Everything started with Blood Fire Death. When Regan and his comrades first heard it, they knew exactly the kind of music they wanted to play—and one of the projects where the foundations were laid was Nocturnal Graves.
When you combine “underground extreme metal” with “Australia”—a continent with no borders to anything and probably one of the most isolated places on Earth, where kangaroos bounce freely—you get one thing above all: a blistering inferno of Satanic chaos fueled by upside-down crosses and hellfire ovens radiating through the scorched atmosphere of Victoria’s metal underground. From this hellish land, two seasoned maniacs—Nuclear Exterminator and Regan, known from bands like Hobbs’ Angel of Death, Deströyer 666, Destruktor, Bestial Warlust, and even as session members for Toxic Holocaust—decided that hell itself wasn’t enough. What followed was the rise of Nocturnal Graves, and after a series of insane EPs, demos, and splits that hinted at something massive, they delivered their first full-length (or arguably a compilation, since some tracks existed on earlier demos): Satan’s Cross—an album that shoves the Devil’s cross right into your face with a perfectly honed mix of old-school black, death, and thrash metal.
Tracklist:
Aggressive Exterminator
Rotten Cremation
Skullthrone
Whore of Sodom
Nocturnal Maniac
When the Demons Feast
The Pestilence Crucified
Satan’s Cross
A quick clarification: Satan’s Cross LP and the later CD edition contain mostly new material except for one track—“Aggressive Exterminator”—which had appeared on earlier recordings. This time it was re-recorded, backed by a demonic church-organ intro, and polished through the album’s high-class production. Other than that, the self-titled track “Satan’s Cross” is the only brand new composition when compared to the demo cassette. Still, it all fits together like molten steel. They belong on the Nuclear War Now! roster, and honestly, I hope they never leave.
So what makes this album work so well? Let’s start with the recording itself. The quality of their gear is obvious, but more importantly, the instrument tones are masterfully dialed in—somehow achieving that raw 80s black/thrash feel without compromising sonic clarity. This level of balance is incredibly rare, and whoever handled the recording, mixing, and mastering deserves serious praise. Every instrument is distinct, and yet, the whole production retains its grimy, hellbound feel. Normally, such polish could risk sterilizing this type of music—but that’s absolutely not the case here.
Andrei Bouzikov’s cover artwork matches the album’s concept perfectly—simple yet striking. If you’ve heard of him, you know he’s a wizard of illusion and has created killer covers for Municipal Waste, Violator, and Cannabis Corpse.
Now, you might be thinking: “Isn’t this just another throwback black/thrash band?” Not quite. Just like Toxic Holocaust, Nocturnal Graves don’t simply mimic the past—they inhabit a lineage that never actually existed before. Sure, you’ll hear traces of Bathory, Sodom, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost, and Sarcófago, but what they’ve forged is something distinctly Australian—a sound that bleeds primitive savagery and blasphemy.
We’re talking razor-sharp 80s blackened speed-thrash riffs, unhinged solos, filthy growled vocals, agile and inventive drumming, and lyrics drenched in hate, prostitutes, demonic rituals, and deranged thought—all executed in fluid, dynamic song structures. Their newly recorded version of “Aggressive Exterminator,” clocking in at nearly 7 minutes including its demonic intro, is a whirlwind of blistering speed, neck-snapping tempo shifts, and relentless chaos.
Then comes “Rotten Cremation,” which bursts open with a hammer-blow snare and vicious riffing—a masterpiece of thrashy sharpness and songwriting creativity. There’s no monotony here. The tone is consistent, the riffs top-tier, and the structure supported by brain-scraping solos and complex rhythmic detail.
“Skullthrone” follows with two blisteringly fast chorus riffs, a fiery solo with a feral tone, and no room to breathe. The ringing cymbals before the tempo transition add a haunting touch. The drumming adds gas to the fire throughout. “Whore of Sodom” begins like standard thrash but morphs into a black metal frenzy, with wild rhythmic and riff shifts creating a multi-layered composition. Every riff makes you exclaim, “What the hell is this madness?”—especially when the apocalyptic solo kicks in toward the end.
“Nocturnal Maniac” starts with warped church bells and tortured female screams, moving through sudden tempo shifts similar to “Rotten Cremation.” “When the Demons Feast” opens with stuttering guitars and shrieking solos—it’s an immediate destroyer. Tracks like this reveal the band's fondness for German thrash worship, blended with a black metal core.
“The Pestilence Crucified” is a full-blown black metal assault laced with intricate rhythm changes. And finally, the closing track “Satan’s Cross” opens with raw, echoing drums and rides a wave of sheer hatred with guttural cries of “Satan!”—the darkest and most barbaric moment on the album.
Nocturnal Graves – Satan’s Cross is one of those rare albums that delivers everything you want from extreme metal—filth, violence, chaos—without abandoning production quality or authenticity. It’s a perfectly crafted black/death/thrash hybrid that honors the primitive spirit while sounding massive. For that, I give it a well-deserved 10 out of 10.
Just when you thought bands like Deströyer 666, Nazxul, Bestial Warlust, and Destruktor were all the Australian underground had to offer… along comes Nocturnal Graves—and now, these Aussies are getting out of hand.