🎶 Nervosa
🌎Sao Paolo, Brazil
📀 Slave Machine
® Napalm Records
📅 03/04/2026

Across most articles, NERVOSA are still described as a “Brazilian” band, mainly due to their founder Prika Amaral. In reality, however, the group has evolved into a fully international metal act, with members from different countries: Brazil, Bulgaria (Michaela Naydenova), the Netherlands (Emmelie Herwegh), and Greece, with Helena Kotina and Hel Pyre adding a strong Greek imprint to the band’s sound.

“Slave Machine” is the band’s sixth full-length album and the second to feature Amaral on vocals, confirming that this decision—already proving successful on “Jailbreak”—was not merely functional, but pivotal to the band’s evolution. Here, Amaral moves beyond her trademark aggressive growls, occasionally incorporating cleaner vocal passages that broaden the album’s expressive range. At its core, the record remains rooted in NERVOSA’s signature guitar-driven approach, built on sharp, aggressive riffs, with Helena Kotina standing out as one of the most compelling guitarists of her generation in the modern metal scene.

With a runtime of approximately 45 minutes and 12 tracks—most of them short and explosive—”Slave Machine” maintains an intense, relentless flow. Listening to it feels like a kickboxing match: a barrage of quick, sharp blows delivered without pause until total exhaustion sets in. Highlights include the opening track “Impending Doom,” with its gradually escalating dark intro, “Beast Of Burden,” one of the most powerful moments not only on the album but in the band’s catalog overall, and “The Call,” which stands out thanks to its distinctive rhythmic pattern and standout riffing.

However, the decision to include 12 tracks somewhat affects the album’s cohesion. As it progresses, a sense of repetition begins to emerge, causing some genuinely inspired ideas to get lost within the overall density of the material.

Even so, “Slave Machine” remains an album that honors its thrash and death metal roots, while incorporating a modern production and subtle experimental touches that never compromise the band’s identity—the very identity that has set them apart for over 15 years.

Ultimately, “Slave Machine” is another strong release from a band that has yet to deliver a mediocre album. With a now stable lineup and clearly defined roles, NERVOSA seem poised to keep evolving and reaching even greater heights.

★ 8/10
✍🏻 Kostas Boudoukos