Scimitar’s full-length album Black Waters is an instant classic born of mythical and melodic passages while spreading tales of pillaging, plundering and bloody pagan naval warfare. There is only one album that has ever given me the addictive shivers that Black Waters instills in me: Into Eternity’s legendary icon Buried in Oblivion – which a lot consider to be easily one of the greatest metal masterpieces of the last decade.
Black Waters is the perfect storm of flowing and thundering drum passages, seemingly endless and deeply hypnotic guitar melodies and everything else but the kitchen sink. There is a perfect combination of razor-sharp death growls and ‘rolling on the waves’ calm vocals. I really wish my ears could tolerate this beast of an album on an inhumane sound level. Scimitar’s pristine musical solution will course through your body leaving you wanting to do nothing more but exceed your iPod’s volume limitations.

The album kicks off with a gripping instrumental introduction that sets the mood of the album perfectly: a combination of gentle hums, soft acoustic and cackling thunder in the background. A heart-racing lead guitar and drum pattern form an unstoppable climax right before tying into the second track “Brethren Of The Coast”. The only tear I shed over this album is for the intensity leading into this song. Unfortunately the ridiculous build-up in the end of the first track is quickly squelched as the second track plays much quieter but does easily make up for it with a truly breathtaking riff.

Undeniably my favourite element of Black Waters is the lyrical content. These stories of pure ruthlessness sound destined when chanted over the anesthesizing flowing melodies; it is easy to get distracted by the upliftingly vicious musicianship that comes with it though. There are two songs, "Forest Of Wolves", and "Habeas Corpus", that do not fit the frequently used “watery grave” theme. However, it feels as if they were prophesied to belong in the respective track listing, telling side-fables of other merciless combating scenarios. 

Without question my favourite song is “Buried At Sea”. The first minute alone is host to some of the most exquisite, effortless sounding and truly breathtaking transitions ever. The chorus – which shows the gentler and ultra-calm “soft side” of the song though there is the occasional bitter growl during, is in direct contrast with the sheer speed and harshness of the speedy melodies and shrieking growls during the all-out metal passages. The salient harshness each time they belt out “Buried At Sea” a different way makes me want to scream along until my lungs combust.
The majority of the album, ("Mariner’s Lament", "Brethren Of The Coast", "Buried at Sea", "Fireship" and the album title itself), really brings out a “pirate metal” theme. Most people guffaw at the sound of such a novelty genre but do not take Black Waters lightly: Scimitar’s innovation rips the laughable stereotype apart by fusing the novelty genre with their own chiseled, razor-sharp melodic death metal vocals and ditching all simplicities by bringing in their own fluidized entrancing melodies.

The album is of average length, though there are only 5 full songs to be found. Fortunately this is nothing to complain about except for the fact that you will be kicking and screaming for more by the time the final hasty verse of “Fireship” is done. What I would, (and have for the last year or so), consider the top metal prospect of Canada, Scimitar, keep doing what you’re doing because greatness is on its way.