Rhododendron make their Flenser debut with Ascent Effort

Portland post-hardcore band Rhododendron release Ascent Effort on 15 May via The Flenser, one of the key independent labels for darker, heavier and more experimental guitar music. The album follows their 2021 release Protozoan Battle Hymns and marks the band’s arrival on a roster associated with acts such as Chat Pile and Have A Nice Life.

Rhododendron formed in 2019 while Ezra Chong, Gage Walker and Noah Mortola were still in high school, but Ascent Effort sounds positioned as a heavier and more focused statement. The band draws from underground rock of the 1980s and 1990s while incorporating jazz, ambient and progressive elements, which gives the record a shape-shifting quality beyond standard post-hardcore.

Tracks such as Firmament, Like Spitting Out Copper, Stow, Family Photo and Within Crippling Light suggest a short but intense album built around instability, movement and growth. Written largely in sequence, Ascent Effort feels like a climb: difficult, direct and full of pressure. For readers who like the darker edge of indie rock, post-hardcore and experimental heavy music, this is a major 15 May release. Source: https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/rhododendron-sign-to-the-flenser-and-announce-new-album-ascent-effort