ALBUM REVIEW: Downfall Of Mankind – Nervosa

Brazilian thrashers NERVOSA are set to release their third studio album, Downfall of Mankind. It comes two years after their previous record Agony, and the trio will hope to capitalise on their bubbling popularity with this new offering. But, does it live up to the weighty expectations?

The new record begins with Intro, an instrumental lasting just over a minute to really build up to the next song Horrordome, which flows straight into it. Right from the first second, those who have listened to the band before know that this is NERVOSA all over. Fernanda Lira’s growling vocals beginning proceedings, and the combination of the guitar and bass giving off that iconic heavy thrash sound. Lira delivers well on the vocal front, and the riffs are sublime, maintaining the pace all the way through and providing an explosive start to the record.

The recipe remains the same throughout the record, but there are plenty of tracks which really stand out and grab your attention. Never Forget Never Repeat, which follows Horrordome,takes the pace even further as the riffs and blastbeats increase in intensity, and Fernanda’s vocals help set the tone of the track, which seems more political and gives a sense of which direction the album is heading.

Another track that is one of the highlights of the record is Vultures; the pace is a bit slower compared to the other songs on the album, and there is more of a build-up in the opening seconds which gives a more rhythmic feeling to it. The pace picks up as the song progresses though courtesy of guitarist Prika Amaral,but overall it isn’t quite reaching the same breakneck speed as some of the other tracks.

Out of all of them though, there is one track on the album which sums up not just what the album is all about, but also thrash metal itself; Raise Your Fist! The intro contains exerts of famous speakers across the years, one of the most prominent being Martin Luther King, and to quote the opening lyric, “this one is for the activists”. There’s no prizes for guessing what the theme is here, and it is that reason why it stands out from the others. Musically it’s a tad slower, but the way it’s put together and the message that it contains is sublime.

This is the longest record NERVOSA have produced in terms of the quantity of the songs, and once again from start to finish they have put together a quality record. They’ve well established their  own sound in one of the most competitive genres of the modern rock and metal scene, and in terms of the sound quality and the way each song has been put together they haven’t put a foot wrong.

NERVOSA have been exploding in popularity over recent years, and it’s no surprise when you hear their music; Downfall of Mankind really captures the essence of what the band and the genre is about, all of which helps make it one of the best records to be released so far this year.

Rating: 9/10

Downfall of Mankind is out now via Napalm Records.

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