Ronker, a Belgian band whose members emerged from indie and post-rock backgrounds, have carved out a niche blending melodic, indie-inflected songwriting with heavy, cathartic hardcore riffs. Frontman Jasper De Petter describes the sound as being like "the Arctic Monkeys trying to play Slayer", reflecting the group's unusual fusion of genres that would normally sit at opposite ends of the rock spectrum. Their story is notable because it shows how a lockdown side-project born out of frustration evolved into the members' primary musical focus.

The band formed in 2020 during lockdown, when the members, unable to tour with their other projects, began jamming together and found their gentle post-rock leanings coming out as raw and angry instead. That energy has carried through to their acclaimed second album, Respect the Hustle, I Won't Be Your Dog Forever, released via Labelman, which draws comparisons to Every Time I Die and Idles. De Petter also credits his sobriety with sharpening his songwriting, saying it made him "more pointed, more blunt" and, in turn, made the music heavier.