Review by Raphaël on March 27, 2022.

Nervosa is a thrash metal band from Brazil (well now it's more an international band but we'll get into that) and they released their fourth studio album, Perpetual Chaos, last year. When talking about this album we need to look at the history of their line up a bit. In early 2020 every member, except for original guitarist Prika Amaral, left the band. But Prika quickly began searching for new musicians. She finally found 3 exceptional talents. Mia Winter Wallace on bass. She plays for Abbath and was also in the black metal band, The True Endless. Eleni Notav on drums. She's in the prog metal band Lightfold. Last but not least, on vocals, we have Diva Satanica from Spain. She sings in a great Spanish melodic death metal band, Bloodhunter. She also appeared on the Spanish version of the voice. I highly recommend you check it out.

With all these new members, who brought their own influences, their sound evolved quite a bit. But it still sounds like Nervosa! Even though we can now say they’re more of an international band, they still have that distinct Brazilian thrash sound.

The album starts with venomous, a classic thrash song that immediately sets the tone for what's to come: 44 minutes of non-stop punches in the face. For the next few songs, we get a bit more death metal influence. This is where Diva's vocals start to really shine. She has a great range. Raspy, piercing screams and low, deep growls. 'Kings Of Domination' is definitely my favorite song. With it's tremolo pickings and chugging riffs it's probably the most death metal song on the album. 'Time To Fight' is such a fun one. It's a short, blackened, punky, thrasher! 'Blood Eagle' opens with what sounds like flesh being ripped apart. Probably the sounds of an actual blood eagle (a torture/execution method used by the Vikings.) Truly gruesome stuff. So death metal! The entire song is really heavy and even has some blackened death sounding riffs.

There are some great guest appearances that gives the album some awesome star power. Guilherme Miranda from Entombed A.D. provides his talents on track 5 with great solos. The one and only Schmier from Destruction sings on track 6 and Eric A.K. from Flotsam And Jetsam sings on track 11. Those last two gave cool vocal dynamics to the tracks, especially Eric A.K with his clean vocals. I don' know why but these are my least favorite songs. I guess I feel like Diva doesn't really need help.

And on top of that you have excellent lyrics. Themes of anti-greed, corruption and societal issues in general are pproached. "Who creates disorder, Controls the game, The ones who spark the misery, Behold their rising wealth, I'm not a fan of the politicians, They are the masters of artificial, The law is a lie I don't comply I rule myself, I hate your fairy tales"

So, to wrap up, Perpetual Chaos is a fantastic release from Nervosa. Truly their best work to date. The new death/thrash sound really adds to the aggression of the band. The entire album is full of bangers, there are no fillers, just relentless attacks on your ears. I honestly wouldn't have mind a slower track or a quiet instrumental to cut the album but that's not what this album is about. Just pure death/thrash with a blackened edge.

Rating: 8.5 out f 10

Review by Alex on September 30, 2018.

Join this ritual, laced with obliterating drum speed, bloodthirsty vocals and restless mid-tempo buzzsaw riffing.

Imagine being a warlock, bound to an eternity of suffering for a crime committed against the heavens. Your executioners commence the torture of having you sealed in a Houdini looking mechanism under water. As your air supply diminishes, desperation grows, your pulses alert you by the second, and the struggle for survival begins. Once you see an opening towards your escape you reach out agonizingly in your pursuit of freedom. Your head bursts through the plasma separating life and death. You manage to free yourself using the ages of sorcery in your spiritual inventory. From then on, that first gasp of fresh air is the most blissful and virgin thing to your body and existence; it is like being reborn. Upon your near escape, and no time to spare, you proceed to gather the materials needed to summon the giant serpent.

With a very approachable production, Ziggurat blend dogmatic death growls with rich guitar melodies and sprinting drums. Mørk and Tohu combine forces to lay a heated hand of beating upon the buttocks of the beholder with "Summoning the Giant Serpent". "Blind Faith" then seizes the listener and takes him/her for an unforgettable ride on Ziggurats black magic broomstick to the serpent's domain. This is the song that glues each element of the spell together, it is the combobulation of the band's musical and occult expertise.

The walloping drumming prompts unwarranted changes in the heart rate; the race to the climax is marked by heavy breathing as you approach the ceremony being "Death Rites Transcendence". This melodic monstrosity grooves you into the presence of "laced mutton" with whom you dance with, break bread, sip wine and lay. Quite a journey it is whilst being only a 20-minute nefarious joyride of an EP. Truly a work of witchcraft Ritual Miasma is; like a forbidden glance into a live West Indian Obea ceremony, a Qabalah coven of the unclean or an evil invocation. 

What lies ahead in the depths is yet to be unveiled. However; this short memorable liturgy will suffice your appetite until the next series of ruthlessness slithers from the bed of the chasm.

Rating: 8.9 out of 10