PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
I had the great pleasure of corresponding with new Brazilian all female Thrash outfit Nervosa and we talked about their debut album, day to day life in Nervosa, plans of touring Europe, their reaction on getting signed by Napalm and a few other things along the way……
When founding Nervosa what were your original goals?
PRIKA – When I founded Nervosa, the goals were the same as now, a professional female band, I passed almost 2 years searching for a perfect musician to join at band, and it was very hard. There are many female bands but almost any band is professional. I always played in male bands, and I always had a professional posture, and in a female band it was no different. The rule to join the band is to be professional, therefore Fernanda Lira and Pitchu joined to the band.
FERNANDA – As Prika said, they are the same as today! When I was looking for girl to gather up a thrash band, I wanted it to be professional and I wanted to make it HAPPEN! When I joined Nervosa it was a project, but after I came with a lot of planning and ideas, and put them together to what Prika had in mind, then the band started to happen and to move on as an active band. I demand a lot from myself and from everyone who’s involved in any project to me and if I’m determined to make something happen, people around me will have to be people who are focused and work as much as I do! That’s why Nervosa happens nowadays. But, in summary and simplifying it, to me it was all about living the dream. If I have the will power and the tools to make it happen, I am going to!
Have your goals changed since you began?
PRIKA – The only goal that changed was the line-up, we decided that we will be always a trio. Because we are very well this way and nowadays we have the perfect line-up, and we won’t change this.
FERNANDA – In my opinion the goal to be professional and to live the dream keeps the same, the difference now is that we have more defined goals, clearer objectives, for example, touring puttied Brazil, record another album, etc.
Why did you decide to become a Thrash metal band?
PRIKA – I always played thrash metal, and before Nervosa I already had the 3 songs from demo/EP ready, and I did not think about a specific style, I made a mix of riffs of thrash and death that are my influences, and the result was a more hefty thrash metal . When I met Fernanda Lira, she was looking for exactly this style, just like Pitchu later. They came to add this idea.
FERNANDA- I had this in mind long way before Nervosa! Mt previous band was a melodic death metal one (if that label even exists! ha-ha) but even at that time, I was too involved with thrash metal and that’s one of the reasons I’ve been kicked out from it! ha-ha then when I came back with the idea of gathering up girls to form a band, I had everything very clear in mind: I wanted an all female thrash metal three piece! That’s why when Prika came to me I was like ‘OMG, they stole my idea!!’ ha-ha But in the end, this was exactly what I was looking for, and when I joined it, I gave many opinions on the songs that already existed, and all of these tips were thrash metal ones, since to riffs, to drum fills and the vocal melodies I created!
The heavy metal scene in South America is thriving, why do you think that is?
PRIKA – The scene in South America always was rich and large, just now that the world came to know, this is owing the internet that helped to propagate the bands and our scene. There are many very good old bands, the globalization helped the scene a lot. Because here we have a very large country, and the scene is spread, with the internet it was easy join forces and to grow.
FERNANDA – As Prika said, it has always been an awesome and very strong scene! But I have to agree that nowadays the scene is even bigger and stronger! There’s plenty of more metal bands around and the scene is reaching places that were obsolete some time ago, which is pretty cool! And that’s the cool thing about metal, it perpetuates through time, it has no place or time boundaries!
Your first full length album “Victim of Yourself” is just about to be released, can you tell us something about the writing process for the album?
PRIKA- The album was written 50% by me and 50% by Fernanda Lira, this album represents the evolution for us, the solidification of our style, it was a very good experience, and this album represents the start of band, therefore this is very special.
FERNANDA – This album is a lot more mature than our demo, because we have evolved a lot as musicians and also as people! Besides that, this album is the perfect blend of mine and Prika’s ideas! It’s a lot more what we really are, this albums describes what Nervosa sounds nowadays! And honestly, I can’t already wait for the next one! ha-ha
What is your favorite track from the album and why?
PRIKA – I don’t have a favorite track, all songs are special each one because of a different reason, I can give some examples: “Nasty injury” for me is the richest song, because the riffs have a lot of technique, the melodies are very rich, “Envious” is the song that touches me, because of the heavy and furious riffs, “Deep misery” because of its energy and because I liked very much of my backing vocals, “Death” because there are my best double pickings and the lyrics I wrote with a lot of hate, “uranio em nós” because this song shows my death metal and grind core style, and “Justice be done” and “Nasty injury” are the best solos that I already did. But I love all the songs, all songs means a lot to me.
FERNANDA – It’s really hard for me to say, it’s like choosing just one son among your children! ha-ha but if I had to pick one, I would say Justice Be Done or Victim of Yourself! Both of them have most of the elements that are pretty characteristic to Nervosa, such as thrash metal beats, blast beats, a variety of riffs and catchy choruses! I love all the songs, of course, but these 2, in my opinion represent a lot of what Nervosa sounds like in a general way!
Did you have any tracks written that you excluded from the album?
PRIKA – No! All tracks were included in this album, some riffs will remain to next album, but we planned a complete album without remaining songs.
