There’s a big problem with today’s metal scene: There aren’t 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 today’s 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 project’s 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 Nifelheim’s 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 band’s aptly-named bassist and vocalist, “Lunatic Aggressor,” avoids mimicking Hellbutcher’s manic rasp by instead delivering a larynx-shredding shriek that somehow turns songs like “Burn My Skin to Leather” into singalong anthems. And, as hinted at by the cover art’s apparent homage to Destruction’s Eternal Devastation, the music here shows that these Germans have heard plenty of thrashy bands besides Hellbutcher and Co. Take the instrumental opener, “Fresh Blood for the 13th Coffin,” which is an ambient synth piece with vaguely medieval vibes that recall Desaster. Said influence continues with the Hellfire‘s Dominion-style guitar melodies that open the first proper track, “The Bat,” before the slicing verses began slashing into your neck like a sharpened scythe. Likewise, “Under Devil’s Command” features a terrific, olde school main riff that evokes the glory days of 80s speed metal, while the harmonized guitars of that song’s bridge serve as a saccharine throwback to metal’s golden age.
That said, it’s clear that Nifelheim is a massive influence here. And fortunately, Nuctemeron absolutely nail that band’s sound with a slew of the wildest black-thrash cuts I’ve heard in a long time. Early highlight “After Violent Storm” basically functions as a complementary vasectomy, as the ricocheting guitar line in that song’s refrain is hot enough to turn whatever genitals you have into something that looks like a charred pork rind. “Fuck Off!!! (In the Name of Evil)” uses Nifelheim’s 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 “Burn My Skin to Leather” sounds like a lost cut from Servants of Darkness with its squealing guitar lines, while “Metallic Thunder” 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 “Lunatic Aggressor” shrieks his head off like a banshee the whole time, and the way he pronounces his V’s as W’s is positively endearing. Guitarist “Exterminator” unleashes riff after riff of pure maniacal energy, and his searing, fast solos are a perfect complement to the band’s relentless nature. As shown on the closing track, “Brandish the Hammer of Hell,” the group also aren’t 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 I’ve heard that truly embodies Nifelheim’s unhinged, frantic style, and yet they mix things up just enough to avoid being a mere worship act. What’s 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 group’s scorching fury, Nuctemeron’s 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
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