Band:	Nervosa
Album:	Jailbreak
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	September 29, 2023
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Endless Ambition
02. Suffocare
03. Ungrateful
04. Seed Of Death
05. Jailbreak
06. Sacrifice
07. Behind The Wall
08. Kill Or Die
09. When The Truth Is A Lie [feat. Gary Holt]
10. Superstition Failed [feat. Lena Scissorhands]
11. Gates To The Fall
12. Elements Of Sin
13. Nail The Coffin

Tonight there's going to be a jailbreak, somewhere in this town.

"Endless Ambition" sums up Nervosa well, as despite continuous line-up changes, the band continue to march forward defiantly. Jailbreak marks the return of the (yet again) much-changed Brazilian thrashers, who are seemingly fostering their local scene by virtue of their ex-members forming their own bands, if not by the band's musical impact. Jailbreak is an admirable record considering the circumstances, one that Nervosa can hopefully stabilise around and build upon in coming years.

Nervosa have long been one of those bands who have bubbled away, but not boiled over in terms of quality: an enjoyable listen, with occasional moments that highlight the potential that could eventually be. Jailbreak doesn't (jail)break this cycle, unfortunately; it is a fun listen, but not the breakthrough the band have been threatening for several albums now.

With that said, there are tracks and moments that hit the nail firmly on the head with such a bang (or headbang, if you will) that you remember why you had high hopes coming into the album. "Seed Of Death" is the highpoint of the album, with its morose build-up turning into a tornado of a crescendo, as guitar riffs fly around like debris in said twister. "Behind The Wall" is a death/thrash attack that will lodge itself in your brain, while "Elements Of Sin" and "Kill Or Die" go for the jugular.

It's not that the band do anything terribly, it's that they unfortunately cannot keep the consistency of quality level with the aforementioned tracks. Some of it comes close, like "Suffocare", but others like the title track (with a chorus that sounds like an afterthought) and "Gates To The Fall" fall as short as an asthmatic at an Olympic marathon. While I don't actively avoid either song, I can't say they hold my attention much either, showing shortcomings in their songwriting (which, given the upheaval in line-up, is to be somewhat expected).

Amaral shares a few similarities with Dave Mustaine; she is the last member of the band since its formation, and, while they admirably balance vocal and guitar duties, it's the latter that is their strong suit. While Amaral does have a good, harsh bark on her, it's very one-dimensional and does wear thin after a while. A further similarity shared with Mustaine is that she is also ging... adept at surrounding herself with capable bandmates. Naydenova brings power, groove and personality behind the drum kit, with "Kill Or Die" benefitting greatly from her ability to shift seamlessly between gears.

While Nervosa may not yet be defiantly tearing the bars off of the cell just yet, they are slowly warping them and getting close to breaking free from their constraints. Jailbreak doesn't see the band hit the jackpot just yet, but the band and listeners won't be walking away empty-handed either.