Meet The Band is your chance to get to know a new or up-and-coming artist. Nervosa are a Brazilian thrash trio whose sophomore album Agony was recently released. Guitarist Prika Amaral introduces us to his band.
Heavy Music Headquarters: Give us a brief history of Nervosa.
Prika Amaral: I began the band 2010 with Fernanda Terra (old drummer). We wrote four songs and many girls played in Nervosa, but nobody was professional. In July 2011 I met Fernanda Lira and she completed the lineup. Fernanda Terra left the band in October 2012.
In January 2013 we recorded our first album and then in February 2013 Pitchu (Ferraz, drums) completed the band. We released our second album Agony and we are on tour around the world promoting it.
Describe the songwriting and recording process of Agony.
I write some riffs at my house and send them to the girls put onbass and drums. Or Fernanda sends me some riffs on the bass and I add guitars and then Pitchu does the drums. Lyrics and vocals are the final step. For the recordings, we started with drums, then rhythm guitars and bass, and then the final vocals, backing vocals and lead guitars.
How would you characterize the album’s style/sound?
Thrash metal with influences from death metal, and a little bit more aggressive than our first album. The lyrics speak more about corruption and human behaviors.
What has been your most memorable Nervosa live show?
For me was our first show out of Brazil in Colombia in 2014 at the big festival there called Bogothrash. 4,000 people were screaming Nervosa, there was a huge mosh pit, it was special.
And the our show at Brutal Assault in last year, there was a lot of people, our biggest audience, everyone screaming Nervosa too, and after concert we talked with Mille Petroza (Kreator) who said he liked our band. It’s the best thing to hear that from a big idol, on the same day we spoke with guys from Cannibal Corpse, Annihilator and Krisiun. It was like a dream.
What’s the best show you’ve attended as a fan?
All the shows of my favorites bands like Slayer, Motorhead, Exodus, Overkill, Destruction, Behemoth, Hypocrisy, Cannibal Copse, Testament, Kreator, Sodom, Vader, Napalm Death, etc.
Who are your musical heroes?
Jimi Hendrix, Dimebag, Alex Skolnick, Gary Holt, Jeff Hanneman And Kerry King, Tony Iommi and David Gilmour are the most important for me on guitars. But my favorite bands are Kreator, Vader, Overkill, Testament, Sepultura, Exodus, Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Death, Destruction, Sodom, Krisiun, etc.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
I love motorcycles! I would like to create a moto club in Brazil. If I didn’t have a band I’d be on the road with my moto. I also like skateboarding, but I can’t do it anymore unfortunately, cause I have steel in my left knee.
What’s your all-time favorite album?
I can’t say just one album. But some albums that are very important in metal for me include Slayer – Reign In Blood, Metallica – Kill ‘Em All, Sepultura – Schizophrenia, Morbid Angel – Altars Of Madness and all albums from Testament.
What’s the heavy music scene like in your area of Brazil?
Brazil is a huge country. We have a rich metal scene with a lot of very good classic bands like Sepultura, Krisiun, Sarcofago, Vulcano, Torture Squad, Claustrofobia, etc. and new bands like Lacerated and Carbonized, Krow and Woslom and a lot of female bands such Sinaya, Valhalla, Panndora, Vocifera, Indiscipline, Aborn, Scatha, and Haze.
Anything else you’d like to mention/plug/promote?
Thank you so much everyone! Thank you for this opportunity. Keep it metal and see you at the shows!
(interview published June 2016)
