Nuctemeron â Demonic Sceptre Review
By Mark Z.
Thereâs a big problem with todayâs metal scene: There arenât enough fukkin bands that sound like Nifelheim. Every time I listen to those crazy Swedes, I want MOAR of their scalding black-thrash riffs, MORE of their pummeling blast beats, more of the unhinged ferocity that feels sorely lacking in todayâs scene, when it seems like every band needs to have clean vocals and mix at least three genres. While Nifelheim vocalist Hellbutcher did release a very good album in 2024 via his eponymous band, his main projectâs frantic intensity has gone largely unreplicated. Fortunately, Nuctemeron are here to change that. Over the past decade, this German group has kept the black flame burning with a slew of splits and EPs that bear titles like Beastfuck and Rape from the Grave, all while clad in enough spikes and leather to make them the favorite customers of their local BDSM shop. With their debut album, Demonic Sceptre, the group has continued following Nifelheimâs burning warpath, unleashing a barrage of frenetic riffs, scathing vocals, and battering rhythms that would make those Swedes proud.
Yet at the same time, calling Nuctemeron mere Nifelheim clones is hardly accurate. Perhaps most notably, the bandâs aptly-named vocalist, âLunatic Aggressor,â avoids mimicking Hellbutcherâs manic rasp by instead delivering a larynx-shredding shriek that somehow turns songs like âBurn My Skin to Leatherâ into singalong anthems. And, as hinted at by the cover artâs apparent homage to Destructionâs Eternal Devastation, the music here shows that these Germans have heard plenty of thrashy bands besides Hellbutcher and Co. Take the instrumental opener, âFresh Blood for the 13th Coffin,â which is an ambient synth piece with vaguely medieval vibes that recall Desaster. Said influence continues with the Hellfireâs Dominion-style guitar melodies that open the first proper track, âThe Bat,â before the slicing verses began slashing into your neck like a sharpened scythe. Likewise, âUnder Devilâs Commandâ features a terrific, olde school main riff that evokes the glory days of 80s speed metal, while the harmonized guitars of that songâs bridge serve as a saccharine throwback to metalâs golden age.
Demonic Sceptre by Nuctemeron
That said, itâs clear that Nifelheim is a massive influence here. And fortunately, Nuctemeron absolutely nail that bandâs sound with a slew of the wildest black-thrash cuts Iâve heard in a long time. Early highlight âAfter Violent Stormâ basically functions as a complementary vasectomy, as the ricocheting guitar line in that songâs refrain is hot enough to turn whatever genitals you have into something that looks like a charred pork rind. âFuck Off!!! (In the Name of Evil)â uses Nifelheimâs infamous two-word mantra as the basis to unleash a shitstorm of bouncy, frantic guitars that culminates with the sound of a skipping record repeating that titular proclamation over and over. Later, the aforementioned âBurn My Skin to Leatherâ sounds like a lost cut from Servants of Darkness with its squealing guitar lines, while âMetallic Thunderâ uses a rapid, tapping guitar line to great effect.
My only real criticism here is that some of the songs repeat their main riffs a bit too much, but that feels like a minor quibble in light of the sheer inspiration on display. The aforementioned âLunatic Aggressorâ shrieks his head off like a banshee the whole time, and the way he pronounces his Vâs as Wâs is positively endearing. Guitarist âExterminatorâ unleashes riff after riff of pure maniacal energy, and his searing, fast solos are a perfect complement to the bandâs relentless nature. As shown on the closing track, âBrandish the Hammer of Hell,â the group also arenât afraid to mix things up, as the song concludes with crooning clean vocals that mimic a melodic guitar line. The production is also great, sounding raw and powerful while remaining clear and retaining plenty of dynamic range.
Demonic Sceptre is exactly what your psychotic inner black-thrash fan has been craving. This is the first group Iâve heard that truly embodies Nifelheimâs unhinged, frantic style, and yet they mix things up just enough to avoid being a mere worship act. Whatâs more, the band constantly exude a sense of furious inspiration, yet for how extreme they are, their songs sure are fukkin catchy. For me and anyone else bold enough to brave the groupâs scorching fury, Nuctemeronâs debut may just be the best black-thrash record we hear this year.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps
Label: I Hate Records
Websites: nuctemeron-blackspeedhell.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackspeedhell
Releases Worldwide: March 13th, 2026
#2026 #40 #BlackMetal #DemonicSceptre #Desaster #Destruction #GermanMetal #IHateRecords #Mar26 #Nifelheim #Nuctemeron #Review #Reviews #SpeedMetal #ThrashMetal