Rigor Sardonicous is an American doom metal band from Long Island, New York. Coined as "raw, apocalyptic doom", Rigor Sardonicous is one of the earliest American doom metal bands that are still active today among

Novembers Doom Novembers Doom is an American death-doom band from Chicago, currently signed to Prophecy Productions. Along with Evoken and Rigor Sardonicous, Novembers Doom is one of the earliest American death-doom bands still active today. History Form ...

and

Evoken Evoken is an American funeral doom metal band from Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States. Evoken is one of the earliest U.S. doom/death metal bands that are still active today, along with Novembers Doom and Rigor Sardonicous. History Founding ...

. The band members are committed to unearthing the darkest, deepest funeral doom sounds imaginable since coming together in 1988. According to an interview, the band is influenced by slow parts of death metal bands like Obituary,

Winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...

and Autopsy. The band's name is

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for "Rigid and sardonic"; the vast majority of their album and song titles are in Latin. However, the lyrics are still in English. On most of their recordings, the band uses a Boss DR-660 Dr. Rhythm drum machine.

History

Rigor Sardonicous was formed in 1988 by bassist Glenn Hampton, before guitarist-vocalist Joseph J. Fogarazzo joined him in 1990. The band's debut album '' Apocalypsis Damnare'' was released in 1999, followed by a split album with The Forgotten in 2002 and then their second album '' Principia Sardonica'' in 2004. In 2005, ''Apocalypsis Damnare'' was re-recorded and re-released via Paragon Records, while their demo, ''Risus Ex Mortuus'', was re-recorded and re-released as a full-length album in 2006 by the Russian label Endless Desperation Records. In 2008, the band released its third album '' Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus'', followed in 2012 by their fourth album ''Ego Diligio Vos''. In 2011, a live album titled ''Vivescere Exitium'' was released on cassette format and was limited to 200 copies. The recordings came from a New York concert on August 14, 2009. The concert had also been available as a free download even since.

Members

Current members

*Glenn Hampton – bass (1988–present) *Joseph J. Fogarazzo – guitar, vocals (1990–present)

Past members

*Ryan Böhlmann – drums (session only) *Gabe Madsen – drums (1988–1991) *Steve Moran – bass (2004–2005)

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Apocalypsis Damnare'' (CD, 1999, self-released, re-released by Paragon Records, 2005) * '' Principia Sardonica'' (CD, 2004, Paragon Records) * '' Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus'' (CD, LP, 2008, Paragon Records) * ''Ego Diligio Vos'' (CD, 2012)

Demos

* ''Risus Ex Mortuus'' (cassette, 1994, self-released, re-released on CD by Endless Desperation, 2006)

Live albums

* ''Vivescere Exitium'' (live recording; free digital download off main website, Distoare Music, 2011)

EPs and splits

* ''The Forgotten / Rigor Sardonicous'' (7" split with The Forgotten, Paragon Records, 2002) * ''Amores Defunctus Tuus Mater'' (CD split w/Dimentianon, Largactyl Records, 2007) * ''I / Neo-pesaimism'' (7" split with Persistence in Mourning, Feudal Throne Records, 2010) * ''Ridenti Mortis'' (digital EP, self-released, 2018)

References

External links

Official website
*
Official Rigor Sardonicous forum
*
Rigor Sardonicous at LastFM
{{Authority control American doom metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1988 Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state) Funeral doom musical groups