Pittsburgh heavy rock trio M.E.L.T. has returned with "Mass Grave," a punishing new single that marks the band's first release since their 2023 album Replica of Man. Out now on all streaming platforms, the track channels a year's worth of live refinement into three-and-a-half minutes of crushing intensity.
Now operating under a revised name (a recent rebrand from "Melt" following trademark issues), the trio — completed by guitarist/vocalist Joey Troupe, bassist/vocalist James May, and drummer/vocalist J.J. Young — is charging into a new chapter with renewed energy and vision. The name change seems to have freed the band to explore new territory, with this new material serving as evidence of their continued evolution.
Written by May during the Replica of Man sessions, "Mass Grave" grew into something more ferocious as the band put it through the paces on stage over the past year. The result is M.E.L.T. delivering what the band calls "some of the nastiest riffs we've written,” while still leaning into the melodic undercurrents that have always set them apart in the heavy space.
artwork by Emily Wooddell
Thematically, the track plunges into a grim landscape of nuclear anxiety, offering a searing and unintentionally-prescient reflection of modern society’s risk of collapse. The relentless low-end assault and razor-sharp guitar work create an appropriately apocalyptic soundscape, but it's not all doom and sludge — an unexpectedly hooky bridge cuts through the gloom and elevates it beyond mere heaviness.
"This song kind of proved to us that there's a lot still in the tank," says drummer J.J. Young. That creative momentum is palpable throughout "Mass Grave," which showcases the band's continued evolution and willingness to push their sound into new territory.
Since dropping their self-titled debut in 2021, M.E.L.T. has earned a reputation for ferocious live sets and riff-first songwriting, sharing stages with cult heavyweights like Lightning Bolt, Pigsx7, and The Mystery Lights. The band has cultivated a devoted following through their uncompromising approach — one that values crushing weight without sacrificing song craft.
Fans local to Pittsburgh can catch M.E.L.T. live at Northside Music Festival on July 19 and Jam at Grandview on August 16, where "Mass Grave" is sure to hit even harder in person. For a band that's always thrived in the live setting, these shows promise to showcase both the new material and the refined energy that's been building over the past year.
Stream "Mass Grave" now on all platforms.
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