‘Snuff’ is RONKER’s bleakest and most earnest track to date, delving into the loneliness that is often all-too-inevitable when you’re in the depths of substance abuse. The new track, out today, sees the Belgian noiseniks leaving the safety of their fuzz boxes and adopting a broader sonic palette, which combines the use of brass, piano and shimmering, clean guitars. Brutally honest and encapsulated in a dramatic soundscape, ‘Snuff’ incorporates both elements of melancholic indie like The National and the theatrical emotion of bands such as My Chemical Romance. ‘Snuff’ is RONKER growing up, adopting elements of classic songwriting and thriving whilst doing so.
The band elaborate on how ‘Snuff’ was crafted: “The initial plan was to write half of the record completely sober. We mostly succeeded in that effort. Not quite. We noticed that the songs we wrote in those sober sessions had a very distinct nature compared to the more fierce banger-like songs we hammer out when we have some sort of intoxicants in our veins. Snuff is bleak and brutally honest. It details how loneliness wraps its arms around you and smothers you in nihilism. It was a very cathartic piece to record, we did it in three takes. The vocal recording is a single one-take lifted from the demo. This is the realest we have ever been.”
‘Snuff’ is a glimpse at the overarching theme of RONKER’s forthcoming album ‘Respect The Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever’, which is set for release 30th Jan 2026 via LABELMAN. The record sees the band dive headfirst into what it means to be in a band and cope with the antics of a rock&roll lifestyle. They recently shared more of the balls-to-the-wall aesthetic of the album with the single ‘Limelighter’ and its accompanying circus of a music video. They kicked off the album cycle with the fun blast of heavy music ear candy – lead single ‘No Sweat’ – which landed in both the Kerrang! Chart and Metal Hammer’s Best New Metal Songs of The Week.
RONKER are not just dipping their toes into genre-blending here, they are taking a full-on nosedive. The result is some sort of circus-metal, in which you can hear threads akin to the likes of At The Drive In and Helmet, but also more modern outfits like The Armed. Basically, it’s like a Talking Heads song played by a bunch of maniacs – absolutely endearing and totally visceral, all at the same time.
RONKER have already started confounding UK & European audiences with their intricate performances at such iconic festivals as HELLFEST, Pukkelpop and 2000trees, as well as supporting the likes of Sparta, Melvins and Brutus. They’ve got a clutch of shows lined up in Belgium, France and the Netherlands to celebrate the new release and recently announced a headline date at The Lexington in London on 25th April 2026. See below for details. Bigger sound, same sweat-soaked energy — RONKER are ready for larger pits and even louder nights this time around.
RONKER ARE:
Jasper De Petter – vocals/guitar
Bram Delcourt – bass
Jens Van Den Borre – guitar
Matteo Beyney – drums
SEE RONKER LIVE:
Tickets here
29/01/2026 – Bastion V, Dendermonde (BE)
30/01/2026 – De Keldr, Mechelen (BE) — SOLD OUT
31/01/2026 – De Nachtwacht, Tielt (BE) — SOLD OUT
08/02/2026 – Ancienne Belgique, Brussel (BE) – SOLD OUT
10/02/2026 – Supersonic, Paris (FR)
27/02/2026 – Altstadt, Eindhoven (NL)
07/03/2026 – Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
14/03/2026 – L’Entrepot, Arlon (BE)
28/03/2026 – Terneuzen On Fire, Terneuzen (NL)
24/04/2026 – Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate (UK)
25/04/2026 – The Lexington, London (UK)
09/05/2026 – Get Out Of My Garage Fest, Genk (BE)
15/05/2026 – Rock Affligem, Affligem (BE)
16/05/2026 – Sonic Whip, Nijmegen (NL)
22/05/2026 – Gladiolen, Olen (BE)
08/08/2026 – Alcatraz Festival, Kortrijk (BE)
16/08/2026 – Dynamo Metalfest, Eindhoven (NL)
CONNECT WITH RONKER:
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
