Somnuri deliver proggy sludgefeast on “Beyond Your Last Breath” off new LP ‘Nefarious Wave’
Brooklyn sludgesters Somnuri formed a few years back by two musicians who practiced next door to each other and both liked what they were hearing through the walls — Justin Sherrell (Blackout, Tower, Bezoar) and Phil SanGiacomo (Family, Grandfather, Last Hours) — and they released their self-titled LP in 2017 followed by a split with Godmaker the following year. In 2019, they welcomed new member Philippe Arman (who also played in Tower with Justin), and now their new three-piece lineup is set to release a new album, Nefarious Wave, on June 4 via Blues Funeral Recording (pre-order).
We’re premiering the album’s lead single, “Beyond Your Last Breath,” which marks a noticeable progression for Somnuri. It takes a proggy, tech-y, and punk-infused approach to sludge with hints of Southern rock riffage and melodic, harmony-laden hooks that’ll bring you back to aughts-era sludge classics like Baroness’ Blue Record and Mastodon’s Leviathan. It’s a familiar, nostalgic sound, but Somnuri genuinely breathe new life into it.
The song comes with a video that splices together footage of the band performing on a rooftop in NYC with crashing ocean waves, and it gets trippy and surreal at times too. Phil says, “‘Beyond Your Last Breath’ is about the cyclical and intertwined nature of life and death, and how the struggle to survive and find light can bring you to the brink of darkness and beyond. The video, directed by Susan Hunt of Five Sigma Films, weaves through a dreamlike environment and shows both the grittiness and beauty of Brooklyn and New York City, all through a surrealistic lens. The song also ties into the greater theme of the Nefarious Wave album title, which alludes to a process that repeats endlessly throughout time. The idea of facing that wave head-on is prevalent throughout the record.”
Check it out below…
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