Words by

Bogi Bjarnason

Momentum want to welcome you to the genre of progressive doom. Never
heard of the genre? Neither had I before their bass player Hörður
sprang it on me. I find myself sitting down with Momentum’s bassist
Hörður and guitarist Erling to talk about the progression of their
music. Both of them look like they arrived to the interview on
horseback straight from Tolkien’s Middle Earth.
After years in the extreme metal/ blackened death trade, how did you arrive at the decidedly more doomish style you now peddle?
It wasn´t really such a switch in styles as you might think if you just
compare records, but more of a gradual progression through many never
recorded songs performed only live and then dropped.
Why and when did you change the name from the more black metal moniker Afsprengi Satans (e. The Spawn of Satan”)?
The original name was meant for drummer Kristjáns black metal solo
project, but carried unwanted and rather funny connotations once the
band was fully manned and had started to progress away from the
original blackmetal sound. “Momentum” was something that was created in
a conversation between me and former singer Hafsteinn, the summer that
Metallica played in Iceland (2006?), and everyone ended up agreeing on
it.
You have just released the album Fixation at Rest, which might very
well prove to be the album of the year in Iceland. Is it finally time
for you, like Sólstafir, and Mínus before them, to reach abroad?
Definitely. Unlike many bands in the local scene, Momentum has never
played outside of Iceland, but with this latest release we think we are
finally ready to take it to the next level. The record has been getting
rave reviews across the internet and can be purchased digitally through
Gogoyoko.com and physically through Molestin Records distributor Record
Records”.
Tell us briefly about Molestin Records.
Molestin Records was formed by us and the members of Celestine (i.e
Momentum + Celestine= Molestin) to be a much needed outlet for albums
by Icelandic metal and hardcore acts, as pretty much nothing outside of
Mínus and Sólstafir releases could possibly represent any return on
investment for “real” labels, and therefore does not get signed. We
also promote shows and print band T-Shirts.
You recently participated in a collaborative dance piece with the
multinational dance group Muscle and Hate which was performed at the
Reykjavík Dance Festival. How did that come about?
Well, the producer of the show contacted Eldar Ástþórsson, who turned
her on to Molestin Records. They liked us best of the bands on there
and we were very excited to take part because this represented a rare
opportunity to do something unique and reach a much wider audience than
usual. It was a really weird and different experience and we enjoyed it
very much.
I went to the former of the two shows and read a lot of embarrassment
and awkwardness in the faces of the crowd. Some giggled out loud and
some even left. How was it for you?
Well, the Sunday show was even weirder. The crowd was scarcer and
people seemed even more uncomfortable with the whole thing. I remember
Kristján counting quietly into the first song, and when it erupted an
old lady in the audience nearly had a heart attack. But we had a really
good time with the girls and they did not seem overly surprised with
the audience reaction as the piece was designed to be perhaps more of a
taunting avant-garde performance piece rather than what you would
expect a “normal” dance performance to be.
What’s on the horizon for Momentum in the near future?
The Fixation at Rest release gig, which is at Faktorý on October 2nd,
and then the Iceland Airwaves on October 13th. Hopefully then some
shows abroad.