The all-femme thrash metal group is back with a punishing new record showcasing a brand new lineup featuring founding member Prika Amaral on vocals this go around, Helena Kotina on guitars, Hel Pyre on bass, and Michaela Naydenova on drums after a tumultuous few years.
Lyrically, Jailbreak, as an album, speaks to exactly that – breaking the chains that hold you back from reaching your full potential. “March to the beat / Of your hеart / This is your destiny’s call / No need to compromise / Be your own god” nestled in the middle of the album’s title track, is such a powerful mantra that Nervosa has come to stand for through the ups and downs and certainly one that fans can repeat day in and day out.
Speaking to Metal Insider ahead of the album release, guitarist Helena Kotina said:
“It is totally about breaking free, escaping from the jail that we are putting ourselves in or other people are putting us inside. We have to be ourselves and follow our dreams no matter if other people like that or not.”
Adding a second guitarist in the latest reincarnation of Nervosa leveled the group up. It allowed them to create undeniably tasty riffs and blistering dueling guitar solos that rival the greats.
Exploding out of the gates, the album’s first official single, “Endless Ambition,” definitely set the tone for the record, and Nervosa never let up off the gas. Stand-out tracks like “Behind The Wall,” “Ungrateful,” and “Elements of Sin” are flanked by two massive collaborations with legends of the genre. Gary Holt of Exodus and Lena Scissorhands of Infected Rain join Nervosa on “When The Truth Is A Lie” and “Superstition Failed,” respectively.
While Gary’s solo was technically perfect, it did feel a little out of place on the track. However, Lena’s vocals on “Superstition Failed” beautifully compliment Prika’s vocals with dualling guttural screams and showcasing a verse of spoken word to round out the complex and unique dynamic that Nervosa encompasses.
When asked about having two icons on the new record, Helena said, “Gary Holt was always at the top of our ‘list.’…We knew that he was very busy with touring, but he managed to deliver a totally signature solo and made one of our dreams come true….We admire the work that [Lena Scissorhands] is doing with Infected Rain, she is totally cool and we believed that her vocal style would fit together with Prika’s,” and it was, indeed, a match made in heaven!
Their fifth full-length studio album as a whole has something for everyone, whether you’re into technical thrash metal or not. Nervosa’s latest record is sure to please and keep fans coming back again and again. Check out Metal Insider’s full interview with guitarist Helena Kotina here!
Nervosa’s fifth full-length album, Jailbreak is available now via Napalm Records. Check out their new video for their latest single, “Elements of Sin” below:
