After their show on Monday at Tons of Rock, I had the pleasure of interviewing Prika Amaral, lead singer and founding member of Brazilian thrash/death metal band Nervosa. She turned out to be one of the sweetest, kindest, and most gracious artists I've ever met. As our dialogue was more like an informal conversation than a classic interview, I had to edit it a little to make it work in this format. The wording may have been changed slightly here and there to make it more understandable, but the content is accurate. Some less relevant parts have been omitted to avoid turning the interview into the equivalent of an online novel.

After introductions and such, we dove right in:

Rattus: "I hadn't heard much Nervosa until I saw you guys were coming here. I started listening to it and I was really impressed. I really liked it. From the early demo stuff all the way dow to the newest album. But I did notice that it has evolved somewhat.""

Prika: "Yeah, no, it definitely has."

Rattus: "Can you tell me a little about that evolution? What do you feel has changed since 2012 when you first released that pure Brazilian demo?"

Prika: "Yes. Before there was like a dream from some Brazilian girls. Me, the first drummer, and ..."

Rattus: "Yeah, you two were the founders, right?"

Prika: "Yes. Me, the drummer, and the second guitarist, in the beginning...this was our dream. Then we decided to start a female band, like a thrash metal band. We wanted to be the female Sepultura...a mix of Slayer, Metallica, and Sepultura. That was the idea since the beginning. Then we started to look for some members..."

Rattus: "This was like in the mid 90's I guess?"

Prika: "I started to play guitar in 99. Twenty...Five years ago!"

*Prika seems astonished at how long it has been*

Rattus: "Yeah...I'm just so old, I forget."

*Prika guffaws*

Prika: "25 years ago, I started playing guitar. But, no. We met each other in 2010."

Rattus: "Yeah. Of course. The demo was 2012. What was I thinking?"

Prika: "Yeah. But when we finally found the right singer...that was Fernanda, she left the band later. We could finally book the band to play on the road...because you need a singer. And the curious thing is that the drummer, who was also called Fernanda, always said, 'You have to be the singer!' And I always refused, saying, "No, I am not a singer. I play guitar and I want to concentrate on playing guitar. I'd like to do some backing vocals. I can do that, but I don't want to be the singer." She said OK, and accepted that. Then we found Fernanda, who was a good singer and also played bass. That solved the problem. Back then none of us was very experienced. I had been in a lot of bands, but they were super underground bands. Nothing professional at all. I hadn't had much opportunity to play live shows, or to record an album, so it was something we were learning on each tour. and each album. I think all of us, we learned a lot, and grew a lot. And that is reflected in our music. I think we are reaching the level where we always wanted to be. So now we have more tools...we can invest in more stuff, we have more time, we have more experience at playing. We play better, you know, so that reflects in the music also."

*Prika laughs*

Rattus: "You've also had a whole lot of rotation in the band. You're the only one left...of the original founders. And, I mean, with any band, you have people that come into the band who have their own creative vision. It doesn't always match the creative vision of the established band or the people that run the band. Did that become an issue for you?"

Prika: "No, I think for the compositions and for the style, it always worked very well, because I think Nervosa is open. We play a kind of thrash metal that is mixed with death metal, and also has a lot of influences from black metal, classical heavy metal, and punk. So we're a mix of everything. So there is space for everyone to bring in their own influences. The problem here, is I think, to find someone who wants to really live only with this. It is not easy at all. Play rock, it's hard. Play metal, it's hard. You know?"

*Prika laughs*

Rattus: "And to mix it in with punk and death and everything else, and then be able to play all of them all well...""

Prika: "Yeah. All the girls are fabulous musicians. But to actually live their entire lives for this, it can be really hard. Sometimes you think that you are able to do it but when but when you start to live this way, you discover that it's not exactly what you want. You don't want to play that often and nowadays with the metal scene having changed, it's very necessary for a band to to survive and grow to play a lot."

Rattus: "Yeah. You have to tour all the time."

Prika: "All the time! And you have to always remind people that you are here, that you exist. And also, if you are a musician that wants to live like that...you have to be willing to sacrifice. You will have everyone and everything against you. Sometimes people don't want to fight for that. Or they prefer to do things a different way...they believe it's possible to do things in a different way. And I think that's why we've had some members go and then come back. But anyways, I'm very happy give opportunities to women, you know?"

Rattus: "Yeah. I've noticed that you have collaborated with male musicians, but your line-up has always been entirely female.

Prika: "I feel a kind of responsibility [to keep the band all female], because men, they have like all the possibilities. But women, they have few possibilities. You know? Of course, the male bands can call them. Yes. Of course. But all female bands? There are still very few. We are one of the only opportunities for women. So why would we recruit men? I feel responsible for giving opportunities to women."

Rattus: "And there are so many amazing female musicians..."

Prika: "Yeah!"

Rattus: "...that are so talented...

Prika: "And I do it all the time. That's why we have so many line-up changes. And I'm proud of that, because we're showing the world [it's possible]."

Rattus: "I shot the first three songs, and I was flabberghasted, because a lot of people are great on studio albums, but then they're worthless on stage. You know? But there was a raw energy there that..."

Prika: "Yeah. I think that if you play a lot it's good for that. Rehearsals are something different than playing live. Because we've done so many tours over the years, let's say 10 years of activity, more than that, 12 years of intense activity with Nervosa. It all contributes [to what we have achieved]."

Rattus: "And of course, it's harder for a woman to get into an established band...

Prika: "Yes."

Rattus: "And if it is a male band it's always harder to tour than it is with a female band, because just the logistics of it becomes more..."

Prika:" "I don't really see much of a difference...It all depends more on personality. For example, you have girls that are assholes and you also have guys that are assholes. If you are with nice people, male or female, it doesn't matter. I think it's gonna work. You know?"

