Live Review: Nervosa - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
20th May 2023
Support: Elyrean, Plaguemace, Born Zero
Words: Cat Finch
Photos: Tim Finch
It’s KK’s Steel Mill on a Thursday night and it’s time to thrash! The bullet belts and high-tops are out in force tonight as Nervosa are in town, along with the mad-capped Plaguemace and local thrash legends Elyrean plus openers Born Zero. It’s fair to say there will be a lot of heads banging and fists pumping over the next few hours.
It’s been a while since Born Zero last crossed our paths and they’ve developed a lot since then. A mix of groove, nu-metal and thrash, the locals get the party started in style. Vocalist Levi a whirlwind of energy on stage as the band kick off with ‘Bad Omens’. Its an energy the emanates through the band and the crowd resulting in a high octane thirty minute set and a great way to start the evening.
Next up we have one of the best unsigned thrash bands in the country, if not THE best, Elyrean. They add technicality to their thrash sound setting them a step above their compatriots on the scene.
It’s the first time The Razor’s Edge has taken in the band with their new line up; guitarist Will Edwards steps up on vocal duties and Joshua Richardson joins the band on bass. The immediate effect is a richer vocal sound, deeper, more visceral and one that adds to the darkness as the band progress through ‘A Crown of Flesh and Bone’ and ‘Perpetually Entombed’ – the bands latest single.
The crowd get into it but the set is all too short, closed by their now classic ‘Blackened The Sun’, we have been treated it half an hour of the finest British thrash you can wrap your ears around!
Plaguemace are a whole different ball game. The Dutch death metal outfit pride themselves on living on the edge, and from the off vocalist Andreas Truelsen is running across the stage, up the walls (literally) and jumping into the crowd.
The rest of the band also live up to the billing and in between the antics on and off the stage, some decent death metal shines through. With just a single and an EP under their belts there is not much material to chose from and most of their recorded work gets an airing, ‘Brothelhem’ stands out as a raging death metal classic and the whole performance is a breath of fresh air.
The evening has flown by and it’s time for our headliners, Brazilian death metal onslaught Nervosa. The atmosphere rises in anticipation of the bands imminent arrival, the room has filled up, and everyone is ready for a moshin’ good time!
Opening with ‘Perpetual Chaos’ the band pummel the crowd with wave after wave of razor sharp riffs. A smile across the faces of all four women show they are loving their time on stage and the fans reactions to them. An exquisite guitar solo from Helena leads us into ‘Rebel Soul’ and ‘Venomous’, the crowd are loving it, their heads are banging and the pit is whipping up a frenzy.
All too soon the end is nigh, ‘Guided by Evil’, ‘Endless Ambition’ and ‘Under Ruins’ round out a great night at the home of metal in Wolverhampton.
Photo credits: Tim Finch Photography
