Norwegian rockers Slomosa are this week’s featured Meet The Band artist. Influenced by the Palm Desert music scene, they call their brand of music “tundra rock,” which is also the name of their new album. Bassist/vocalist Marie Moe and guitarist Tor Erik Bye introduce us to their band.
Chad Bowar: Give us a brief history of Slomosa.
Slomosa was started in Bergen by four guys: Benjamin Berdous, Anders Rørlien, Kristian Tvedt and Severin Sandvik in 2016. They were friends hanging out and jamming, making songs. They didn’t have any huge ambitions to break as a band, but rather just having a good time playing music they enjoyed listening to. In 2019 the album started to take shape and “Horses” was the first single released in September that year. During the same year 3/4 of the original band members one by one decided to leave the band to pursue studies and other engagements. Benjamin was left and quickly got Tor Erik “Totto” Bye on board to play the guitar. They knew each other from their teens when they played in another band together. Next they decided to ask Marie and Jard who they knew from different bands in the Bergen music scene.
The first rehearsal with the new and current lineup took place early 2020. We got to play two shows before Covid hit. The following two years we played a handful of gigs in Norway for seated, sausage-eating crowds. We had a good time, but had no idea where the road would lead. After the debut album dropped we got a lot of attention from different rock blogs, magazines and journals. Our music was added to some huge rock playlists on Spotify and we noticed our streaming numbers and reach increased. It resulted in us getting a proper booking agent both in Scandinavia and Europe. So when the world finally opened up again Spring 2022 we were off to our first European tour. It was six weeks long supporting the band Stoner, with members from Kyuss and QOTSA, some of our biggest heroes. We were all overwhelmed by the response we got from the crowds and we felt like this was a new beginning for the band. We haven’t stopped touring since, and we are super excited to release and tour our second album Tundra Rock!
Describe the songwriting process for Tundra Rock.
Marie Moe: The process has been diverse. The songs “Cabin Fever,” “Rice” and “MJ” for instance, were already in progress when the new lineup started. I remember the guys showing me “Rice” on my very first rehearsal in December 2019. But of course the songs have been through quite some makeovers. “Rice,” “Monoman” and “Cabin Fever” we recorded several times before we were pleased with the sound and arrangements. Another method has been Benjamin recording whole arrangements in Logic, then we work from there in the rehearsal room. Other songs, like “Red Thundra” and “Dune,” we worked more on in the studio. From the early days the band has always had a “riff bank” where we store ideas, big or small. Some of the riffs and melodies on the album are from there. That’s why Anders Rørlien is credited for additional songwriting on the album. Benjamin has written all the lyrics. In between touring it has been a long process, but I think all of us, hand on heart, can say we have turned every stone to make this the best possible album.
What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album?
Tor Erik Bye: The last day of recording! That was the first time we got to listen to the songs with all the instruments and vocals put together, and for me the album kind of came together at that moment and I knew that we had created something great together!
Marie: I remember eating some very good Indian food.
What was the biggest challenge in its creation?
Tor: Finding time to actually write, rehearse and record the album in between a busy touring schedule.
Marie: I remember particularly the recording of “Rice.” We had spent the whole day trying to get a decent take, but in the end we concluded it needed more work in the rehearsal room. It was a hard hit at the time and I was frustrated and unmotivated. But now I’m very happy we did it and walked the extra mile for that song. One of my favorites!
How would you characterize its style/sound?
Tor: Heavy riff driven rock with catchy hooks and melodies – Tundra rock!
Marie: Stonerpop! Tundra rock!
What lyrical topics do you cover?
Marie: As we mentioned earlier Ben has written all the lyrics, so he has the conclusion, or maybe not. (laughs) But I think Ben’s lyrics are very open. You can kind of put your own meaning into them. For me they make me feel like “life is hard, but I can fucking do it!” In combination with the heavy riffs they make me feel like I’m the world’s strongest man!
How did you come to sign with MNRK Heavy?
Marie: They wanted to sign us and we said hell yeah if you give us a decent deal. They did.
Tor: We were put in contact with MNRK Heavy through our managers Eddie and George. And like Marie said, we came to an agreement we were happy with! We are stoked to be on the same label as such bands as Crowbar and High on Fire.
What are your goals and expectations for the album?
Tor: To reach out to a wider and bigger crowd. And continue the growth of the band so that we can tour all over the world while having as much fun as possible. World domination basically!
Marie: A few years ago our biggest goal was to get over the dam to play the U.S. Now that’s happening and we have to find new goals. I think Totto summed it up well. We would like to continue touring the hell out of everywhere while having a good time with loads of nice people. I hope for more row pits and crowd surfing.
What has been your most memorable Slomosa live show?
Tor: There have been a lot of memorable shows, but one that always sticks out is our show at Desertfest Antwerp in 2021. It was our first ever show outside Norway, and we had no expectations of how many people would show up. It ended up being completely packed before we went on stage and there was a long line of people trying to get in! And that crowd went insane! At one point it felt like half the room was crowd surfing at the same time!
Marie: I will never forget Totto crowd surfing on Wasted Open Air in Germany 2022.
Tor: Yeah, Wasted Open Air was a great one too! My first time crowd surfing. That turned out to be a bit difficult with only a 6 meter long cable from my pedal board to my guitar! Thanks to the guy who was holding the end of my cable so that it didn’t unplug from the pedals!
What are your upcoming show/tour plans?
Tor: We are about to head out on our first U.S. tour! 3 weeks on the road where we support Alkaline Trio for 13 shows and do 3 headline shows. Then we head straight to Germany to kick off a 2 week co-headlining tour with our buddies in Greenleaf with support from Psychlona. After that we will do a few European festivals before we finish this year’s touring with a Norwegian/Swedish tour. It’s gonna be a fun couple of months! In 2025 we sure hope to be able to tour in new territories that we haven’t played before. We definitely need to do a west coast tour!
How did you get started in music?
Tor: From hanging out at one of my childhood friends’ houses all the time. Both his father and older brother played guitar and that was the first place I held a guitar. Got my first guitar for my 10th birthday a few months after and started my first band together with a couple of buddies shortly after that. Music has been a huge part of my life since then.
Marie: My father was a musician so I grew up with a lot of music everywhere. From the age of 5 I often was with him on soundchecks and concerts while my mom was at home taking care of my little sister. The world of music has always felt like home to me. When I was 15 me and my friends started my first band, Razika, which endured for 13 years. We ended in 2019, just in time for me to join Slomosa, lucky girl!
Who were your early influences and inspirations?
Tor: One of my earliest musical memories is listening to my dad’s old Thin Lizzy records and especially Jailbreak! The guitar solos at the end of “Emerald” completely blew my mind! I still dream about writing something as epic as that. When I started playing guitar at age 10 my biggest heroes were the guys from Metallica and Iron Maiden, like most young rock/metal fans who pick up a guitar. In my teens I got more into bands Like Crowbar, High on Fire, Corrosion of Conformity among others and Matt Pike, Kirk Windstein and Pepper Keenan became a huge influence on my guitar playing. And of course Tony Iommi! Iommi is the GOAT.
Marie: I remember the first time I got rockshocked. My father put on Deep Purple’s album In Rock and when the riff hits after the two minute long organ solo I was completely shocked (in the best way). That led to me getting into all of the ’70s heavy rock bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Steppenwolf, YES, Genesis and so on. My taste in music was like a 50 year old man back then. But I still dig it! About the stoner/desert rock I feel like I came in kind of backwards. First I started playing in Slomosa, then I started checking out bands like Kyuss and QOTSA. But luckily the stoner/desert rock felt familiar due to my ’70s heavy rock core.
What was the first rock/metal concert you attended?
Tor: Black Sabbath in 2005. Big moment for a 15 year old to get to see them with the original lineup!
Marie: Deep Purple at Koengen in Bergen 2006.
What are some of your non-musical interests and hobbies?
Tor: Snowboarding, hiking, skateboarding, camping.
Marie: Walk Mount Fløyen, my favorite place on earth, eat good food, go to the movies, the gym and watch TV.
Anything else you’d like to mention or promote?
Tor: Thanks to everyone who listens to our music, buys the albums, comes to our shows or supports us in any other way!
Marie: Come party with us!!
(interview published September 14, 2024)
Watch Slomosa – “Red Thundra” Video
