Nervosa: Breaking Free

Thrash metallers NERVOSA have undergone a series of significant lineup changes since their last album Perpetual Chaos in 2021, most significantly with guitarist Prika Amaral taking up vocal duties. Alongside fellow guitarist Helena Kotina and new recruits in bassist Hel Pyre and drummer Michaela Naydenova, the band are back with a bang with their new record Jailbreak. NERVOSA return re-energised and ready for their thrash metal chaos to reign supreme again.

Prika starts off by simply declaring how happy she is for NERVOSA to be back with Jailbreak. “It’s a good and new opportunity for the band being back with this album, we are very thankful.”

The title of Jailbreak came up next in conversation with Prika as she tells us the reasons how the title is the ethos of the whole album and how it is a fresh start for NERVOSA. “The meaning of this title came up when we started the compositions of the album, because the feeling at the beginning was to be free and to not create any rules. Just let everything come naturally.” 

The biggest change sonically for NERVOSA this time around is that Prika is now the vocalist alongside her guitar duties. She gives us an insight into how this changed both her and NERVOSA but also how the whole process making the album went. “The vocal part was insane for me, because it was my first experience. There’s a lot of history on this new album and how everything’s happening, but it was the most fun creative process for me composing this album, I just remember having a lot of fun.”

As the subject of Prika‘s biggest influences as a vocalist and as a guitarist too, some legendary names were cited with glee. “As this is a totally new word for me, I have to say I was studying and analysing a lot of people like James Hetfield because he plays and sing, Max Cavalera, Peter from HYPOCRISY and Peter from VADER too. As a guitarist specifically talking for me; Gary Holt, and Jeff Hanneman.” 

As Prika mentions Gary Holt, talk turns to the EXODUS guitarist and how he plays guitar on Truth Is Alive from Jailbreak and she discusses how the legendary guitarist came to play on the track. “It was a dream come true. First of all, me and Elena, we couldn’t believe that it was happening. Gary Holt was a guy that was always supporting NERVOSA, and he became a bit closer during the pandemic situation. I was talking a lot with his wife, Lisa. She’s very nice, a lovely girl. I met him last year in Brazil, when EXODUS played in San Paolo, and I had a quick chat. When we were talking about guests on the album, he was at the top of our list and I sent a message to him he answered very quick, and was very happy with the invitation. He sent the guitars and was simply amazing and unbelievable!”

 Lena Scissorhands from INFECTED RAIN is another guest on Jailbreak and provides vocals on Superstition Fail. Prika goes on to tell us about her appearance on the track. “This participation is super special because it’s the first time on a NERVOSA album that we have a guest woman participate on an album. She did a great job and I really love the modern tone that she has in her voice, she put a lot of groove in there that I think changes the perception totally of the song.” 

Talk then turns to the sound of the album and Prika tells all about the biggest influences on the sound of Jailbreak. “I think for this album, we tried to make everything more diverse but still thrash metal. There’s bits of heavy metal and punk or a bit of black metal and power metal, different elements in there. With the two guitars also, we could work with more melodies in the songs that we couldn’t before.” 

Having played at a number of summer festivals this year, Nervosa have just been announced to play next year’s Bloodstock Festival and Prika is very excited to about this news. “We have been waiting for this for so many years, to be honest. We will finally be going to play there and we are super happy, and of course, we will have some shows in UK too.” 

With this news of shows in the UK in 2024, Prika tells us about the highlights of the last NERVOSA tour on these shores in the summer. “We had a nice time in London. Elena and Michaela actually had never been there before. Tony Dolan came to our show and that was a very magical moment for all of us. Also, we had the opportunity to visit the bridge of BLACK SABBATH in Birmingham, it was the first time for us and it was a highlight for us for sure.” 

As NERVOSA are purveyors of some of the finest thrash around, we couldn’t not finish this great chat with Prika without her telling us about some of her favourite thrash metal albums of all time as she does with excitement. “I would say the three most important album for me were Kill Em’ All by METALLICA, Reign In Blood by SLAYER and Arise by SEPULTURA. In the beginning of NERVOSA, I tried to reproduce a mix of these albums. It’s my favourite style of music.”

Jailbreak is out now via Napalm Records.

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