Album Review: Rongeur – An Asphyxiating Embrace (Poacher Records/Ampmandens Records)

Hailing from Oslo, Norway, sludge metal trio Rongeur was formed in late 2012 and consists of Dag Ole (bass/vocals), Ken-Robert (guitar/vocals) and Jon (drums/vocals). The band was formed with the intent of making raw, heavy and honest music and inspiration came from various sources and artists like Eyehategod, Seigmen, High on Fire, Neurosis, Darkthrone and Arthur Schoupenhauer.

Their new album is entitled, An Asphyxiating Embrace and is in essence a frustrated observation of the human inadequacy to make rational choices.

Says guitarist/vocalist Dag Ole “It dwells on the metaphysical aspects of social norms, religion and politics, but without being dogmatic about any of these. Rather it poses more questions than it offers answers. So hope and relieve has to be found elsewhere, if anywhere.”

It will be released on June 1st 2018 via Poacher Records and Ampmandens Records.

When listening to sludge metal/rock you tend to hope that the feeling of rawness will come through. Not by a having a rubbish production but by having riffs dripping in swampy filth, by having hooks weighted down by years of crust, by having bass built around the echoes of a dead forest and vocals that scratch and worm around your head.

Ronguer get as close to this demand as humanely possible. An Asphyxiating Embrace is one hell of an album. Before you even realise it, tracks like Fiendesliebe, Wellpisser and The Deconstructionist have flown by in an incredible blur of heavy sludge and exciting rhythms.

This is an album that begs to be played loudly while head-banging along with the varied riffs, thumping bass and savage vocals.

Far too short, the up-tempo beat of Mr. Hands and wild eruptions of chaotic noise excels, the darkness that surrounds The Weight Of Guilt’s hefty smashing of instruments and trippy edge makes a play for track of the album before Chained to a Dead Horse wraps things up.

The unrestricted rawness and unrestrained heaviness present throughout the album really comes to life here. A savage finish that is reminiscent of classic sludge bands like EyeHateGod particularly with such a high tempo. The rumbling of the bass will be echoing in your ears long afterwards.

Rongeur – An Asphyxiating Embrace Full Track Listing:

1. Weltschmerz
2. Special Needs
3. Fiendesliebe
4. Wellpisser
5. The Deconstructionist
6. Mr. Hands
7. The Weight Of Guilt
8. Chained to a Dead Horse

The album is out now digitally and can be picked up over on Bandcamp. Keep up to date with physical release via Facebook and Twitter.