Momentum put their best foot forward with their debut EP Bliss, an utterly relentless six-song set that keeps listeners on their toes from start to finish. Seamlessly blending visceral breakdowns and hardcore-isms with more technical metal structuring, the five-piece take some unexpected but powerful detours in a number of the songs here.
Although the title track opener serves as a forecast for a slam-centric record with its brooding two-step beats and chugs, Momentum shift gears almost immediately, dropping into "Shattered" with a bouncing riff that effortlessly dips in and out of swings and blasts. Further flexing their technical prowess on songs like the pace-shifting "Sundowner" — which opens with an almost flamenco-esque acoustic riff that harmonizes and builds to an Earth-shattering stomp — the band find inventive ways to remain engaging. This, in addition to the production sheen and perfectly balanced mix brought to the table by Taylor Young (of Nails and Twitching Tongues), elevates the set to a level reached by very few of their peers.
Momentum run the risk of sounding scattered by deciding not to sit in one sonic space for too long and incorporating numerous metallic influences into their work, but on Bliss, it only ever comes across as calculated, not to mention razor-sharp.
(Independent)Although the title track opener serves as a forecast for a slam-centric record with its brooding two-step beats and chugs, Momentum shift gears almost immediately, dropping into "Shattered" with a bouncing riff that effortlessly dips in and out of swings and blasts. Further flexing their technical prowess on songs like the pace-shifting "Sundowner" — which opens with an almost flamenco-esque acoustic riff that harmonizes and builds to an Earth-shattering stomp — the band find inventive ways to remain engaging. This, in addition to the production sheen and perfectly balanced mix brought to the table by Taylor Young (of Nails and Twitching Tongues), elevates the set to a level reached by very few of their peers.
Momentum run the risk of sounding scattered by deciding not to sit in one sonic space for too long and incorporating numerous metallic influences into their work, but on Bliss, it only ever comes across as calculated, not to mention razor-sharp.