RORONOAH closes a chapter with latest single release 'judgement'
- Keely Naylon
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
In a track that sounds like a prayer for the damned, Roronoah closes their early musical chapter with the punishingly tasty ‘Judgement’.
Following the successful release of their debut EP ‘Accustomed to Hurt’ earlier this year, and off the back of a highly successful headline east-coast tour, this five-piece deathcore band from Brisbane are still racing ahead at full tilt.
Roronoah warms into the track slowly at first with big, chunky, rasping guitar riffs, before tumbling head-first into hell with a machine gun-like drum beat and ferocious spit-fire vocals from Kalani Weeks. Jude’s drumming takes centre-stage almost immediately, however, feeling as though you’re facing down a firing squad. They’re terrifyingly precise and perfectly disorientating, maintaining a frantic pace.
RORONOAH does not let you rest on any particular groove throughout ‘Judgement’, leaping from rhythm to rhythm, sound to sound, it’s a chaotic yet refined descent into madness. A testament to the rhythm section of Jude and bassist Corie.
‘Judgement’ delves into what’s fast becoming Roronoah’s signature sound of thick, gritty bass and guitar of Josh intermingling with an almost sweet melodic lead guitar part from Ryan that feels refreshing amongst the deathcore grittiness. The light, pretty, and twisting melodic guitar parts appear as though a canary in a coal mine, soaring yet gradually dying, short-lived yet so sincerely necessary.
Lyrically, we delve into an almost prayer-like framing, returning to the track's refrain of ‘God hath judged thee’ as the character of the serial killer appears to fight against being damned to hell. ‘Judgement’ is dripping in religious imagery, violence, and gore. It truly reads like a descent into the depths of hell with a hound on your tail.
The song's final lyrics, ‘You will fear me forever and after for I have sinned’ could almost be pulled directly from catholic prayers of repentance or contrition, with a delightfully sarcastic and sinister twist, of course.
Vocalist Kalani Weeks explains that ‘Judgement’ is an end to the current RORONOAH story-line that began with Let The Cleaver Swing. The band's most streamed track to date.
"'Judgement' was written as the end of a saga that fans of Roronoah might be aware of. We’ve been writing a story since we released Let The Cleaver Swing and Deathrow Manifesto. Judgement is the final episode in the story of a serial killer after the events of Deathrow Manifesto. He has ended up in a place similar to Hell and is basically praying for a final Judgement to be sent to heaven."
Roronoah’s lyrics are thoughtful, intense, and dense with vivid imagery that’s reflected in the musical story-telling. The band builds to a tense silence as we await the final judgement that is reminiscent of the eye of a hurricane, or the gut-dropping seconds when your car begins to hydro-plane, before they deliver the final devastating blow that is the last breakdown.
It is a vicious, full-band, takedown. The guitars are cinematic, the drums aggressive, and the vocals full of rage. Kalani delivers an almost theatric performance vocally, mutating from his earlier crazed, rapid-fire lines, to deep and growling, heavy with promises of violence and fear. The story is over, yet the villain looms on, instilling terror as serial killers are wont to do through a morbid mythos, no-matter their final judgement.
Kalani states that ‘Judgement’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for Roronoah’s sound.
"I figured that with where we are heading with our sound in the band, this would be a great idea for a send off for ‘Early Roronoah’ while we continue our ascent in the heavy scene - and to have 'Judgement' be the transition felt only right. The end of one story is the signal for the start of Roronoah."
Whilst endings can be bittersweet, it’s a relief to know that Roronoah are only getting started, and they’re well-equipped to tackle whatever challenge comes their way. Be it a searing melodic guitar solo, a chunky, grimey riff, a punishing, frantic drum-beat, or a serial killer. Roronoah has it covered.
STREAM ‘JUDGEMENT’ ON APPLE MUSIC AND SPOTIFY.
