NervoChaos – Dug Up (Diabolical Reincarnations)

Dug Up (Diabolical Reincarnations) Album Cover Art

NervoChaos – Dug Up (Diabolical Reincarnations)
Xenokorp
Release Date: 19/11/2021
Running Time:37:39
Review by Victor Augusto
8.5/10

For passion, Not Fashion! Yes. This phrase, taken from one of the NervoChaos song, is perfect to describe what this band represents for the Brazilian Heavy Metal scene, and also worldwide! Hello again my friends and readers of my nonsense thoughts. Today, I am very honoured to have this legendary band to talk about. I am happy not only because of their importance for our scene, but also happy to be fortunate enough to have followed them for a pretty long time. Before I really starts to describe the phonographic material, I must describe a picture of the environment NervoChaos have grown from along their 25 years on the road.

If you think it is hard to keep a band active for so long time, you have no idea how hard it is to achieve it in Brazil. Especially for Death Metal bands. Many are the obstacles that NervoChaos have faced throughout these decades. Firstly, to record a good album, with this style, in the late nineties, was not an easy or a cheap task. The equipment they had to use when playing on tour and at the Heavy Metal venues (the underground ones) was awful (maybe still is). Roads in Brazil are terrible and dangerous so not good at all for a band in a van/bus travelling hours and hours between each city. And the country is also huge, which makes everything worse.

And that’s only the logistic! I am not considering all the other issues like dishonest promoters failing to pay the bands, and the daily living among members when you’re on an extended tour. Line-up changes are something that have tracked NervoChaos’ career. Each of the three NervoChaos concerts I’ve been to were with different line-ups. But even with this chaotic scenario, the band has never stopped. They are always releasing new albums and have been going on long tours around the world for many years. Put this success that the band has strived for and conquered, allied with a loyalty to their fans and for their music, and it’s easy to see how they survived and became so respected.

“But what about the album, Victor?”. Ok, let’s talk about it. Like the title suggests, we are in front of re-recorded songs from their first 4 albums, which were all originally released between 1998 and 2010, along with one bonus track from “The Art of Vengeance” (2014). Instead of just putting out a “best of” or a collection of albums, they decided to show what NervoChaos is nowadays, as a band. Following their pattern of album recordings, this one represents their attitude on stage. It is like a live album, but recorded in a studio. I felt it because it sounds like they have gone straight into the studio, and just plugged their instruments in and played. There aren’t so many studio tweaks like there would be with a new album, but it is still pretty good, clean and true to the music.

Musically I must mention a few elements that I consider NervoChaos trademarks. Even though Death Metal is the main style, there are few Thrash additions, like the beginning of ‘I Hate Your God’. I like the work on riffs, not too many complications or too much virtuosity, but keeping a good technique. The drum work is another positive aspect which holds things together, because Edu Lane (The only original member) plays in a good pace and changes the rhythms. A highlight for him is on ‘Upside Down Cross’, where he plays an amazing drum intro. The result of all this is you will always have brutal and aggressive music, but not over exacerbated in the way extreme bands use to do.

For me, as a fan who has followed them since 2012, it’s almost impossible to not go nuts hearing the classic track ‘Pazuzu is Here’. It makes me feel like I am seeing them on stage. By the way, it is the best thing on this album. It really does give the feeling of hearing them live! The closing track ‘The Devil’s Work’ shows how is possible to increase the satanic and blasphemous atmosphere just with guitars, bass, drums and a powerful vocal. 

25 insane years of underground persistence from a band who has never stopped playing brutal Metal all around the world! Line-up changes, members who passed away, discrimination in countries with strongly religious orientations, and many other battles they’ve fought; And no-one was able to keep them down. While NervoChaos haven’t released a book to tell every bit of history they lived (and I think they should), you can enjoy “Dug Up (Diabolical Reincarnations)” to get an idea of what NervoChaos are all about.

Cheers!

‘Pazuzu Is Here’ – Official Audio

TRACKLISTING:
01. I Hate Your God
02. Envy
03. Putrid Pleasures
04. Pazuzu Is Here
05. Mighty Justice
06. Upside Down Cross
07. The Urge to Feel Pain
08. Dark Chaotic Destruction
09. Nervochaos
10. Pure Hemp
11. Scavengers of the Underworld
12. Perish Slowly
13. The Devil’s Work

LINE-UP:
Brian Stone – Vocals
Luiz “Quinho” Parisi – Guitars
Wesley Johann – Guitars
Pedro Lemes – Bass
Edu Lane – Drums

LINKS:

NervoChaos Promo Pic

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Victor Augusto and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

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