RHODODENDRON "Ascent Effort" LP
Please note that this is a pre-order item. All items ordered along with this item will be shipped around its release date.
Record Label - The Flenser
Transformation, growth, and rebirth drive Ascent Effort, the latest release from Portland, Oregon trio Rhododendron. The title points upward, but not toward arrival. The record documents a period of change defined as much by instability as progress, where confusion and renewal unfold at the same pace.
Formed in 2019 while the band’s members were still in high school, Rhododendron’s Ezra Chong (guitar, vocals), Gage Walker (bass), and Noah Mortola (drums) set out to push their musical limits without regard for genre boundaries or audience expectation. For Ascent Effort, the band joined the roster of The Flenser, aligning with a label that has long championed artists who work in tension rather than comfort.
In the past 7 years the trio has developed a sound rooted in technical precision and repetition. Drawing from the angular experimentation of underground rock in the 1980s and 1990s alongside elements of jazz, ambient, and progressive music, their compositions are deliberate with intensity. Riffs fracture and reform, rhythms lock into patterns only to break apart, and extended passages build pressure before shifting direction.
Performing regularly in Portland, the band has cultivated an intense and loyal local following. The live setting hardened the material. Songs grew heavier, sharper, more physical through repetition and high volume.
The material that became Ascent Effort was tested on tour before entering the studio. Written largely in sequence, the album traces a period of personal change and internal friction. Growth is not always clean; sometimes it grinds forward. Nothing resolves without cost. Confusion and strain do not sit outside the songs, they shape their architecture. That is what the band has accomplished with Ascent Effort, a work that is not always clean but well-shaped by struggle and growth. The Pacific Northwest lingers in the background of the record, its long winters and brief summers echoing the album’s shifts between abrasion and restraint.
Ascent Effort does not offer catharsis in the traditional sense. It allows tension to remain. In that unresolved space, transformation takes form and a band in motion is revealed.
Tracklist:
01. Firmament
02. Like Spitting Out Copper
03. Stow
04. Family Photo
05. Within Crippling Light
What does Pre-Order mean & how does it work?
Pre-order means that you are ordering an item that is not yet manufactured or in stock. Pre-Order items will not ship before their release date. If your order contains one or more pre-order items, the entire order will be shipped in one package once the pre-order item is released.
Product Information & Safety
Disclaimer
Vinyl Orders- Please note that we do our best to protect vinyl records ideally for shipping, using our custom made mailers and additional cardboard squares. However, we can not guarantee that no damage on the way occurs. Ordering is at one's own risk. Vinyl might be delivered unsealed as we have to open copies to check vinyl colours, if not sufficiently labeled by the distributor / label.
Product Images- Please note that most of the images in our store are not actual photos but mock ups. These mock ups are digital representations of what we expect the final product to look like - however they do not represent the final product. Final vinyl pressings, prints, etc. may look slightly different.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pick up my order?
Yes, you can pick up your order from our warehouse in Berlin Lichtenberg. Please choose “Pick Up” as delivery method at checkout and pay for your order as if it was a regular order. You will be notified via e-mail once your order is ready for collection. Pick Up times are Monday - Friday between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Only orders fully paid in advance can be picked up. You can not shop directly from our warehouse →  online purchases only.
If not collected within 7 days after being notified that your order is ready for collection, your order will be cancelled.
After receiving your ready for pick up notification via e-mail, you can find us at the following address:
Josef-Orlopp-Str. 92
10365 Berlin-Lichtenberg
Walk onto the backyard and look out for a green door with a black sign saying "EVIL GREED / EG Distribution GmbH" and our logo, next to a loading ramp. We're located on the second floor - please ring the bell.
How do I return items on my order?
As long as the items are unworn and unwashed they can be returned to the below address:
EG Distribution GmbH
Evil Greed - Returns
Josef-Orlopp-Str. 92
10365 Berlin
Germany
Please note that we do not cover shipping back to us. If you want to make sure your package arrives okay you might want to consider sending it trackable / insured. Please also include either a copy of your invoice or a brief note with your order number so we can assign the package to the right order / customer.
Please clearly mark your shipment as "RETURN"Â so no custom / import charges are due when returning from an non-EU country.Â
Once the items are with us and have been checked by our team, we will refund the amount due to your preferred payment method!
Do you have a size chart for your items?
Yes, you can find it here.
Can I combine orders / add items to an already existing order?
We are not able to make any changes to already existing orders. If your order hasn't been processed yet, we can however cancel it so that you can place a new order containing all the items you wish to purchase.
When will my order arrive / how long does shipping take?
If your order does not contain any pre-order items (see below) it will be shipped within 1-2 days after purchasing. Once shipped, depending on where you are shipping can take up to 1-3 days (Germany), 7 days (Europe & UK) and 30 days (worldwide). If you want your order to arrive as soon as possible, please select FedEx at checkout.
How much does shipping cost?
You can find our shipping cost here.