Just few days before the first ever gig in our country afternoiz.gr interviewed Prika Amaral (PA) and Helena Kotina (HK), members of NERVOSA, one of my favorite thrash metal bands!
Hi, welcome to afternoiz.gr. How are you? The band is currently on tour, right?
(PA) Hi! I’m fine and you? We are not on tour exactly, but we are doing many festivals and single shows.
Nervosa went through a revolutionary line-up change. Out the original member Prika Amaral, everybody has changed. Can you tell me how you got together and how it was the first approach with each other?
(PA) I think we are constantly trying things to have something that really works. This new era of internet doesn’t help so much to know really well the people. And there are a lot of girls that don’t have experience, and when the real professional musician life start they realize they want something different. Most part of the people are not ready to live 90% on the road and making music. But for the other side, internet helped me to know and to connect with these girls. I remember the first time I saw Helena playing guitar, It was insane! And I just thought… I want to have this girl in my band. And I called her and we had a chat. It was awesome and we started to work together “behind the scenes” in 2021. Michaela and Hel Pyre are amazing musicians that I was following them, and when the opportunity came I just called them.
Nervosa’s members are based in different countries. How this impact on the general affairs of the band? What about the cultural differences, if any? (Heavy metal is a universal language, yes)
(HK) Indeed Heavy metal is a universal language and the fact that the members are from different countries makes it interesting. It’s really interesting and enjoyable to exchange information and learning things about other countries.
Could you tell us about your musical formation? I mean, how and when did you start to be interested into music?
(HK) It was around the age of 11 when I caught my self listening and enjoying the music that was coming from my older brothers room. So, by that point and after I really started to dig into things and 1-2 years later I really wanted to play music myself so I picked up the guitar.
What about some of your inspirations/influences?
(HK) For me the biggest inspiration are bands like Scorpions, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Bon Jovi and guitarists lie Michael Schenker, Gary Moore, Ritchie Blackmore and many more of course but let’s say that these are the main.
Your new singles and videos, “Endless Ambition” and “Seed of Death” are – to me – two of best of Nervosa so far. That pinch of death metal flavor is enough to make me put it on top of my choices. (btw Prika Amaral’s vocals are awesome). Can we say that the new album “Jailbreak” (to be released on September) is more oriented on a (very good) mixture of thrash and death metal?
(HK) Absolutely, this album is gonna be a mix of death metal, thrash metal and also one more element that you will realize in out next single.
I have been following the band since the very beginning. You must feel so proud that despite all the setbacks the band has faced over the years, you’re still here and yes, you’ve gained all the success/recognition you deserve.
(PA) I’m very proud of the Nervosa history, and how long the time pass how more I see that we have the best fans in the world. For me success is what you construct, is about what you sacrificed, is about how much you invested, is about to understand that bad conditions make part of the progress to have better things in the future. And the most important thing NEVER GIVE UP.
Nervosa has already played in many countries (Japan included!). Are there any places left you’d still like to go and play?
(HK) Yes, there are places like Australia for example that the band never been there but we would like to go soon!
We are more than excited to see you live in Athens, in September – at last! What can we expect from Nervosa on stage?
(HK) It’s the first time that Nervosa are gonna play in Greece and we wanted that for a long time now. So, the moment has come and we are gonna make it very special for our Greek fans with a powerful set list of old and new tracks and a lot of action on stage.
At last but not least, would you like to share a message with your Greek fans and our readers?
Keep your energy and get ready to dive into moshpit!!!
Thank you for your time!
Wishing you all the best
~ To read the interview in Greek click HERE
Read more about GIMME SHELTER OPEN AIR FEST, Sunday September 3, 2023 @ Technopolis HERE
www.firewind.gr | www.nervosaofficial.com | www.GSFFathens.com | www.tolkki.org
