ALBUM REVIEW: Nuctemeron – Demonic Sceptre

After 12 years of blasphemous underground activities from EPs to splits and even a live album; Nuctemeron are ready to unleash blackened speed metal hell with their debut full length LP. Out via I Hate Records on March 13th.

Beginning with samples that evoke Hammer Horror movies, this feels old school before we even begin. Funereal guitars soon bring the malevolence of bands like Tormentor into the mix with pounding evil on the drums taking us back to the glory days of underground metal. Ripping instrumentals are met by piercing vocals with a strong Nifelheim approach to them. The mix has a strong balance with the sharp guitars and busy drum work all audible and complemented by the vocals rather than subdued by them. Indeed all of the ingredients for a demonic concoction of metal is here, let’s get obsessed by cruelty and possessed by evil! Firing on all cylinders, the record doesn’t waste time and the opening couple of tracks assure us total desaster and extreme aggression are inbound for strike. Maniacs, you’ve heard the call, prepare for slaughter!

There are moments of slightly more melody, not in a wimpy sense but akin to that first self-titled EP by Helloween or something. These moments balanced with the blackened hammering of Satan’s anvil is a perfect middle ground for Nuctemeron to flourish their wicked metallic thunder and electrify us all with the lightning that accompanies. The Germans have always got speed metal right and this tradition is as true today as it was in 1985 when “Hellish Crossfire” was released. If ripping guitars and wild drumming with possessed screaming isn’t for you; then frankly I am not sure my reviews are either. Real headbangers are going to love this record, pure and simple. What it lacks in originality is made up for thousandfold with savage passion, fantastic musicianship and bestial performances all round. Conviction and bonafide mania for metal is all I care about when supporting an artist (along with obviously having great music) and these criteria are certainly met on “Demonic Sceptre”.

From the blasting sadism to the gallops of pure heavy metal thunder and soaring epics; I love the amount of ferocious riffing and equally lethal bass lines. Similarly the leads are venomous and the vocals just as hostile. Finally the drums are varied and bulldozing, completing the recipe for violence and force that no true metal maniac will be able to resist. This band clearly only cares about unleashing hellfire and ravenous storms of their own blasphemous creations and do so with a magnificent outcome. The fist of armageddon and blasphemous torment is coming straight for your face, feel the knuckle-splitting force of total metal and either join those under devil’s command or fuck off! This record is an incinerating opus of sin and hellfire that will consume all in its blaze and burn skin to leather. A strong, impressive debut album that has clearly been refined across the band’s prolific releasing until it was ready in its most savage and violent form possible.

This is primitive, forceful and uncompromising metal from the underground; untouched by modernity and trends, coming in for the kill with their debut album of mayhem. I think the killer artwork and band photos will tell you if this is for you before hearing a note, but once this ride through the abyss starts, you won’t be getting off ’til the end – possibly alive, possibly not… Wield the demonic sceptre and brandish the hammer of hell; Nuctemeron’s metallic thunder will reverberate through the underground and destroy all!