. Their sound is both unique and fresh, while still honoring tradition. I can’t say I’ve heard another band quite like them. After witnessing their live performance at the Life After Death festival in London, they’ve firmly cemented Scimitarium I as one of the strongest debut albums of the year. I’m excited to see where they go from here — the trail they’re blazing is red hot.