Melancholia is a condition predating modern medicine, an affliction of immense melancholic depression. It was believed that those suffering from the condition actually contained tainted bodies, holding black bile within their stomachs.
This ancient pseudo-disease is a fitting name for the band Mélancolia, which is releasing its newest album, random.access.misery, on August 29, 2025, chock-full of despair and gut-wrenching pandemonium. This is the second full-length release by the band, and their sound has evolved as well, gaining a more nu-metal sound thanks to Mason Page’s well-maintained drum kit, while still retaining the raw and evil sound they burst out with in their original release, 2023’s HissThroughRottenTeeth.
Although originally from down under, Mélancolia’s stalwart performance has landed them a position under Nuclear Blast Records in Germany, a powerhouse record label for Heavy Metal that touts explosive sound as its cornerstone, and Greyscale Records, which has created a hilarious “Melancolios” cereal box merch kit for fans of the band. In addition, the young band has already completed multiple tours in Europe and Australia and will embark on another tour in Australia immediately after the release of this LP. Definitely an energetic and exciting time for the band, and we all know deep down that in this genre and industry, increased fan interest is linked to only one thing: good music.
Mélancolia has been making music for three years now, producing a dark, rage-filled yet despairing sound that falls within the space of genres that attempt to define the stepping-off point of Heavy Metal into Black Death Metal. Additionally, Alternative, Dark Groove, Heavy Nu, Industrial, Speedygoth, and Doom would all be attempts to label this sound, which, in one way or another, fall short of fully defining their sound. The band is unique and menacing, immersive and reality-shattering, like the music of hell if it were trapped in the forever void of cyberspace and fed viruses and malware for nutrition. The album title may have helped build this image, but listening to “ALL_IS_RUST” builds the picture just as well with its cyber-industrial prelude and voice modification. This band is full of demons, or maybe ruled by them; either way, there is nothing nice about Mélancolia.
The overexposed blue lighting, white jumpsuits, and the overall façade of each member (especially Lead Singer Alex Hill) are reminiscent of the short and intense era of exaggerated Heavy Metal released during the Y2K era. This is a sound meant for performance; it is extra in all facets and thrusts its existence in your face. Music just like Slipknot’s Iowa from 2001 or Cradle of Filth’s Nymphetamine from 2004. This is thanks to the work of sound Producer Declan White, with whom the band collaborated to mix and master this album throughout all of 2024. White, like the band, hails from the Melbourne region of Australia and has primarily contributed to shaping the band’s sound.
In Mélancolia’s previous album, they felt flat and one-dimensional. Their sound now has a lot more activity in the white space behind the gritty vocals and attacking drums. This is most commonly heard in the introductions to each song, as well as in other places. A listen through of “boiler.room” and “Cold Now…” provides that Industrial soundscape that any metalhead will love. It seeps into the airwaves and covers every open receptor of your ear, forcing you to accept the sound.
A powerful and electrifying Heavy Metal sound emanates from random.access.misery, surprising and satisfying returning fans of the band, while attracting a new wave of Nu-Metal listeners who may have missed out on the rougher, eccentric aspects of their first release. There are signs of professional polish and a progression of sound that showcases its inspiration while still offering something new, exactly what we want to listen to from Melancolia. That is why Cryptic Rock gives random.access.misery 5 out of 5 stars.
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