Review by Paul Hutchings for MPM
Over 15 years unleashing their visceral style of Brazilian thrash metal, Nervosa can, in my view, rightly be regarded as one of the most vital bands in the genre today. Album number six, Slave Machine, released via Napalm Records is a statement of intent, of love for their craft, and is another fine album.
What makes Nervosa special? Well, the driving force of founding guitarist Prika Amaral for one thing. Switching to vocals in 2023 for Jailbreak, Prika has truly found her sound with a savage performance throughout that fits the band’s aggressive sound perfectly. A blend of old school thrash fuses with a contemporary feel which ensures that their music sounds vital and relevant.
Across the 12 songs on this album, there is a relentless fury that stokes the fires. Impending Doom is the slow burn opener, a dramatic, atmospheric intro that builds with increasing menace before exploding into action with savage riffs and powerhouse drumming of Michaela Naydenova. It’s a frantic yet controlled start; despite their explosive approach, you never get the feeling that Nervosa are likely to become loose. The solos of Helena Kotina and Prika rip forth.
The musicianship across Slave Machine is impressive. With Helena Kotina also completing the bass duty on the album due to challenges about getting the band’s dual bassists Hel Pyre and Emmelie Herwegh to the recording, it’s a trio of musicians who complete the work. But the two bassists are firm parts of the Nervosa machine going forward and we’d expect to see them back in the studio for number seven.
It’s Prika’s vocals that may be the biggest surprise on Slave Machine. They are ferocious, bringing a gravel-coated edge to the record and she has demonstrated improvement from Jailbreak. On the title track there’s a catchy chorus to engage with, whilst the sheer intensity of Beast of Burden demands it will be a pit favourite.
Throughout the album there are changes in tempo which brings variety, something that could quite easily have been lost in the maelstrom. The slower, brooding You Are Not A Hero loses nothing, in fact, the slower riff pace turns it into one of the heaviest, crushing tracks here. Sometimes it’s not speed that brings the heavy!
Guitar work is crisp, with some inspiring solos that reach out and grab your attention. Kudos to Prika and Helena, for their work here is sharp and focused, with some brutal riffs to complement.
Midway point serves up Hate, an aptly named song, which really races out of the traps and rages in your face. A raw brutality is unleashed here, before the slightly jarring A New Empire changes perspective once more. In fact, there is nothing less than 100% on Slave Empire, with huge anthems including 30 Seconds and the thick riffs of album closer Speak in Fire.
Always a phenomenal live act, Slave Machine hauls Nervosa right back into the thrash crosshairs, and with some of their male contemporaries releasing albums that are uninspiring, this is a crushing statement that proves old isn’t always best.
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NERVOSA are:
Prika Amaral – Vocals, Guitars
Helena Kotina – Guitars
Hel Pyre – Bass
Emmelie Herwegh – Bass
Michaela Naydenova – Drums
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