Nervosa - Victim of Yourself (2014)

   For Nervosa it didn't take too much time after their formation to get a contract from Napalm Records and to become the second biggest worldwide known metal band from Brazil after Sepultura. 
   Their success lied on two factors. First of all, thrash metal was pretty much forced into the background since decades, and there was a tendency in the underground since the late '00s to bring back the style of the early '90s, that was mainly focused on old school death metal, but eventually black and thrash metal were slowly involved as well. Later this tendency infiltrated into the mainstream too in strongly restricted form, mainly by the return of bigger bands of the '90s. Of course ordinary thrash metal couldn't have much chance to gain wider attention, it had to be more aggressive, and Nervosa's death metal influenced thrashing proved to be as a great style pick. Their lyrics also reflected the same social issues and rebelling attitude that have been so usual for thrash metal back then in the '80s, but as the world have changed in some level in the need for more aggressive music, from another perspective the world didn't change at all, for such lyrics didn't lose from their validity. And soon it became evident that Nervosa wasn't joking, they've been impressively active and productive, by playing live literally anywhere they could, and they did their best no matter if they had to play before a few dozens or thousands of people. This is the main thing that could give real authenticity for a band. Also, in the '90s it wasn't new, but still it counted as extraordinary in the underground to see female members in a metal band, but a full female lineup was something else. The whole thing wasn't rare anymore in the '10s, not even in the mainstream, but nearly demanded by the audience, thanks to bands like Arch Enemy and several metalcore bands. And even though their musical approach wasn't so feminine by growling female vocal style, their music in general was still mainly for sissies so to say. Also the whole thing strongly relied on their sexualized appearance like in pop music. And then came Nervosa with their high quality old school thrashing and wilder appearance, that proved to be way more credible and evergreen the same time. It's still strongly improbable that a band with male lineup playing the same music could run the same career as Nervosa did, but that couldn't reduce their self-dedication and efforts to bring back thrash metal for wider audiences in a world that seemingly became more opened and accepting, but the same time maybe even more superficial and ignorant than ever. As in case of evolution and biology it used to be said: "life will find a way", for the mainstream scene it could be converted as: "metal will find a way".