In Touching The Terror (2025), NW77 brings essential elements that every extreme metal band should adopt. Fast guitar riffs, powerful vocals, a striking drum beat, and bass lines that bring it all together in a way that deserves praise.
The crossover thrash hardcore band has been active for 15 years and was founded by bassist and vocalist Marcel Ianuck , who, along with PC Montalvão (guitar), Márcio Montalvão (guitar), Paulo Vinícius (drums), and Rodrigo Pinto (drums), released a work that shows that Brazilian metal is alive and well.
Influenced by groups like Suicidal Tendencies , SOD , Ratos de Porão , Lobotomia , and Anthrax , NW77 brings excellent details from these bands, such as the speed of the songs and the raw vocals, in a way that instigates the listener to want more.
Right from the start, the EP features the track "Touch The Terror," which opens the work in an explosive way. It's not a long record – quite the opposite. With 4 songs and less than 10 minutes of duration, the band delivered a very well-structured EP.
One thing to highlight in the second song, "Dogday Everyday," is the bass lines, but as in all the others, Ianuck's vocal ability is impressive, conveying enormous strength.
NW77 never lets the ball drop, maintaining a high standard in every track and showcasing the ferocity of Brazilian metal. "We Told You So" is a prime example, featuring a great guitar solo and choruses that make the song even more compelling.
Finally, “Lake Paranoia” ties the entire EP together, bringing us the best song on the album. The feeling upon finishing the song is that there could have been more, a desire to hear more music from the band, who delivered an excellent record in Touching The Terror , combining skill, speed, and precision.
I had the opportunity to chat with the founder of NW77, Marcel Ianuck. Check out the full interview!
Wikimetal: Touching The Terror was created both before and after the pandemic. How do you think the lockdown period impacted the making of the EP?
Marcel Ianuck: Yes! It had a huge impact! It was a very difficult period psychologically for everyone, with so many horrible things happening. And although the instrumental part was all ready before the pandemic, the lyrics and vocals were only done in 2024. So, even while maintaining our more irreverent side, the lyrics were greatly impacted. The song "We Told You So," for example, is very direct about the horror of having deniers in charge during such a critical period for humanity. So, the lyrical part was totally impacted by the lockdown.
WM: I wanted to talk a little about the EP title. What does it mean? What message did you want to convey with it?
MI: We've always had this irreverent and ironic side in our previous work. The EP title references the song "Touch The Terror," which literally means "to bring terror," even knowing that this crazy translation will only make sense in Brazil. And the lyrics are intended to value the underground, the shows, the bands, the people who make everything happen, whether it's independent media, venues, producers, and enthusiasts in general. We were locked up and away from everything for so long that returning to shows and being with everyone again was very emotional. The first show back was at the Headbangers Attack festival here in Brasília in May 2023, and I was sick with a fever and everything, thankfully it wasn't Covid again. But when, after 4 years, we started playing, and people started "bringing terror" in the mosh pit, I didn't feel anything anymore, and it was an unforgettable day. The title of the EP and the song means that; we're here to keep bringing terror for as long as we can.
WM: I really enjoyed the tracks released in the digital version, and I know you plan to release a physical version with two more tracks. What can you tell me about them?
MI: There will be 2 bonus tracks on the CD that's already at the factory. They're two very special bootlegs for our drummers. We have two, sorry to the guys from the other bands! Rodrigo Pinto lives in New York and was already recording all the studio material, including the 4 tracks from the EP Touching The Terror , but the distance obviously impacted the shows a lot, and in 2018 we decided to include Paulo Vinícius (ex- Macakongs 2099 and Narcoze ) in the band to do the shows. He quickly became a member of our nuclear family and then stopped being a substitute drummer. Having said all that, one of the tracks will be a bootleg version of the song "Dis Is Fear", from the split K7 Peste Nuclear, where both Rodrigo and Paulo Vinícius played together simultaneously. Max Cavalera will love it! And the other bonus track is a rehearsal recorded at Mercearia studio, with Paulo Vinícius on drums, playing the song "Bacchanalia Open Air", from the album Nuclear Awake (2015).
We are also negotiating the release of other physical formats outside the country. So we will probably have some limited editions on cassette and vinyl. We'll see.
WM: NW77 has been active since 2010, that is, fifteen years on the road, with many things changing and evolving. How do you feel the crossover thrash hardcore scene is today?
MI: I think it's really cool! Here in the Federal District, there have been many shows with hardcore and thrash bands together, even other styles like death metal and doom. And a lot of younger kids, which is very important for renewing the scene. So we're always playing with cool bands like Alcoholic Vortex , Transtorno Nuclear , Axion , Terror Revolucionário , among others. I also want to highlight the band Kidsgrace , hardcore with diverse influences from metal and other styles, composed of women, cis and trans, showing that the scene has shown itself to be open to diversity and welcoming of important causes. And we also play with bands from outside the Federal District that mix these styles like Basttardz , O Cão , DER Black Pantera itself . So I would say that, despite always having points to improve, the crossover thrash and hardcore punk scene is doing well, thank you!
WM: In 2017 you were included in the digital compilation The Harder The Better, Vol. 15. At the time, what did that mean and how did it impact NW77's career?
MI: It was really cool because we made several contacts with bands and labels from outside Brazil, as well as fans of the style who even bought band shirts, our digital album on Bandcamp, and even the physical album by mail. Another international release that opened doors was the K7 Split Play Fast Ride Easy , which was released in 2021 by two labels, one in the United States and the other in Germany. Furthermore, it was our only release during the turbulent pandemic period. Receiving positive feedback from people and zines from other parts of the world was important to give us the encouragement to continue.
WM: What does the future hold for the band?
MI: We recorded a version for a new tribute to Ratos de Porão , “Ratomaniax 2”, which should be released in the first half of the year. It was really cool because it was Paulo Vinícius' first "real" recording on drums and the song really turned out like us. Besides, it's an honor since Ratos is one of our all-time favorite bands. And we already have several song outlines so that, maybe in 2026, we can release a new full album, which is long overdue.
In terms of shows, we have some shows scheduled in the Federal District and a mini-tour in the Northeast planned for August, returning to play in Natal, Recife, and playing for the first time in João Pessoa. And, of course, the schedule remains open as we intend to promote the new EP and rock the whole country.
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