RONKER release genre-explosion of a new track ‘Limelighter’ with music video
From the forthcoming album
‘Respect The Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever’
set for release 30th Jan 2026 via LABELMAN
Announce London show at The Lexington on 25th April 2026
“Blending hardcore, post-punk and noise rock, there's an air of early IDLES… but with an added heft and fury that is pure joy to behold.” - Metal Hammer
Belgian noise-niks RONKER dive headfirst into what it means to be in a band, coping with the antics of a rock&roll lifestyle, with their forthcoming album ‘Respect The Hustle, I Won’t Be Your Dog Forever’, set for release 30th Jan 2026 via LABELMAN. Today, they share a further glimpse at its balls-to-the-wall aesthetic with new single ‘Limelighter’ and its accompanying circus of a music video. The band say: “Limelighter shows RONKER at our most maximalist, pulling out most of the bells and whistles the band have in their arsenal. We thought big: big chorus, big emocore breakdown, big choir arrangement, big chromatic death metal riff at the finish. The end (of the album) is near, anything goes.
The track details the struggles that come with committing to the nomadic lifestyle of being an entertainer. We wrote the album while being on the road and it shows. It's one of those kind of songs you start writing and immediately think of as a set-closer, because of its epic nature. A song about singing songs in front of people to close the show: talk about going full-circle.”
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 have now just 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 recently kicked off this cycle of music 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 spit their frustration over modern overstimulation, chasing meaning in a world that never slows down. Think IDLES meets METZ on a caffeine rush, with a touch of Refused’s chaos and Voivod’s weirdness. The band is presenting a more layered and sophisticated sound on ‘Respect The Hustle…’ than they did on its predecessor, with the result being a record that is equally shaped by the likes of David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars as it is by Refused or Slayer. Still as aggressive as before, but with a more old-school approach to songwriting implementing big choruses and even bigger riffage.
Since their inception, RONKER have been mainly found on the road, carving out an audience in the most old-school fashion - by playing live. Always visceral, urgent and frantic, RONKER are a prime example of being staunchly committed to rock and roll athleticism - throwing shapes and taking names. RONKER’s debut album ‘Fear Is a Funny Thing, Now Smile Like a Big Boy’ was met with overwhelmingly positive reactions, with journalists praising the band’s cross-over antics, whilst also applauding RONKER for testing the limits of standard tuned guitars whilst retaining a hooky nature. The band was complimented on injecting a much-needed boost of speed into the Belgian music scene.
RONKER ARE:
Jasper De Petter - vocals/guitar
Bram Delcourt - bass
Jens Van Den Borre - guitar
Matteo Beyney - drums
SEE RONKER LIVE:
29/01/2026 - Bastion V, Dendermonde (BE)
30/01/2026 - De Keldr, Mechelen (BE)
31/01/2026 - De Nachtwacht, Tielt (BE)
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)
25/04/2026 - The Lexington, London (UK)
16/05/2026 - Sonic Whip, Nijmegen (NL)
08/08/2026 - Alcatraz Festival, Kortrijk (BE)
16/08/2026 - Dynamo Metalfest, Eindhoven (NL)
CONNECT WITH RONKER:
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
