Slomosa
Apollon, 2020
10/10
Even though Slomosa reside in Norway, their hard hitting, desert rock approach sounds right at home in much warmer climates as the quartet touch on grunge, punk and metal on this scorching debut.
“Horses” starts the album with a thick presence of thumping drums and fuzzed out guitars as waves of sonic melody surround the firm but tuneful setting, and “Kevin” continues this formula with a stoner rock meets metallic fury of power and precision.
There’s 8 tunes here, and each one is top notch, including the percussively strong “In My Mind’s Desert”, that’s a bit calmer initially but no less impactful as it builds into a hypnotic rocker that’s groove friendly, while “Scavengers” benefits from bouncy basslines as some classic rock spirit invades the bristling atmosphere.
The final two tracks are among the best and include the dynamic “Estonia”, which alternates between charged, noisy rock and moments of gentler, soaring vocals, and “On And Beyond” exits the listen with a bit of mystery as bare moments are met with thundering bouts of visceral energy.
An incredible first effort, Slomosa embrace all the things we love about legends like Melvins, Sleep or Dead Meadow, and it’s packed into a thriving and unpredictable concoction of abrasive meets restrained musicianship.
Travels well with: Kryptograf- Kryptograf; Bismarck- Oneiromancer