ABOUT
Damascus Steel is a Progressive Metal band with influences from Dio, Dream Theater, Queen, Rainbow, and Symphony X. We are also influenced by Beethoven, Puccini, Rachmaninoff, Saint Saens, Hans Zimmer and others,
We are drawn to Prog Metal because it combines influences from Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Classical, Blues and Jazz music. Highly melodic and intricate in nature, Prog Metal showcases the interplay between all the instruments, with heavy emphasis on guitars, vocals, keyboards, drums, and bass. Prog Metal retains the heaviness typically heard in Metal, the virtuosity of Jazz, and the epic nature of classical symphonies and dramatic operatic arias. In addition to writing incredibly complex and intricate music, Prog Metal artists are story tellers; they often write about a vast array of topics, from social and political issues, to works of literature, historical fiction, fantasy, science and technology, mythology and theology, and history.
Our music is available on all streaming media, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and Bandcamp.
You can follow us on Instagram or on YouTube.
"I picked the name Damascus Steel for three reasons," says Sameer Hilal, Damascus Steel's founder and lead singer. "First, Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and the bedrock of civilization, is my birth city. Second, it's also where I discovered progressive rock and metal (hence Steel) listening to songs like Stargazer (Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio), Heaven & Hell (Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio), and One Vision (Queen). Third, Damascus Steel blades were known for their toughness and beauty, made using a formula passed on by word of mouth, and lost to history, which makes them rare and special - just how we want our music to be!"
When he's not writing songs for Damascus Steel; singing Puccini arias; or writing poetry and fiction; Sameer manages his IT Software & Services company of 22 years, vCom Solutions; and travels around the world with his family.
Sameer Hilal
Guest Musicians & Artists
Damascus Steel is honored to feature the amazing Gabriel Cyr.
Winner of the 2018 guitar competition Guitarist of the Year (selected by guest judges Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert and Mark Tremonti), Gabriel is a versatile guitar player from Quebec, Canada.
Gabriel was also listed as one of the best new guitarists of 2020 by MusicRadar.
In 2020, Gabriel released his first solo EP Spectrum Exploration I and his second EP Spectrum Exploration II which are instrumental rock records with some fusion and progressive metal influences.
Gabriel is founding member of Universe Effects.
In addition to writing and touring with the Carl Mayotte Fusion Quintet, you can find Gabriel building his YouTube Channel, while working as a freelance musician, a studio guitarist and a guitar teacher.
Gabriel Cyr