I remember the first time I heard Slomosa. Someone on social media had turned me on to them.
My very first thought, less than a minute into the song, was: “My God, these guys are good.” Nothing since has changed my mind about that. This Norwegian band knows how to rock.
Let’s Meet Slomosa
Slomosa hails from Bergen, Norway, and was formed in 2016. Their current lineup is:
- Benjamin Berdous — guitar, vocals
- Tor Erik Bye — guitar
- Marie Moe — bass, backing vocals
- Jard Hole — drums
Slomosa has released two studio albums: their self-titled debut in 2020 and their sophomore release Tundra Rock in 2024. While their sound invites easy comparisons to desert rock staples like Kyuss, it’s worth resisting that impulse. Slomosa’s music stands comfortably on its own, and it’s more rewarding to meet it on its own terms.
What separates Slomosa from a lot of riff-heavy bands isn’t just the guitars. It’s the groove underneath them.
Slomosa: Built on Groove, Powered by Riffs
For a band so driven by massive riffs, I want to start somewhere else: the rhythm section. Slomosa has one hell of a bass player in Marie Moe. She lays down the groove with power and authority in every song. It’s simply delicious. With Benjamin Berdous and Tor Erik Bye going at it hard on the heavy riffs, you’d think that the bass would get lost in the mix.
Not so. Marie holds her own — loud and clear. Jard Hole on the drums doesn’t just get deep into the pocket; he becomes the pocket. Together, he and Marie lay down the groove for Benjamin and Tor Erik to ride over.
Benjamin’s vocals add another layer of melody more than they deliver words. That’s not to downplay the lyrics, but when I listen to him sing, it feels like another instrument has been added to the mix. It fits Slomosa’s sound perfectly.
Horses, from their self-titled debut, was released as a single in 2022 and remains one of my favorites from that album. Beneath the crushing groove is a song wrestling with ambition — the relentless drive for success, and the regret or collapse that can follow when it all goes sideways.
Rice, released in 2024 on Tundra Rock, is a great snapshot of what makes this band tick. Jard’s pocket and Marie’s bass line are front and center here, reinforcing exactly what I talked about earlier.
You really can’t go wrong with a Slomosa track, but if there’s a live version available, that’s where they truly shine. This is not just a studio band — their songs hit harder, deeper, and with even more conviction on stage. If you’re in the U.S., they kick off a tour in spring 2026. Full schedule is available on their website.
