NERVOSA - SLAVE MACHINE

Band founder Prika Amaral returns as vocalist for this album, with a vigorous and harrowing delivery that guides the instruments and draws in that death genre spin. Lyrics are fairly simple but effective, direct and to the point, with repetitions that inspire one to bang their head and gear up for the moshpit. They don’t need more complexity to prove their power. It feels like classic, heart pounding thrash that does its purpose of elevating the listener and driving the theme home with hammer and nail.

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Prika also works alongside Helena Kotina on guitars, who shreds like no tomorrow. Their paired riffs give identity to the middle tracks, which bleed together in their similarities. “Ghost Notes” and “Beast of Burden” are some of the stronger tracks here. “The New Empire” is gritty and emanates collective power between the members. “Speak in Fire”, “Hate” and “Beast of Burden” have some fantastic solos and diverse riffs to keep things fresh, showcasing some skilled fretwork.

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Michaela Naydenova has returned to the group on drums and delivers some pounding percussion, laying solid groundwork for the riffs. Rolling marches and some classic death-metal blast beats breathe so much heart into “Ghost Notes” and “You Are Not a Hero,” showing very dynamic work and consistency in time signatures. It pairs well with the energy the band delivers as a whole. The energy delivered in “The Call” sends off the song with skilled execution.

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Hel Pyre and Emmelie Herwegh contribute depth with their basslines, with standout moments for the instruments in “Ghost Notes”, “Slave Machine” and “Learn Or Repeat”. Overall the foundations laid shape a sound fit to play in an arena, championing the tracks forward and ensuring at all times the energy remains high.

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Title song “Slave Machine” is iconic and by far the strongest contender of the album, earning its namesake with unfiltered brutality and is a direct strike to the vein. Both opener and closer to this album are unique and suit well, with “Impending Doom” bringing all the atmosphere before a thunderous debut, and “Speak in Fire” surprises with some very unique vocal work from Prika, pulling you back into the album for one last bite.

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Slave Machine is a relentless onslaught of thrash riffs, catchy lyrics and frenetic energy that never ceases throughout its playtime. It is a brutal addition to their repertoire, and while it plays it rather on the safe side with similarity in playstyles, the music has incredible heart and shows a promising future for NERVOSA.

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SCORE 8.5/10

Reviewed by GhostinthearmouR