[melter] releases brand new single and video 'Blacklist'

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Chicago post-industrial duo [melter], Jax Allos & Robert Hyman, have a new single and a grainy black and white video out, “Blacklist”. The single comes ahead of upcoming tour dates of the US Midwest and East Coast, spanning July, August, and September 2024.

“Blacklist” has been mixed and produced with post-punk / deathrock / darkwave producer William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse, et al) at Chicago’s 13 Studio; while the video was created by MoK Films and [melter].

Rob Hyman says of the track: “Musically the song took off once Jax supplied me with her vocal melody and lyrics. She had built off of a musical idea I started which is the electronic foundation of the song, but which finally became a [melter] track after the drums, bass and vocals were added to it. ‘blacklist’ is very representative of where [melter] is as a band right now. The song evolved into a powerful and driving backbone to Jax’s dynamic and textured vocal performance. Working with William Faith on the mix helped to present it as strongly as we had envisioned it while wiring it.”

“Blacklist” from [melter] is out now via Bandcamp as a 3-track single, featuring live versions of the title track, and the earlier track “Raw”, originally from the band’s self-titled debut EP (May 2023).

Upcoming [melter] tourdates

[melter] are soon to embark on a string of tour dates with Pittsburgh’s Hemlock for Socrates. The two bands’ Summer Tour kicks off in Louisville, Kentucky on July 26th, before taking in dates mainly across the US Midwest (Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois), and winding up with homecoming shows in Chicago, IL, and Pittsburgh, PA, on 10 and 11 August 2024.

Of the upcoming tour with Hemlock for Socrates, Rob says: “This is our first tour, so we are excited to play cities we’ve not played before and to perform to new audiences. Getting to spend more time with Hemlock for Socrates and enjoying life on the road for a few weeks. Jax and I end up living [melter] 24/7 when we are on the road and it really helps to spur new ideas and provide a lot of focus for what is next for us.”

And Jax adds: “I’m excited to continue growing our friendship with Heather and Kegan from Hemlock for Socrates, and I can’t wait for us to share all our stories from many years of music creation. I’m ecstatic about travelling, in part because I can tackle some of the things on [melter]’s to-do list while Rob is driving. Like Rob said, living the [melter] life 24/7. I’ll maintain productivity and brings me so much joy, you have no idea! Because, it’s the little things, right?”

In September, [melter] once again hit the road, this time for the Imperfect Waves Tour across the East Coast, alongside “Chicago glampires” Plasmata, and Cleveland industrial-rock / dark synth outfit 2 Forks.

Hemlock for Socrates and [melter] – Summer Tour 2024

26 July – Louisville, KY – Art Sanctuary
27 July – Columbus, OH – The Spacebar
31 July – Ypsilanti, MI – Ziggy’s
1 August – Madison, WI – Crucible
2 August – Grand Rapids, MI – Mulligan’s
3 August – Fort Wayne, IN – The Ruin
8 August – Cincinnati, OH – The Comet
9 August – Alton, IL – The Conservatory
10 August – Chicago, IL – Bourbon on Division
11 August – Pittsburgh, PA – The Government Center

Plasmata, [melter], and 2 Forks – Imperfect Waves Tour: September 2024

20 September – Lake Worth Beach, FL – Propaganda: ‘Nights in Necropolis’
21 September – Tampa, FL – New World Brewery
22 September – Atlanta, GA – 10 High
23 September – TBD – contact Hecataea Music for bookings
24 September – Pittsburgh, PA – Poetry Lounge
25 September – TBD – contact Hecataea Music for bookings
26 September – Philadelphia, PA – The Fire
27 September – Providence, Rhode Island – Fete Music Hall
28 September – Harrisburg, PA – JB Lovedrafts Micropub
29 September – Richmond, VA – Fallout RVA

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Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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