“Demonic Sceptre” is the first full-length album by the German Black / Speed Metal act NUCTEMERON, a killer entity coming from Trier in the Rhineland-Palatinate state. The band is active since 2014 and plays an uncompromising mixture of Black Metal and Speed / Thrash Metal, something very reminiscent of the legendary teutonic scene from the early ’80s. NUCTEMERON are part of the revival brought into popularity by names such as MIDNIGHT and DEATHHAMMER. As already said, “Demonic Sceptre”, produced by the Swedish label I Hate Records, is the debut album from this promising band, that in the last decade has released a bunch of very interesting EPs too. The album consists of one dark and horror oriented intro, eight violent tracks and a very good VENOM cover (‘Angel Dust’) for almost 41 minutes of darkened and blasphemous Black / Speed / Thrash Metal. The style is very reminiscent of the early teutonic scene, when bands like SODOM, KREATOR and DESTRUCTION were still heavily influenced by VENOM’s sound in the period from 1983 to 1985 and the transition towards the famous German Thrash Metal sound was not yet completed. The reference points of NUCTEMERON’s sound are clearly bounded to the TORMENTOR demos, “Endless Pain” from KREATOR, SODOM’s titles from “Witching Metal” to “Obsessed By Cruelty” and the early DESTRUCTION works (“Bestial Invasion Of Hell”, “Sentence of Death”, “Infernal Overkill” and “Eternal Devastation”). In the fastest songs there’s also a brutal violent approach similar to the Swedish diabolical band NIFELHEIM with the addition of some primitive blastbeats too, whereas in the more d-beat oriented tracks you can listen to a strong Speed Metal vibe in the vein of very early LIVING DEATH and IRON ANGEL. The songwriting is very intense and is built on a coherent alternation of aggressive and rusty razor-like Black / Thrash riffs with more melodic sections similar to the intricated guitar works of Mike Sifringer. The vocals are raspy and high-pitched, following the lessons of Petrozza and Schmier but with a touch of Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson too. In terms of concept, NUCTEMERON are aligned with the heritage of the genre with lyrics focused on Satan, war and raw Heavy Metal culture. Same goes for the band image, with the use of inverted crosses, spikes, leather and chains in the purest ’80s traditions. An extra point goes for the killer VENOM cover that closes this little masterpiece from the new wave of traditional Black / Speed Metal movement. “Demonic Sceptre” is highly recommended to all those who are interested in a musical journey into the past of the extreme Metal scene, but even the youngest ones will find noteworthy insights about the evolution of the Satanic Metal cult. www.facebook.com/blackspeedhell, www.facebook.com/ihaterecords