Melbourne Metalcore Quartet Melting Release Debut Track 'Modern Human Ritual'
At WoS HQ, we're proud to say we have a keen eye for emerging local talent with immense potential while Australia continues to brim with artists who are making waves in alternative music communities worldwide.
If you want a glimpse of who might be the next big name representing Australia, look no further than Melting. This exciting new four-piece promises to be an act worth keeping your eye on as they kick start their career with a sound that is far removed from the usual cookie-cutter-styled metalcore.
This project has been brought together by creative visionary Alex Bertuna, who previously played alongside Mélancolia shredder Billy Morris, and Alpha Wolf vocalist Lochie Keogh in the local band Earthender, originally known as Heathercross.
[embed]https://www.instagram.com/reel/CszrwblJvON/?igsh=amVnYTZlbnU0OGVi[/embed]
In regards to the new musical endeavour, Bertuna goes on to share with Wall of Sound:
"'Modern Human Ritual' is a song that has been over 3 years in the making. God knows how many iterations this track has had. When I first started writing it, I didn’t even know Xavier (Morris, Singer). Tom (Kuypers, Bass) was already one of my best friends, but I hadn’t yet considered him as a potential member of Melting.
I only had one thing in mind when writing 'Modern Human Ritual'; create a social commentary piece of some ilk. I wanted to explore human behavioral traits, and attempt to write from the perspective of a leech, a manipulator, and a liar. A neck stepper of society that will do whatever it takes to be where they want to be. The longer I wrote, the more I realised how frequently these people appeared throughout my life. I had heard a million songs where the singer calls out a coward, or a liar or some shit like that. And I just thought it’d be fun to try to dive into the other side of that and see what I could come up with.
I was watching a lot of folk horror at the time and the concept and imagery of pagan ritualism seemed super relevant to the subject matter I was working with, and like something I could work into the track. Hence all the pagan/celtic instruments that appear in the song. The bands name was originally going to be The Witch, after the Robert Eggers film haha. All of us are hard into doom metal, lovecraftian horror, witchcraft and all that shit, and its influence is much more present on the upcoming music.
When Melting was in its infancy, I really wanted to focus primarily on songwriting. I didn’t really care for breakdowns, or heaviness for the sake of heaviness and I think 'Modern Human Ritual' reflects that. It definitely goes hard in its own way, but leans more into a chorus heavy groove than obnoxious slams. We went with Christopher Vernon for the mix and master, he has a super authentic and true sound. His mixes always feel so musical and like they would translate perfectly into a live space. That was paramount for us, especially with a more dynamic sounding song."
The group's approach on the new offering breathes fresh life into what can sometimes be a stale genre with their groove-orientated riffs and the incorporation of instruments which are infrequently used within the world of heavy music, such as a tambourine. With the unmissed absence of an overly heavy breakdown, the track is bound to keep you on your toes as you continue to guess what is to come.
With no word of what the group will do next, you better keep your eyes peeled for a further announcement - whether it be an EP, LP or even a live performance, we have no doubt that it will be worth beholding.
Written by Adam Rice
Melting is Xavier Morris on vocals | Alex Bertuna on guitar | Tom Kuyper on Bass | Johnny Foti on drums
Find the band on socials: Facebook | Linktree | Instagram
Stream ‘Modern Human Ritual‘ here
