Released on: 1st June 2018
Named after a tool that is used to gouge out bone Norways’ Rongeur rip and tear through their first album. Titled An Asphyxiating Embrace it is anything but skeletal. Having the dense constitution of sludge metal bubbling faithfully beneath its doom metal skin.
Although not known for its varied riffs and diverse rhythms An Asphyxiating Embrace is doom metal in tone only. As much of its composition is a hearty sludge fest with accompanying post-metal bells and whistles. With Ronguer more than worthy to work their respondent lobotomy on the space between your ears. Where they build a dam made of visceral noise in that place.
Conceptually dark and mightily astute the lyrics, and the ideas, behind An Asphyxiating Embrace are full of insight for those patient enough to withstand the fall of hooks and formidable bridges unto their ears. Dressing up “a frustrated observation of the human inadequacy to make rational choices” – as told by Dag Ole into eight tracks with unmitigated intellectual fortitude.
An Asphyxiating Embrace is a fantastic first album. With an awesomely diverse musical vocabulary. Where the riffs and the rhythms marry to move muscles like some kind of ritual dance. Although Rongeur are not exactly thott inducing their music is decidedly dirty and prepared to leave at least one hole agape.
7/10
