Nervosa (album)
Encyclopedia
Nervosa is an album by the band Showbread
. It was released on May 13, 2008 simultaneously with its companion album Anorexia
. Nervosa second in a two-CD collection entitled Anorexia Nervosa, which is an accompaniment to the short story Anorexia Nervosa which comes packaged within the records. The album acts as a soundtrack to a read-along story book that features a chapter for each track. As the reader follows the story, the album reacts to what happens within the text. Taking a drastic new direction from their second album Age of Reptiles
, which featured a more straightforward alternative rock sound, the band took "Nervosa" in a much darker, Industrial rock
tone.
) which is a combination strip club and slaughterhouse. The 120 Days Of Sodom has two floors, a killing floor and a dance floor above it. The dance floor features a transparent bottom so that visitors to the strip club can see through to the killing floor where animals are being slaughtered. Like her sister Anorexia, Nervosa's story takes place within two texts. The first section of each chapter tells Nervosa's story in a more stylized, fairy tale-esque and metaphorical manner. Within this text, Nervosa spends the story laboring to dig a hole as deeply as possible, which parallels her quest to reach the depths of human depravity. The subsequent text in each chapter is narrated by Nervosa herself, and takes place in real time in the actual world. One evening while giving a private dance, Nervosa is assaulted, beaten and raped. She later learns she has become pregnant as a result of the rape and seeks an unsafe abortion
. At this point in the story, the real time narrative ceases and the remaining chapters are carried exclusively through metaphorical means. Nervosa, broken and dying within her deep hole she has dug, wakes in a sunlit field and finds that she has been carried to safety by a small lamb
who died in the process of rescuing her. The lamb however, resurrects and explains that he had given his life to save Nervosa simply to fulfill his lifelong desire to be with her.
Showbread (band)
Showbread is an American Christian rock band originating in Guyton, Georgia. More specifically, the band lives in a small community within Guyton called Marlow. They formed in 1997. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes since its formation but maintains its two founding members, Josh...
. It was released on May 13, 2008 simultaneously with its companion album Anorexia
Anorexia (album)
Anorexia is an album by the band Showbread. It was released on May 13, 2008 simultaneously with its companion album Nervosa . Anorexia is the first of a two-CD collection entitled Anorexia Nervosa, which is an accompaniment to the short story Anorexia Nervosa which comes pacakged with the records...
. Nervosa second in a two-CD collection entitled Anorexia Nervosa, which is an accompaniment to the short story Anorexia Nervosa which comes packaged within the records. The album acts as a soundtrack to a read-along story book that features a chapter for each track. As the reader follows the story, the album reacts to what happens within the text. Taking a drastic new direction from their second album Age of Reptiles
Age of Reptiles (Showbread album)
Age of Reptiles is an album by the band Showbread. It was released on August 1, 2006. It sold over 4,000 copies in its first week making it the first Showbread album to chart on the Billboard 200 at #198.-Reaction of Fans:...
, which featured a more straightforward alternative rock sound, the band took "Nervosa" in a much darker, Industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
tone.
Story
The album and included booklet tell the story of a woman named Nervosa who begins her story by taking a job at The 120 Days Of Sodom (named from the controversial novel of the same name by Marquis De SadeMarquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
) which is a combination strip club and slaughterhouse. The 120 Days Of Sodom has two floors, a killing floor and a dance floor above it. The dance floor features a transparent bottom so that visitors to the strip club can see through to the killing floor where animals are being slaughtered. Like her sister Anorexia, Nervosa's story takes place within two texts. The first section of each chapter tells Nervosa's story in a more stylized, fairy tale-esque and metaphorical manner. Within this text, Nervosa spends the story laboring to dig a hole as deeply as possible, which parallels her quest to reach the depths of human depravity. The subsequent text in each chapter is narrated by Nervosa herself, and takes place in real time in the actual world. One evening while giving a private dance, Nervosa is assaulted, beaten and raped. She later learns she has become pregnant as a result of the rape and seeks an unsafe abortion
Unsafe abortion
An unsafe abortion is the termination of an unwanted pregnancy by persons lacking the necessary skills, or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards, or both...
. At this point in the story, the real time narrative ceases and the remaining chapters are carried exclusively through metaphorical means. Nervosa, broken and dying within her deep hole she has dug, wakes in a sunlit field and finds that she has been carried to safety by a small lamb
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
who died in the process of rescuing her. The lamb however, resurrects and explains that he had given his life to save Nervosa simply to fulfill his lifelong desire to be with her.
Track listing
- "The Journey" - 3:36 (featuring Soul Glow Activatur from Family Force 5Family Force 5Family Force 5 is a Christian crunk rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They consist of Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds, Jacob "Crouton" Olds, Joshua "Fatty" Olds, Nathan "Nadaddy" Currin, and Derek "Chap Stique" Mount...
) - "The Vulture" - 3:35
- "The Sky" - 3:27
- "The Dirt" - 4:28
- "The Dirt (Alpha)" - 4:58
- "The Pig" - 3:17
- "The Flies" - 5:07
- "The Goat" - 5:53 (featuring Ivory Mobley and Jeff Fortson)
- "The Death" - 3:33
- "The End" - 1:26
- "The End (Omega)" - 2:21
- "The Beginning" - 7:38 (featuring Reese RoperReese RoperMichael Reese Roper is an independent filmmaker and the former lead singer and chief song writer of the third-wave ska band Five Iron Frenzy. After Five Iron Frenzy disbanded in 2003, Reese released a single album using the moniker Roper. He is also part of the band Brave Saint Saturn, who released...
from Five Iron FrenzyFive Iron FrenzyFive Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
.)