NERVOSA, those Brazilian/Greek death/thrash metal masterminds (or maybe just mistresses of noise?), are back with a new single, “Smashing Heads,” because apparently, “Jailbreak” wasn’t enough to shatter your eardrums. 🙄 It’s like they’re trying to prove that metal can still be… well, loud. Really loud. So loud, you might actually start questioning your life choices.
The band, in a rare moment of self-awareness (or maybe just a desperate attempt to justify their existence), claims this single celebrates 15 years of NERVOSA. 🥳 It’s a “resume of our musical journey,” they say. Translation: “We’ve been doing this for 15 years, and we’re still not sure what we’re doing, but here’s another song anyway!” They call it a special release to commemorate this milestone and “close one chapter before we unleash something entirely new with our next album.” Which, let’s be honest, will probably sound exactly like everything else they’ve ever done. 😴
NERVOSA, in their infinite wisdom, explains that “‘Smashing Heads’ talks about the obsession from the feelings that can drive you crazy.”🤯 Wow, deep stuff, guys. Really makes you think. The sensation of being out of control because you can’t leave behind what you feel? Groundbreaking. 🙄 Each of us has a different way to freak out, and that’s what you can see in our video clip. Translation: “We filmed ourselves doing weird stuff in a basement. Hope you like it!”
“We worked very hard to bring our vision and ideas about that,” they continue. “Gabriela is an actress and she helped a lot with the acting and with the conception of the video.” An actress? In a NERVOSA video? Is she method acting as someone who enjoys NERVOSA’s music? 🤣 “We recorded on the basement of our studio and we are very happy with the results, but we can’t wait to bring a new album and more new songs.” More new songs? Oh, joy. 😒 The basement of their studio? So, basically, they’re just like every other metal band ever.
“Jailbreak” saw NERVOSA guitarist and founder Prika Amaral step up her duties to become the band’s main vocalist. Because what could possibly go wrong? 🤷♀️
Regarding her decision to take over the lead vocals in NERVOSA, Prika told Dead Rhetoric: “This last record for NERVOSA that we recorded and composed together was a huge challenge — probably the biggest challenge in my entire career — because I never was a singer; I’ve always been a guitarist.” So, she’s admitting she’s not a singer? Bold move, Prika. Bold move. “In the entire life of NERVOSA, I’ve always been doing some backing vocals. My specialized thing was more in the deep growls, the extreme vocals, the low vocals.” The low vocals? So, basically, screaming? Got it. “I had to learn how to sing properly — not only in the low voices, because NERVOSA is historically thrash metal, we have high and medium voices.” High and medium voices? In NERVOSA? Are we sure we’re talking about the same band? 🤔
“So then I called one of my best friends, Mayara Puertas. She is one of my favorite singers ever, and she’s also a very close friend. She was teaching me how to discover my skills in the vocal parts — teaching me how to do the highs, the medium range, and thinking about not only how to put out this voice but also how to take care of it. We need to be in good condition with our bodies, change our lifestyle to give the best (effort) for our performance.” So, basically, she needed singing lessons. Got it. And a lifestyle change? Does that involve less screaming and more herbal tea? 🍵
“For one side, it was a big challenge because I didn’t know what to expect being a singer,” Prika explained. “On the other hand, many songs in the history of NERVOSA, I also composed the vocal lines. The song ‘Death’, it’s one of our most well-known songs, it was a song that I composed the vocal lines and also the lyrics.” So, she’s been writing the lyrics all along? That explains a lot. ✍️ “For me to compose everything, it was a big challenge. I enjoy this a lot; it’s something that I’ve done differently in my career of NERVOSA. I was doing for thirteen years the same thing — this brought for me a new excitement as a musician. I was learning and discovering new things in each and every song that we were recording. In each song, I was doing different vocals, and the next day I was not remembering what I had done before, so that’s why we have diversity with the vocal lines. I have a lot of fun that I haven’t had in a long time. I was paying attention to everything. I’m still learning with every show I play.” So, she’s basically saying she’s making it up as she goes along. 🤣 That’s comforting.
NERVOSA is:
Vocals, Guitars: Prika Amaral (the one who’s making it up as she goes along)
Guitars: Helena Kotina
Drums: Gabriela Abud
Bass: Hel Pyre and Emmelie Herwegh (because one bassist just isn’t enough)
And now, for the grand finale, the video for “Smashing Heads”! Prepare to be amazed… or maybe just mildly amused. Or maybe just slightly confused. 🤷♀️
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
