Nervosa Brings “The Great American Jailbreak Tour 2024” to Sacramento
Prika Amaral of NERVOSA
September 11, 2024 - Brazil's female metal band Nervosa brought their Great American Jailbreak Tour 2024 to Harlow’s in Sacramento last night and it was the best Tuesday night I have had in awhile! This is the thrash metal band's first North American headlining tour, which began in August and runs through mid-October. The tour spans the U.S. and Canada, hitting cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal, and Toronto (and, thankfully, Sacramento!).
The tour supports NERVOSA’s 2023 album Jailbreak, which has received praise for its raw, high-energy thrash sound and socially charged lyrics. The tour presents an electrifying show filled with fast riffs, intense drumming, and a powerful stage presence that is NERVOSA. The album speaks to breaking free from societal constraints and empowering self-determination. The tour is especially significant given Nervosa's evolution and lineup changes over the years, with PRIKA AMARAL now taking on vocal duties in addition to her role as lead guitarist. NERVOSA was supported by fellow thrash acts Vapor, Lich King and Hatriot. The bands did not disappoint! If you get a chance to see this tour, take it. You won't regret it.
Since I missed Vapor, I will start with HATRIOT, a thrash, heavy metal, death metal band from Oakland. CODY SOUZA, lead vocals and bad ass bassist along with the band, tore Harlow's in Sacramento up! This was my first HATRIOTIC experience so I couldn't tell you the name of the songs and I couldn't find their setlist (I looked) taped to the stage. But I was alone in this. The entire crowd sang almost every word to almost every song. I can tell you the band has the classic thrash sound with extremely powerful drumming, and high energy riffs. Since I was new to the HATRIOT scene, I dug up a little history: The band is from Oakland, California and was founded in 2011 by former Exodus singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and guitarist KOSTA VARVATAKIS. Due to other commitments, SOUZA left and since 2015, the band has been fronted by his son, CODY SOUZA with his other son NICOLAS SOUZA on the drums. VARVATAKIS and MIGUEL ESPARZA are on guitar, rounding out the band. Their set on this tour left the audience sweaty and ready for more.
Enter LICH KING! Formed in 2009, this band also has the classic thrash metal sound. Singer ZACH SMITH, vocals for LICH KING entertained the masses. Their style is old school thrash and the band is more playful with their lyrics than that of headliners NERVOSA, which made for an interesting pairing for this tour. The band consists of SMITH, along with BRIAN WESTBROOK on drums, JOE NICKERSON on guitar, NICK TIMNEY on lead guitar, and MIKE DREHER on bass. Again, the masses were pleased, singing along to almost every song.
Nervosa, Harlow's Sacramento, CA 9.10.24
Finally, the stage was ready for the all female new wave thrash band NERVOSA. Lead singer PRIKA AMARAL took the mic like she had been fronting the band since its formation. This is the first time the band has been on a headline tour and you could tell they are definitely in their element. AMARAL’s vocals are powerful and combined with riffs that blister and a mesmerizing stage presence fans get an in your face, punk-like “We are not going to take it” attitude (just look at some of the lyrics of the song “Jailbreak”:
“March to the beat
of your heart
This is your destiny’s call
No need to compromise
Be your own god.”
Overall, The Great American Jailbreak Tour headliners NERVOSA, along with VAPOR, HATRIOT, and LICH KING kicked bootie. NERVOSA consists of AMARAL on guitar and vocals, ELENI NOTA on the drum kit, HELENA KOTINA on guitar, and NATALIE NOVA on bass. I give this tour 9 out of 10 horns! Go see them. Support live music!
Lich King at Harlow's Sacramento, CA 9-10-24
