Rigor Sardonicous is an American

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

band from

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

. Coined as "raw, apocalyptic doom", Rigor Sardonicous is one of the earliest American doom metal bands that are still active today among Novembers Doom and

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

. The band members came together in 1988. According to an interview, the band is influenced by slow parts of death metal bands like

Obituary An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...

Winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar 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. Dif ...

and

Autopsy An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...

. The band's name is

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

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 A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...

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) * ''Praeparet Bellum'' (CD, 2023)

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

{{Authority control American doom metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1988 Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state) Funeral doom musical groups