ALBUM REVIEW: Jailbreak – Nervosa
The start of this decade has been turbulent for everyone but for Brazilian thrashers NERVOSA it feels like they cannot catch a break. After cementing themselves as one of the flagbearers of the thrash resurgence, 2020 saw the band lineup collapse with just Prika Amaral as the sole original member. After coming back from the brink with 2021’s Perpetual Chaos, who would have thought lightning would strike twice? But alas it did and the band’s lineup collapsed once again. NERVOSA came back from the brink once before but can they achieve it at the second time of asking? Just a cursory listen to fifth full-length record Jailbreak would mark that as a resounding yes.
This time round, Prika Amaral has stepped up to lead the vocals and although the band’s more death metal leanings that were a bedrock on previous records have been toned down considerably this time, the result is all out thrash assault and it is utterly emphatic to say the least. Album opener Endless Ambition wastes absolutely no time in delivering punches as frenetic riffing from Amaral and new guitarist Helena Kotina keep the pace running in top gear, and Amaral‘s larynx shredding vocals add copious amounts of grit and bite to the song’s delivery. NERVOSA needed to a strong opening statement to kickstart their second revival within them and Endless Ambition flies out the gate to confirm that there is still plenty of life left.
From there, the band keep the intensity white hot. Ungrateful swings with relentless mercy and has a snappy chorus that will undoubtedly have crowds screaming the title back to the band in the live arena, Seed Of Death‘s slow build-up of twin guitar harmonies from Amaral and Kotina is aurally satisfying before divulging into another furious bout of thrashing riffage, and the title track ebbs and flows between frenetic thrashing and twin guitar harmonies that IRON MAIDEN would be proud of.
Elsewhere, the likes of Behind The Wall flies out of the gates and considerably batters you with a hellfire of gnarly riffs, blistering solos and thunderous drumming from Michaela Naydenova, Kill Or Die lives up to its namesake and reflects a homage to the glory days of thrash with its speed-first attitude, whilst When The Truth Is A Lie and Superstition Failed are both bolstered by the guest additions of EXODUS‘ Gary Holt and INFECTED RAIN‘s Lena Scissorhands respectively. Throughout its near 47 minute runtime, it’s clear that the fire in NERVOSA‘s collective bellies is still burning bright.
To come back with a rejuvenated lineup is a cause for celebration, but to do it twice in such a short space of time showcases that NERVOSA still have plenty to shout about. Jam-packed full of killer shred, finger-tapping soloing goodness and enough bite to hold their own against their contemporaries, with Jailbreak, the third iteration of NERVOSA showcase that there is still plenty of gas left in the tank and they are not going down without a fight.
Rating: 8/10
Jailbreak is out now via Napalm Records.
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