Scimitar - Scimitarium I - review
Scimitar - Scimitarium I - review
Tracklist
01. Scimitarium I02. Aconitum
03. Red Ruins
04. Hungry Hallucinations
05. Fever Dance
06. ---
07. Ophidia
A review by
nikarg May 29, 2025
Featuring members of Slægt, the latter is the most obvious comparison that can be made to Scimitar, to the point that someone could say that Scimitarium I sounds like a Slægt album with female vocals. That would be an inaccurate oversimplification, though, since it is not just the -admittedly striking- vocals that differentiate the two bands, but also Scimitar’s more twisted and serpentine approach to songwriting, and their willingness to fully embrace an occult rock vibe. Other vague references regarding their sound and character would include Chevalier, Negative Plane, Hammers Of Misfortune, Mercyful Fate, and In Solitude.
Scimitarium I may sound difficult to grasp at first, since it lacks the instant catchiness that is often associated to classic heavy metal. The main reason is that this is not just any classic heavy metal album; it’s a dizzying exhibition of evil duelling guitar melodies, haunting vocals, and intense drum work, where all these come together to make songs that push the boundaries of well established genres and sounds. These songs are long and winding, and they take the listener on a descending trip to hallucinating darkness. The presence of Shaam A (also of the doom rock/post-punk band Shaam Larein) behind the mic is indeed dominant here, not just due to her distinct personality as some kind of priestess who has been possessed by psychedelic demons, and whose vocal delivery sends shivers down the spine, but also due to the extensive use of lyrics in the songs.
It’s not so easy to create something that is at the same time complex and accessible or raw and beautiful, and to pull it off with brilliant execution. Scimitarium I gets weird, dissonant, and progressive, but it also features hooks and melodies that get embedded in the brain, and it is shrouded in dark and mystical atmosphere. Its uniqueness is how it blends familiar elements and influences together to create a thoroughly individual sound that constitutes a triumph of the true underground spirit. But it is way too good to stay hidden in the underground; this is definitely one of the debuts that you shouldn’t miss this year.
"Closer to the arms
Leave her to the sea
In time you will find her
Going to Italy"
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Finding out that they have Slægt members makes so much sense now.
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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