The Portland, OR-based trio Rhododendron's latest LP, Ascent Effort, is out now via the Flenser.
Inspired by the grit of '80s and '90s underground rock and the subtleties of jazz and ambient music, the band explores new territory with their characteristic technical precision, driving riffs, and intensity. Rhododendron - a favorite of their native Pacific Northwest since their nascent high school days - brings the gloom of their home state to bear on their new material. Their debut record for The Flenser is at once hypnotic and activating, opening with a swirling, chorus-laden melody reminiscent of post-rock greats like Explosions in the Sky, then shifting into more aggressive, post-hardcore phrases in the lineage of Shellac or Drive Like Jehu. It's the work of a band whose vision and determination is clear.
Ascent Effort is available now on Gold Cloudy, Cloudy Clear, or Black vinyl, smoke-tinted cassette, and CD:
Stream the full album on YouTube:
