by Taita Vlakoff
Paula and Nik’s five-star debut EP.
It came with six fresh songs, plus one exclusively on Youtube, showing all the power and technical knowledge that this couple has. If you follow their career on social networks, when you hear it for the first time, you will already notice a portion of terrific world influences of Metal. They beautifully fused characteristic elements of some countries and transformed them in this epic Ep.
I spoke exclusively with Paula Carregosa about the Ep and she answered some questions about the Ep and how they developed the Idea.
- What is your favorite track and why?
“For me, it’s tough to pick just one, but “Panik” holds a special place. I originally wrote it about 7 years ago as an orchestral piece with strong classical elements, envisioning of turning it into a metal track. Nik was instrumental in helping bring that vision to life—his input really helped us shape the sound and capture the intensity I’d always imagined. It’s such a special track for me because it brings together different parts of my musical background and shows how powerful genre fusion can be.”
- Do you see any connection between your music and Cacophony by Jason Becker and Marty Friedman? Did that project serve as an inspiration or influence on your Ep?
”Jason Becker and Marty Friedman are absolute legends who paved the way for technical guitar work that not only showcases skill but also tells a story. Their work on Cacophony has been a major influence on me as a guitarist. Jason Becker, in particular, is one of the reasons I play guitar, so his influence definitely finds its way into our music. ”
- Do you guys plan to tour North America with this instrumental sound? Would you be interested in doing so?
“Touring North America would be an amazing experience! I’d love the chance to connect with people there and bring this music to life on stage, especially alongside my partner. it would be such a meaningful journey for us. For now, though, we’re really focused on writing new music and releasing songs that feel fresh and exciting for our followers. While the idea of touring is definitely something we’d love to do, we love to work creating unique, powerful music is our priority right now. ”
- The track Fall Forever has a playful “couple-core” moment where you insert a few notes from Careless Whisper in the middle of the song. Whose idea was it to add this, and how did you develop that part?
“That part actually started as a joke! I was just kidding around while we were working on the solo, throwing in a few notes from Careless Whisper for fun. But then Nik heard it and said, “That’s it! Let’s actually put it in the solo.” I thought he was crazy—I wasn’t planning to keep it in the final track; I was just being stupid and having a laugh! But once we tried it, we realized it added a playful, unexpected moment that really worked, so we kept it in. ”
- You explored a variety of countries and styles on this EP. Could you tell me the name of two guitarists who inspired you to become the musician you are today?
“Jeff Loomis and Jason Becker. I like arpeggios! Jeff’s solos are just insane, the precision how fast he is and also very melodic,. Everytime I listen to his solos i am like “That’s what I want to do!“. And Jason Becker, well, he’s one of the main reasons I even picked up a guitar. Very neoclassical, I definitely try to bring a bit of both of their styles into my playing.”
That's what she answered to us and that makes us know a little better about her influences as a guitarist. Below we will know a little more about Ep Panik and about the artists who created this work, Nik Nocturnal and Paula Carregosa.
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Along with the EP, Nik Nocturnal and Paula Carregosa release the music video for the track "Netherbound", which was composed in partnership with guitarist Calle Thomer (Humanity's Last Breath and Vildhjarta). The music in particular addresses the technique and theme of the Thall Metal style, often called one of the heaviest and most technical metal genres.
Paula Carregosa, is a left-handed guitarist and composer of extreme metal Brazilian, celebrated for her technical dexterity and style of playing without reeds. With years of experience and a reputation for brilliant solos and jaw-dropping performances, Paula has established herself as one of the most exciting guitarists of the genre, with several appearances on MTV Brazil alongside Detonator (Bruno Sutter). Currently, Paula Carregosa works in music productions for international artists.
Canadian Nik Nocturnal is a familiar face in the metal community, with a YouTube channel with millions of subscribers and a loyal fan base. Well-known "Fun Metal Things" and "How to Metal" original content teaching how to compose songs in 30 seconds, their specialized analysis of popular metal tracks, and compositions with the biggest names in Metal such as BAD WOLVES, Suicide Silence, Will Ramos (Lorna Shore) and more. Host of the NN Metal Awards Show, the event is sponsored by SweetWater in addition to celebrating Metal releases with 45,000 reais ($8,000) in giveaways. Nik's contributions to the metal scene go far beyond his digital presence.(This paragraph came from their press office)
Anyway, they are a talented couple and full of ideas. I believe we can expect great news in the world of music, coming from these two. So keep an eye on their social networks and ours. They will definitely stay on our radar.
My metal reader you can check below the complete list of songs and the artists responsible for each part of this release.
Listen 'PANIK’
Genre: Modern Metal
Tracks:
01 PANIC!
02 Fall Forever
03 Netherbound (Feat. Thomer Street)
04 Ancient
05 Come To Brazil
06 Upside Down
07 Fall Forever (feat. Matt Heafy) [Only on Youtube, not available on streaming)
Production and Recording: Paula Carregosa and Nik Nocturnal
Mixing and Mastering: Buster Odeholm
Artists:
Paula Carregosa - Guitar
Nik Nocturnal - Guitars
Chris Turner - Drums
Cover Art: Xtudo (xtudoobze)
Photography: Blackcardfilms
Videographer: Patrick Lawler
Paula Carregosa Online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
Nik Nocturnal online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
