(Live Review) NERVOSA + SUPPORT - Chicago, IL (10/13/24)
By
The Beard & Little Johnny
Welcome friends, fans, and followers to show #65 and bands #215-218 of our 2024 tour. Tonight, we are at Reggie’s Rock House on the south side of Chicago for some thrash metal featuring Nervosa, Lich King, Hatriot and Baphomet. This will be the final night of their north American tour and after thirty-eight dates in seven weeks, this one should be a let-it-all-out kind of affair here in the windy city.
Arriving at Reggie’s, the Beard went in to grab a chicken sandwich and a beer pre-show while Little Johnny took off like a shot as soon as we exited the metal bus. About the time I was finishing, he emerged with two VIP lanyards in his hands and said, “Beard, put these on and let’s go in. I’ll introduce you to the ladies.” Now, I had been to see Nervosa four previous times, the first and second shows were way back in 2016 during their very first North American tour. Those were years before I had met Little Johnny.
On that second show, the club manager had gotten me back to meet and get a quick photo opportunity with guitarist and band leader Prika Amaral. Shows three & four have been in recent years and both times while Little Johnny definitely seemed to enjoy a mighty good relationship with these South American, Italian and Greek ladies of thrash, he had never invited me along, so I was excited to get another opportunity to meet Prika and a first opportunity to meet the others.
We went into the club and the ladies were standing near the stage. Right away Prika walked up and shook my hand thanking me for coming out to the show and introducing the rest of the ladies, Helena Kotina (guitars), Gabriela Abud (Drums), and Natalie Nova (who was filling in on bass this tour.) All the ladies were friendly although Gabriela was pretty quiet. They gave us some swag and signed posters then posed for a few group photos. I talked a bit with Prika about the first time I met her and although of course she did not remember me, she remembered that first American tour and playing all small clubs while traveling in a van with four ladies and all their stuff for over a month while playing almost every night.
It was great to have this opportunity and given it was the final night of the tour, the ladies seemed relaxed and ready to hit the stage. A little before seven, their handler appeared and said, “Sorry, I have to be the bad guy now and take the girls away, but you guys can just hang in here until the show starts.” I took the opportunity to grab a chair upstairs while Johnny went to the bar for an IPA and then headed towards the stage front.
First up this evening, Chicago’s own ...
BAPHOMET
Baphomet, a Chicago band, not part of the tour group, was supporting their EP Year of the Dragon and got the chance to play a short twenty-minute opening set. Baphomet were not quite full-on thrash but close, as they hit the stage with their title track, "Year of the Dragon". Semi clear vocals, but no real style to them. Decent playing on guitar and rhythm, but clearly this band needs some more stage time. That said, I have seen a lot of worse openers this year and this was certainly a nice opportunity for them to get some live time in front of a metal loving audience.
Their second number was speed/thrash pace. The lyrics were still semi legible to the ear, but this was not a top-notch singer. The crowd was moderately appreciative but no pits during their short set.
Johnny, what did you think? “I liked the fast parts Beard.”
I think Baphomet could be an early “day one” Randy Kastner Blades of Steel fest band, but they probably are not going to make the cut at Bob Byrnes Legions of Metal festival just yet. They are doing the correct thing though as practice makes perfect. I will go 72/100.
HATRIOT
While Hatriot was formed all the way back in 2011, they have been a different band since 2016 when Zetro Souza went back to singing for Exodus and his son Cody took over vocalist duties. Rebranding themselves melodic death metal, Hatriot has toured relentlessly since 2022.
Almost never stopping and generating one new album in 2022 with another due out next year Hatriot is working for success. Since the beginning of this latest tour, (thirty-eight dates ago), Hatriot has already improved their entrance and stage play. While I still struggle with Cody Souza’s vocals, musically they were much tighter sounding than at Blades of Steel on day one of their 2024 tour.
Cody Souza has still apparently never met a sentence that the word fuck didn’t fit into. If he got paid ten bucks every time he said it, that band could retire after one tour. Hatriot though played a far cleaner and showier set this time with nice leads from Kosta Varvatakis. I enjoyed them much more on this second viewing.
The vocals still keep them from crack a cold one status, but they certainly improved from their Madison first date show and the Chicago crowd enjoyed them. Beard grade 82/100.
LICH KING
Also musically tighter, Lich King got a pit going on song number one. Zachary Smith’s voice is high pitched and not very clear, but his energy is infectious and the guitar work by Nick Timney was particularly good. This was high energy thrash and these guys have something. Although Tom Martin allegedly still writes the music, he no longer performs, leaving drummer Brian Westbrook the only original member of Lich King.
Like with Hatriot, the vocals are the main thing keeping me from crack a cold one status with these guys. Little Johnny loved them though and now definitely requires at least a couple cold ones after that mosh performance. The Beard will say 86/100 for a good set tonight.
NERVOSA
Nervosa live review
Final night of the tour ferocity from Prika Amaral who spat her lyrics like an Indian King Coba spits its venom. Helena Kotina tore the guitar up from the side, and Natalie Nova, (after thirty-eight dates with the girls), played her parts tight and loose at the same time. The sound was good, and she moved about the stage relaxed this show after being kind of stiff at that first gig in Madison.
Nervosa let it all out tonight and on tracks like “Kill the Silence” (which Prika dedicated to ladies everywhere suffering at the hands of abusers), and “Masked Betrayer” she sang so fiercely her eyes almost flashed like some ancient goddess each time she flipped back her waist long blonde hair to lean into the mic and growl the next verse. The Beard was close a few times to joining Little Johnny down in the Pit but then decided I still wanted my hips, knees, and teeth right where they were. Go little dude go!
Nervosa has greatly improved their band synchronization and movement. Apparently the two-month thirty-eight show tour sharpened them, and their show looked far more polished every time the three ladies moved as one unit. Stage presence is a real thing and while in a meet and greet, Prika Ameral spoke sweetly, politely, and genuinely appears to appreciate her fans, once on that stage she becomes a woman who would possibly punch you in the throat if you jumped up there.
She sang tonight with fury, but her ladies also held up their end. This set was packed with songs that left the accelerator stomped on. No ballads of love were going to be found anywhere on the setlist this evening. “Death,” “Nail the Coffin” “Venomous” and “Kill or Die” were a few of the choices of the evening and no prisoners were being taken. The Beard is cracking a cold one before these ladies take it out of my hand and beat me to death with it. A very cool finish to the tour. 92/100 for Nervosa.
After a few minutes talking metal with a new friend I met at the show (shout out to Jason Dyjak), I headed down to find Little Johnny. Not seeing him on the floor, I inquired, showed security my pass, and sure enough I found the lad backstage. When I told him it was time to go, one Nervosa lady (who will remain nameless for privacy reasons) smiled at Johnny and said, “See you next tour Johnny three times.” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow saying, “Johnny three times?” He smiled sheepishly, shrugged, and said, “Beard you know how it is.” He then looked concerned adding, “Well, I guess probably not anymore at your age, but I bet you know how it was right?” “Go sit on a pineapple Johnny.”
So, this wrapped up act #65 and bands #215-218 of 2024. Remember to catch us every week at your home for metal, The Mighty Decibel @themightydecibel.com. Catch all the videos of all the shows on our TikTok site @ thebeard0728, and for all the nonmetal reviews friend and follow Mark McQueen on Facebook. Until next time this is the Beard and “apparently” Little Johnny three times saying Live Life, Stay Heavy and of course Horns Up.
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