Rattus: "Because I was wondering if you felt that you guys have, you know, hit some brick walls along the way because you're female? That it was harder for you guys?"

Prika: "Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's easier. For example, promoting the band is easier because we attract attention as an all female band and there are still very few bands like us. But on the other hand it's harder to get respect. Sometimes, even nowadays after all these years, some guys still think, 'Ah, they're not that big. They're not that professional. [Let them] play with whatever.' So sometimes you have to impose yourself. Sometimes, not everywhere, when it comes to technical things, I say something, but I have to call over one of the males that works with us to say the same thing before they take it seriously. And it sucks. But I feel things are getting better."

Rattus: "Yeah, I have three daughters, so I'm very happy the world is changing."

Prika: "Yeah. But we still need to keep working."

Rattus: "We have a long way to go, but at least we're on the right path."

Prika: "If you understand the business, and accept the situation, and understand your importance, and work toward that, things can be lighter. It doesn't need to be that bad. It sucks, yeah, it sucks, but I'm used to it and I think it's a kind of education, you know, because after the show the same guy that did this bullshit, came back and said, 'Wow!' We changed his mind. Because he never saw a female band play for a crowd that large or play that kind of music."

Rattus: Death metal isn't exactly flooded with female representation. Not that you play only death metal. I understand that. But I'm talking about the growling...that aspect of...the gutteral vocalizations".

Prika: "Yeah."

Rattus: "Which by the way, I wanted to ask you about. What does it feel like to go from being a normal person, like you are right now, to being able to just let out all the freaking rage and all the freaking emotion and raw power that you have inside you, and to not only have it be ok, but to have people love it?"

Prika: "I think, naturally, I'm a rebel soul." *laughs* "I think the singer side was always inside me. I discoverd that recently."

Rattus: "But you were the singer for a short while in the beginning as well, right?"

Prika: "No. I only did backing vocals."

Rattus: "I think Wikipedia has that wrong."

Prika: "No. I had a punk band, a hardcore band 20 years ago. It was in 2004. I was the second voice, not the main singer. I was doing like screaming, gutteral...you know, whatever. Without technique. Without emotion. We did a few shows. I wouldn't really consider myself having been a singer then. But it was an introduction and I became a backup vocalist. Because I saw, 'OK, I can do it.'"

Rattus: "Because it's obvious you can do vocals too, I mean..."

*Prika laughs*

Prika: "I didn't know! And I've enjoyed the process so much! It has been so comfortable and it came so easily. That surprised me, because I was not expecting that."

Rattus: "I suspect you get much more of that release as well. Of course, when you're playing guitar you get a release for the musical side, but that rage that you can release through the growling...I suspect that must be a great feeling."

Prika: "Yes. I'm enjoying it. I'm still discovering my skills as a singer. Every show I do, I test new stuff. I do little details differently. To explore what I can do. I'm enjoying the process. I'm super exited for the next album...to use the new stuff I've learned."

Rattus: "Have you started recording stuff with the new line-up yet?"

Prika: "The most recent album was recorded with the new line-up. And we're going to cut another one very soon. And I'm super exited to use my new skills as a singer. I'm still discovering, learning, and I'm really enjoying this universe."

Rattus: "It seems like you've finally gotten where you wanted to go 20 years ago, or 15 years ago."

Prika: "I never wanted to be a singer. Never. We had..."

Rattus: "I meant for Nervosa."

Prika: "Yes! For example, we had a complete line-up change in 2020. Fernanda left the band...the singer...and I had the opportunity to be the singer. But I didn't even think about it. I kept telling myself I wasn't a singer and that I wasn't ready for that. Now when we changed line-up again, I wanted more stability, because changing singer is always a hard thing."

Rattus: "Yeah. It can redefine the band."

Prika: "Yeah. I didn't know if I could do it, so I called a friend of mine, a teacher, and she was like 'Of course you can do it. You're already doing the backing vocals and it's working great. Don't worry, you know the technique.' I said 'I do?' and she said 'Yeah.' So I said, 'OK let's try.' And when I did it came so naturally. I was like, 'Wow! I can do it. So I'll be the next singer then.'"

Rattus: "Sometimes you just gotta say, 'What the fuck?', and try. And, you know, sometimes you surprise yourself.

Prika: "Yes! Exactly! But I'm enjoying it so much and I'm super happy that the people, the fans, like it. They are enjoying it. That goes a long way in keeping me happy and making me put my best energy forward to keep working hard."

Rattus: "Well, I'm really enjoying it and I'm looking forward to hearing more. But I've stolen a lot of your time now..."

Prika: "No! It's OK. It's all good."

Rattus: "But before we wrap it up, is there something you'd like to add?"

Prika: "I'd just like to say this is one of the happiest days of my life! I have to say it. We did a great show. One of the best shows Nervosa has done, actually. And the crowd was perfect. It was packed. And we're playing with Metallica. IThey're the band that made me play guitar. I grabbed the guitar for the first time and the first riff that I played was by Metallica. It was 'Seek and Destroy.'"

Rattus: "And now you're playing the same festival."

Prika: "And I'm gonna see them for the first time!"

Rattus: "Oh, you've never seen them before?"

Prika: "No, because I'm from Brazil and the ticket prices are really high there. They don't come often, and by the time I could afford tickets, I wasn't in Brazil because I was traveling with Nervosa.

Rattus: "That's awesome. Well, thanks for your time."

Prika: "Thank you."

Rattus: "And have fun at Metallica."

Prika: "WOHOO!"

Interview performed by Rattus Petrificus on June 26th, 2024 at Tons of Rock.