NEFARIOUS WAVE review - What tasty calamity

(Reviewed by Melody Werner)

Nefarious Wave is a 2021 sludge metal album by Brooklyn's Somnuri. The band's sophomore outing, released under independent label Blues Funeral Recordings, could be their breakthrough. Receiving strong praise from Invisible Oranges, Angry Metal Guy, and Decibel, this fiery LP is a fresh, exciting collection of thunderous ragers that walk the line between nasty catharsis and heady bliss. As someone who is always hungry for good sludge after classic Mastodon, High on Fire, and Baroness, Somnuri more than butters my biscuit.

Somnuri infuses hardcore elements with their sludgy performances, wielding some absurdly explosive results. From the firebreathing (courtesy of Justin Sherrell) to the crushing instrumentals (brought to you by Sherrell on guitars, Phil SanGiacomo on drums, and Drew Mack on bass), everyone is bringing their A-game, and NW consequently rips from front to back. Except for when it's being nominally more peaceful, with backtracked vocals as caked in reverb as the rest of the work is caked in blood. So it's brutal, but it's also groovy as fuck (see: "Beyond Your Last Breath"). If you want music that's danceable while it's kicking your ass, you can't go wrong with this.

If Nefarious Wave weren't so lean and all killer/no filler, I might say it was too one-dimensional, but the album does take a few breathers--and these make the more electrifying heights all the more abrasive and relentless. There's never a dull moment, and Nefarious Wave leaves me hungry now for whatever Somnuri does next.

Make no mistake: Nefarious Wave is sick. Given more time, I could see this becoming one of my go-to metal albums for blowing off steam. It is so righteously pissed off in the way that only metal can convey, and I love it for that. Nefarious Wave gets a 9.5/10, and only because I want more.

Must-listen

Summary:

Whatever Somnuri does next, I will wait patiently for--cuz this is alllllllllll my shit.