RORONOAH: A VICE LIKE NO OTHER SINGLE REVIEW
- Kirsty Shepherd
- May 24
- 4 min read
'A vice like no other' is the fifth single release of Brisbane deathcore band roronoah. "With a sound that blends the raw aggression of deathcore with the technical ferocity of deathmetal, RORONOAH thrives on creating anthems of destruction, despair, and defiance... with bone-shattering breakdowns, guttural growls and ethereal melodic elements." -
roronoah.
The song opens with twenty seconds of instrumentals that set the entire tone for where the band is going to take you. they says it best, "it’s a chilling blend
of raw aggression and cinematic atmosphere. Drenched in spine-tingling orchestration, eerie piano lines, and a wall of crushing riffs, “A Vice Like No Other” captures a twisted balance between beauty and brutality. The band’s signature deathcore ferocity is still front and centre—but this time, it’s woven into a soundscape that feels as haunting as it is heavy."
the band uses a very specific sound effect throughout this song that puts you immediately on edge and honestly just brings the uncomfortable level up to ten. there are moments during the song where the tonne will shift purposefully and stops you from being complacent as the music flows. the first time listening to this song there was something that had me feeling unnerved but I couldn't figure out what it was, until my third play through when I finally figure out what it was. the use of the piano in this song, while almost too subtle to notice in the beginning, is such a driving force to bring in a misplaced beauty that feels so wrong, but so right at the same time.
let's talk about kalani's vocals. I want to preface my following statement by making it known that i by no means intend this to sound like Kalani is imitating someone elses vocal style; because that is not what I mean at all. when I say that listening to Kalani in this track had me in a place where I could have been listening to Phil Bozeman of whitechapel, I am not lying. the natural tonality of his voice, the vowel choices he makes and his ability to flip in and out of his rapid singing style is very reminisce of Phil; and it is mpressive to hear from a band with only five singles to their name. to be entirely honest I don't think I have been this excited about hearing a new (to me) vocalist since hearing will Ramos for the first time in 2021. Kalani has a level of vocal control that is extremely impressive for such a new artist and I am excited to see what vocal techniques he continues to present throughout his career.
“This track leans into melody in a way we’ve never done before,” says Ryan Hopewell, Lead Guitarist of Roronoah. “The orchestral layers and creepy piano set a mood that drags you straight into the chaos. It’s theatrical, unsettling, and hits harder because of it.”
Ryan, josh and Corie are responsible for the string section of this release. they harmonize in a way that keeps you moving through the story, where you are fighting your way out of a spiral, while simultaneously being dragged back to the bottom, in a never ending battle.
"Speak to release, Lie to me, Lie to me, Lie to me, Lie to me, I am not okay, This is what You have been forced to see, Chemical dependency, In my head,
In my head, In my head, In my head, I’m not alone, The screaming, The voices, Beckon me to return Home". the boys are relentless from the off and they are going to provide you with all of the opportunities to circle pit and windmill with the ferocity and energy they bring.
the final talking point, but by no means the least important, is drummer Jude. if you at any point think that you are going to go in one direction, you are wrong; he can and will pull you in the opposite. at the beginning of this song I was expecting it to go some kind of way, but I was pleasantly surprised by where I was taken musically. while you have the regular blast beats and fills that is generally expected of a deathcore song, Jude shows an excellent talent for holding silences to build tension, changing time signatures, subtlety and immense chaos in a very interesting blend.
'a vice like no other' left me feeling like I had been in a push pit of my own mind, with no escape, fighting to stay on my feet and searching for something to numb it all. this feeling I think can be perfectly summed up in a single line of lyrics, "This is the only escape from the pain".
for fans of: fit for an autopsy, shadow of intent, whitechapel, lorna shore and thy art is murder
9/10, a band to watch.
