On a rain-soaked Saturday night in Sydney, Norway’s rising stars Slomosa arrive at Crowbar with a sound perfectly suited to the weather. Their self-described “tundra rock” feels like a fitting soundtrack to a city drenched all day in cold, steady rain.
Local openers Robot God kick things off with a short but sharp set — all killer, no filler. Having narrowly missed them on previous occasions, it’s a welcome first impression. Their opening track begins with an eerie intro before bursting into a groovy, pulsating rhythm driven by powerhouse drummer Tim Pritchard, a blur of limbs, hair and beard as he hammers his kit into submission. Guitarist Raff and vocalist/bassist Matt provide colour and texture over the top.
‘Lucid Reality’ follows — a simpler composition, but no less effective — rumbles along at pace, while ‘Onto the Afterlife’ comes in as a punchy, metallic beast that crashes to its conclusion. The trio keep the tempo high and the grooves locked in, powering through their set as though there’s a prize for finishing first. It’s only a glimpse of what they can do, but enough to suggest their upcoming album launch at The Vanguard on Friday will be well worth catching.
Melbourne’s Khan enter to the sound of an extended thunderstorm intro, the effects of which are somewhat muted though, when the band amble on like the Garbo’s outside my house at 5am on Wednesday morning. The first track is a slow burn, built around a steady drum pattern that gradually swells into a roaring crescendo. The following number channels early Sabbath vibes — ‘Paranoid’ filtered through feedback and droning vocals — though the mix feels a little drum-heavy.
Things click into place with ‘That Fair and Warlike Form,’ where the band strike a compelling balance between light and shade. Across the set, Khan swing between heavy, immersive passages and more restrained moments, revealing both their strengths and inconsistencies. At times, the dynamic tension that drives their sound feels slightly unbalanced — more surface than depth — but when it all aligns, the results are undeniably powerful.
By the time Slomosa take the stage, bathed in blue light, Crowbar is packed and ready. The Bergen quartet are greeted with a rapturous response. Their opening track begins with a sparse, picked guitar line before crashing into life, launching the heaving crowd into a full-throated singalong. Frontman Benjamin Berdous leads from the front, perched on the wedges, conducting the audience as it surges like a restless tide.
Slomosa are a masterclass in balance. Twin guitars weave between tight interplay and seamless harmonies, while bassist Marie Moe is a commanding presence in her own right, thrashing through lines and adding rich backing vocals. The band’s dynamics are razor-sharp — shifting effortlessly from spacious, haunting passages that evoke frozen landscapes to driving, weighty metallic grooves that feel like being chased across the tundra by an irate Polar Bear.
There are clear echoes of Sabbath and Soundgarden in their riffing, but Slomosa push beyond their influences with soaring melodies and an expansive sense of atmosphere. The hirsute Berdous, visibly taken aback by the crowd’s enthusiasm, expresses genuine gratitude — though on this form, it’s hard to imagine them playing rooms this size for much longer.
Photos by Adam Sivewright | Review by Biggs
Slomosa
Khan
Robot God
