Introducing: Nothisera

Portuguese band Nothisera was formed with the goal of creating innovative music that would entertain but also challenge the minds of listeners. And they certainly challenge our perceptions with a haunting, intense but intoxicating death metal meets groove metal sound that they describe as “aggressive, progressive and reflective.”

The Oporto quintet, formed of Gonçalo Figueiredo (vocals), Filipe Barbosa and João Freitas (guitar), Davide Carneiro (bass) and Luís Araújo (drums), have crafted a style that draws on a myriad of references and refuses to conform to stereotypes.

The band was first started by Filipe, who’d been involved in several projects that hadn’t fully satisfied him musically and set out to build an innovative new project combining aggressiveness and progressiveness. He first recruited Gonçalo, who delivered the desired aggressive vocals, before bringing in progressive rock and metal lovers Luís and João and completing the lineup with Davide, who brought a melodic foundation that ties the rhythm section together and provides a bridge between the drums and guitars.

And on the sound they’ve honed since, Luís told us: “Our sound is a fusion of Death Metal and Groove Metal, infused with progressive elements and a raw emotional core. It’s heavy, thought-provoking, and always evolving, with a focus on challenging musical norms and engaging listeners on both an emotional and intellectual level.”

To get a taste for this, the band sent us the unsettling Gold Disease, the closing track of their debut EP Edicius I, which was released in 2023. The track opens up with haunting high-pitched instrumentals with an ominous low background noise, which is joined by drawn-out guitars, then rolling percussion and little cymbal hits. It suddenly descends into darkness with faster guitars and driving drums, which are joined by a fearsome prolonged growl. It drops into chugging guitars and a sinister synth as Gonçalo’s gruff vocals take over, and faster drums drive us into a wild chorus.

A second chorus ends with intense dual vocals and big driving drums, which ends with a few cymbal crashes. The darkness ramps up a level with crushing guitars and cymbals under Gonçalo’s terrifying vocals bringing the track to a vicious conclusion.

On the track, Luís said: “The reception has been incredibly positive, with listeners resonating with its raw emotional energy. One of the things we were most worried about was whether anyone would understand the usage of the repetition form in this musical sentence, but people have been connecting to it.

“For anyone who hasn’t heard it yet, the track explores a person grappling with deep internal anguish, disillusionment, and resentment. In the song, the character feels trapped in a cycle of hatred and regret, although it hints at a latent resilience and a faint belief in something better. The rawness of these emotions appears to stem from betrayal, loss, or existential despair, while the concept of ‘gold disease’ suggests a rejection of superficial values in favor of something deeper and more meaningful. Just try to imagine how all of that would sound in your head – and how we’d deliver it. That’s what we’re all about.”

Gold Disease concludes a fascinating four-track EP, that begins in style with the excellent Unbalanced Liberty. A prolonged introduction gives way to a delicious bouncy riff, which continues under a big scream and is joined by a higher-pitched lick then into a powerful opening verse. That flows into a cool combination of dual vocals, which drop into chugging guitars and fun rolling drums before gathering pace towards a pretty intense conclusion.

A droning synth sound that ends the first track flows into the second, We’re (slaves of) one (another), before knocking sounds that slightly terrified me the first time I listened with headphones on! A spinning riff creeps in and is joined by rolling drums and a chunky riff. Intense vocals take over, before clean vocals in a powerful chorus, which extends into prolonged clean vocals second time around. That’s followed by an engaging call and response section between the growled and clean vocals to bring the track to an end. Equally good is the lively Neo, which jumps straight into intense guitars and drums that continue under wild vocals, before a chorus led by engaging clean vocals. And the track comes to a powerful conclusion led by a fun solo.

The band is following up on that impressive debut with its second EP, Edicius II, in the next couple of months, with a preview possibly available later this month. On the new record, Luís told us: “We’re incredibly excited to share this new chapter with our fans. The EP continues the narrative from Edicius I, but ventures into new sonic territory, exploring styles we haven’t previously touched. It’s more dynamic and expansive, offering a bridge between both releases. It definitely gets a bit more on the progressive side, as well.”

As mentioned, the Nothisera sound is influenced by a wide range of styles and genres. It was formed on a foundation of heavy death metal and groove metal but the next EP will delve into more technical areas, such as progressive rock and metal. But they pinpoint bands like Gojira, Opeth, and Meshuggah and the musical elements of the likes of King Crimson, Genesis, Rush and Porcupine Tree.

And on what inspires them to write music, Luís told us: “Our music is deeply influenced by the human experience – grappling with emotions like betrayal, loss, existential despair, and the search for meaning. Themes of resilience, critical thinking, and rejecting superficial values in favor of deeper truths are central to our writing. Music is our way of expressing both the struggle and the hope that comes with being human.”

Nothisera certainly delivered on their goal to create innovative, thought-provoking music with their debut EP and we’re excited to hear its follow-up. The band is currently focusing on finalising the production of Edicius II, with the aim of releasing a preview early this year before gearing up for the official launch. They’re also planning live shows to perform the new music and exploring new musical directions in the studio.

And Luís added: “We want people to know that Nothisera is about more than just music. While we aim to entertain and energize our listeners, we also want to inspire critical thinking and a deeper connection to the themes we explore. Our name, Nothisera, reflects our ethos: we’re individuals, not bound by the conventions of this era. We hope our music resonates with those who feel the same way.”

You can follow Nothisera on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.