Mélancolia – random.access.misery (Album Review)

‍Mélancolia – random.access.misery
Released: August 29 2025

Lineup

Alex Hill // Vocals
Joshua Taafe // Guitars
Billy Morris // Guitars
Mason Page // Drums
Toby Thomas // Bass

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When Mélancolia exploded onto the scene they were a force to be reckoned with. They debuted live with Thy Art Is Murder, and signed to Nuclear Blast and Greyscale Records ahead of their 10/10 debut album HissThroughRottenTeeth. This was further followed by tours across the world and nationally with the likes of Ingested, Fallujah, Cattle Decapitation, and To The Grave. I’ve been eagerly anticipating Mélancolia’s next album random.access.misery, and that curiosity was piqued after hearing the singles and seeing their powerful regional shows with Thy Art Is Murder. I was eager to see how Mélancolia would expand upon the signature sonic palette introduced to the world via HissThroughRottenTeeth and push beyond traditional genre boundaries. The answers to my questions lie in an album truly unlike anything else you'll hear.

Lead single ‘ALL_IS_RUST’ is by far the most appropriate opener for random.access.misery as it encapsulates everything about the direction that Mélancolia are identifying with. Alex Hill’s brutal and often high-pitched screeches are impressive, as is the overall tone of the song. The dreary trademark atmosphere of the band is still ever present, but chunkier riffs and vicious groove highlight the stark differences between the old and new. ‘icanseethroughtheholesinmyhands’ is a short surprise that further demonstrates the nu-metal influences that guitarists Joshua Taafe and Billy Morris take on board. The guitars feel so reminiscent of that kind of early 2000s guitar noise while still feeling modern and serrated. Alex’s cleans make an appearance shortly before kicking into the infectious crescendo that closes out this song. ‘Picking Scabs’ is a catchy as hell single that features some of my favourite drum work from Mason Page. I particularly love the closing 30 seconds instrumentally.

‘boiler.room’ feels ominous, yet sexy; particularly due to Toby Thomas’ bass work laden throughout a carefully concocted balance of screams. The switch up halfway through sees the pace pick up and Mélancolia unleash their fury, a showcase of their dynamic range ahead of a punishing breakdown. ‘Lithia’ dials in on this duality by bringing in Hunter Young of Moodring for Deftones-esque cleans which transitions into mind bending distortions and breakdowns.

‘RoseBloomWrist’ is a fucking sick song title and Toby’s bass hooks you in instantly. His interplay with Josh’s and Billy’s masterful riffs is exciting to hear among Alex’s pig squeals. There is a large focus on atmosphere prior to a climactic ‘third act’ which makes it feel like the perfect song to jump in a wall of death to. Speaking of songs that go off live, we know next single ‘SPIT!’ is on that list. The soon to be iconic chorus beginning with “Spit It Out” continues to showcase the range of the band as Alex masterfully juggles screams and cleans. Christopher Mackertich of DREGG brings his unique fast-paced vocals into the mix, making ‘SPIT!’ feel like a fucking party.

The final stretch of this album awaits, and here we enter my favourite tracks of random.access.misery. The title track does not fuck around, again proving to be a culmination of the blackened nu-metal sound on display. Blistering fast instrumentals and choruses that feel destined for big rooms all feature, with plenty of nu-metal tinged production touches. ‘Cold Now…’ kicks off with a proper jump scare and brings forth the blackened deathcore tinge that’s core to Mélancolia’s tone. Alex dials the vocals to eleven as we close off with a breakdown, prior to moving into album close ‘…Colder Still.’ The first minute of this song gives the listener a chance to reflect and digest the album they are experiencing; serrated tones enclose the nu-metal soundscape of vocalisations, peppered with screeches and blast beats. “Anything to feel something” rings out repeatedly before the listener is given a final moment of quiet reflection, and I find myself taken aback.

I gave HissThroughRottenTeeth a perfect score due to its unique selection of songs all harnessing a sound that “expanded my listening unlike any other work in recent memory.” Mélancolia have outdone themselves on their foray into another fresh style of their own creation. Coining the blackened nu-metal term has allowed the band to create exciting music that retains their signature aesthetic while paying homage to the influences that were important for their musical journey. Every song has something new at play; in a music scene where some bands play it safe or they strive for self-improvement (a noble goal mind you), Mélancolia have superseded the limitations of genre. random.access.misery is unlike anything else out there. Taking inspiration from the band’s own words: you will love this album or you will hate it. But you will fucking remember it.

Rating: 10/10
random.access.misery is out Friday, August 29th via Greyscale Records // Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-Order here
Review by Tyler Lubke.

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