FERNANDA – Of course many ideas were out of the album, but we had everything planned when we got in the studio! We wanted short songs and a not very long album that would make the listener tired or bored. I guess even if there were any songs left, they wouldn’t have space in this album, and it’s perfectly the way we wanted it to be!
Who are your musical influences?
PRIKA – My influences are Thrash and Death Metal, bands like: Slayer, Exodus, Vader, Death, Cannibal Corpses, Deicide, Kreator, Sodom, Napalm Death, Testament, etc… I love double picking and solos with feeling and speed, so when I will compose I mix the influences that I like. The principle is always a macabre melody.
FERNANDA – In metal, I have a very wide taste! I listen to almost everything, all genres have bands I appreciate, but old school thrash metal and early 90’s death are my eternal favorite ones. But in the end of the day, everything I listen to, to the extremist death metal to the slowest blues end up influencing me on my way of writing songs. If I had to point out some bands that rally influence me, I’d say Slayer, Nuclear Assault, Sepultura and Coroner, as well as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Death and many other ones!
If you could compile an all star line up to jam with who you pick and why?
PRIKA – I prefer professional musicians and dedicated musicians, and mainly people that accept the difference of opinion and taste. But if I could choose musicians of other bands I would choose: Chris Barnes on vocal, Gay Holt on rhythm guitar, Alex Skolnick on lead guitar, Alex Webster on bass, Pete Sandoval on drum.
FERNANDA – Cool question! I’d love to be jamming with John Tardy and King Diamond, Gene Hoglan, Steve Harris (I would just sit and watch him doing his divine work ha-ha), Max Cavalera and Tommy Baron!
Do you have any plans on coming to Europe/UK?
PRIKA – Yes! Still this year the European tour will happen, because we have a contract with the agency The Flaming Arts and we are very anxious about this. I hope to play in all countries.
FERNANDA – We actually have many plans on playing wherever we can outside Brazil! We’ve never left our homeland, so it will be really cool to know different headbangers, with different cultures from different places! Europe is on the route, no doubt about it!
If yes, then when do you think you’ll make that a reality?
PRIKA – I think after June, we don’t know yet because it will be negotiated yet. But we hope that it’s as soon as possible! We are anxious for this to happen.
FERNANDA – As soon as we can! We’re working really hard to plan everything carefully and make this tour come out the way we expect it to!
What’s an average day in the life of Nervosa?
PRIKA – All days are very agitated, me and Fernanda Lira, we care of all details, we don’t have a manager because we want to take care of all, I did business school and Fernanda did journalism, so one completes the other, and our routine is answering many emails about shows, merchandise, interviews, etc… All activity is very well divided, 50% to me and 50% to Fernanda. We talk to each other every day and make a schedule for disclosures, we rehearse twice a week , etc… There are so many things, that I can’t explain.
FERNANDA – We have a very full routine, we have to lead the band along with our average jobs, but we are completely devoted to our band! Every day, there’s a lot of planning and discussions, everything in order to make all details set and leave no possibilities of mistake! We are a very hardworking band and we’re really proud of that!
How did you feel when you got signed to Napalm?
PRIKA – I got very happy, because Napalm is a great label and all structure was offered to us, thereafter we consecrate ourselves officially professionals, and today we are one of the few that have a contract with a great label in Brazil. This is very important for us and to the Brazilian scene. This is a door to other Brazilian bands. We give a lot of value to this opportunity and responsibility. Our job was always serious, and we always work to get the best.
FERNANDA- I felt firstly surprised, because back then we were just a newborn all girl band, and later on I felt really pleased. Since the beginning they seemed to believe us and our music as much as we do, and that’s really important when you have such a partnership! If band and label agree and have the same objectives, the relation can be the best possible, and this is what happens to us! They’ve helped us a lot the last months, and they provided us quickly what we would take a looong time to achieve without a label’s helps! I just feel very lucky and thankful!
15. What’s your favorite thing about being in Nervosa?
PRIKA – Nervosa is a project that I idealized by myself, and being able to see the project that I began in 2010 walking on and conquering many good things is very special to me. I searched by myself for a line-up for almost 2 years. My favorite reason is the union between us, we are like sisters.
FERNANDA – I like mostly everything about this band. Prika said she gathered it up, but nothing would have worked out if we haven’t found each other, so I just fell really happy we did! I had in mind I wanted an all female thrash metal band to be professional and to live my dream, and thanks to all of us 3, this is happening, so I feel very pleased!
And your least favorite?
PRIKA – The prejudice of other people in relation to our band, and the lack of respect with our job. We get things because the people like our songs and not because we are women, there are many female bands, if they chose us was because our songs have something good.
FERNANDA – I would say the double work we have to do to prove that yes, women can play thrash metal to. This doesn’t happen a lot anymore, but in the beginning it was really hard to us to face all the prejudice and offenses. But time is the best ally one can have in life, and it helps us prove we’re here to stay and we’re nothing but head bangers that want to live the dream!
Any message for our readers?
PRIKA – Thank you so much for attention! Respect all bands same that you don’t like, because everyone works hard!
FERNANDA – Keep supporting and loving metal, this is what makes the metal legacy be alive through time!
Nervosa’s debut album “Victim of Yourself” is out on March 3rd and you can read my review of the album here:
