Nervosa’s Prika Amaral Plays Her Favorite Guitar Riffs

In this edition of Gear Factor, self-taught guitarist of Nervosa, Prika Amaral, discusses how learning to play on her own gave her a more unique sound.

The guitarist says she never had a teacher and while she attempted over time to play to a specific technique, Prika always preferred her own style. “I tried to change the way that I played but I think this technically makes me different and I like it,” says Amaral, who shows off her picking.

Prika also takes us back in time to reveal how thrash took hold at a young age. “The first riff that made me want to play guitar was just a little piece from the song ‘Seek and Destroy’ from Metallica. When I listened to the this I was ‘Ahhh’ just completely crazy. I just really need to learn to play this entire riff and then I learned this.”

She also credits the entire Kill 'Em All album as the most important recording that inspired her playing, then giving us a bit of "The Four Horsemen" as well.

Metallica's Bay Area brothers Exodus also loomed large for Prika early in life. “The riff that I most like to play is ‘Bonded by Blood’ by Exodus. Gary Holt is one of my favorite guitarists and he contributed a lot to my right hand. I can play this for an entire day, 'cause I just love this.”

Digging into her own music, Amaral revealed that the first song she ever played in full ended up being one of her band's first recordings — "Masked Betrayer." The track was initially intended for another group, but after it got rejected, she brought it to the forefront of Nervosa's early days.

For fans of Nervosa, you'll enjoy how this clip ends as Prika not only shares more of "Masked Betrayer" and another older favorite, "Kill the Silence," but digs deep with an impressive array of riffs from the group's new Perpetual Chaos album. Take a listen to bits of "Guided By Evil," "Venomous," "Rebel Soul," "King of Domination" and lastly, "Under Ruins," which just debuted today (Jan. 19).

Watch the full Gear Factor episode below and if you like what you hear, Nervosa's Perpetual Chaos album is currently available for pre-order here (As Amazon affiliates, we earn on qualifying purchases). The album drops Jan. 22.