Melanie Martinez is finally back with her new album, HADES, which came out on March 27. Housing 18 tracks that highlight current social issues and themes, this album introduces listeners to the dystopian world of Hades Tech and her new character, Circle.
HADES is Melanie Martinez’s fourth studio album. Her songs feature eye-catching titles like “WHITE BOY WITH A GUN,” “HELL’S FRONT PORCH,” and “BATSHIT INTELLIGENCE.” She incorporates a new sound by intertwining orchestral elements, synth pop beats, and horror music scores. Martinez paints a picture of struggling to be perfect in the public eye, yet faces criticism from so-called weight watchers and online chat rooms. This pairs with her other songs, highlighting abusive relationships, greedy billionaires, and political unrest.
Martinez’s new album grants easter eggs from previous albums like familiar tunes, sound bites, themes, and lyricism. HADES has garnered much attention and praise already for the new content in general, and for the startling statements Martinez displays throughout her songs. It’s available to listen to on Spotify. Each song equally expresses individuality while adding to the overall message Martinez crafted. Here is a dissection and adoration for each song from HADES.
1. “GARBAGE”
Starting off strong is “GARBAGE.” Martinez incorporates birds chirping, which is heard throughout her last album, PORTALS. The tone abruptly shifts with gunshots, a stark contrast to Martinez’s lilting voice. This song describes violence in the streets and the environment dying, yet people struggle to band together to fix it. Some lyrics call attention to current events like “…stop the policeman from committing murderous crimes.”
Another lyric, “Wake up the children, devices are filled with the blood of their addicted hands,” calls out social media addiction. This is a previous theme seen in PORTALS, and highlights the tiny similarities that connect all her albums. It serves as an extra joy that fans get while hearing new songs from a beloved artist. The message of the song is that making peace with one’s neighbor creates beauty in a garbage-filled world. This showcases Martinez’s usual juxtaposition present in her discography and sets the tone for the aesthetic and themes of this album.
2. “IS THIS A CULT?”
“IS THIS A CULT?” tells the tale of Hades courting Martinez’s new character, Circle. However, all is not what it seems as he takes her to his place down south. Martinez sings about women in long white dresses, and how she will not work for him. The chorus asks the titular question, and also if they can revolt or if it’s home. The instrumentals produce an eerie feel and immerse the listener into the story, wondering what will happen next.
Martinez continues the tale as Circle bands the women together to overthrow the cult leader. As the song ends, it’s revealed that the women now live free on the land and do whatever they want. There is a creepy “la la la” background vocal towards the end that fills the listener with dread in a good way. It’s another great example of Martinez’s unique storytelling abilities.
3. “POSSESSION”
As the first single that Martinez released for the new album, “POSSESSION” tells the tale of an abusive relationship. The character, Circle, is stuck in a vicious cycle of never being treated right, yet not being able to leave. She is seen as not a person, but a possession, and her mind is warped to accept it and “go along, di di dum.” The lyrics “How could he love me, if he won’t see me” and “I feed him kisses so I don’t break down to pieces” show this.
This single was the first glimpse into what the new album would be, and it set the stage for what fans could expect from this new chapter in Martinez’s world. Listeners who’ve survived abusive relationships immediately praised the single for tackling the complicated feelings from those situations and felt seen.
4. “WHITE BOY WITH A GUN”
“WHITE BOY WITH A GUN” is a beautiful melody meshed with a story that is anything but. Martinez weaves the ever-present tale of a girl meeting a supposed nice guy and finding out that he’s actually racist, doesn’t really support women, and rolls with the 2nd Amendment crowd. The song essentially calls out men who say all these nice buzzwords to women to get with them, yet say and do things that contradict their sentiments afterwards.
Although it’s an unfortunate story told, there is amazing lyricism from Martinez with the line “You’re racist, not nuanced, might as well just wear white cloth.” That alone made this song a wonderful listen, paired with the relaxing tune throughout. This is another good example of the juxtapositions Martinez uses in her music.
5. “DISNEY PRINCESS”
The second single of this album, “DISNEY PRINCESS” centers on Circle reaching fame yet being empty inside. This song leans into silliness with a quirky intro of Martinez speaking in a mocking high-pitched voice about how Circle was poked, prodded, and had her innocence stripped away until all that was left was a “Disney princess.” That title provides a glaring contrast to what Circle really is: drunk, miserable, high, and done with life.
All Circle wants is her innocence back, but that’s one thing her allowance can’t buy. This is offset by a great tune with a good beat that makes listeners want to get up and dance around the room like they’re a Disney princess, too. Fans speculated this song referenced Martinez’s own career, as she’s stated in interviews about losing one’s innocence in that industry.
6. “GRUDGES”
Taking a sharp turn into anger, “GRUDGES” is a perfect female rage song. In it, Martinez reflects on how she remained a good person, yet people still screwed her over one too many times. Because of this, she has a grudge and an axe to grind. The lyrics are filled with her twisted humor, like “Knock knock, are you home” and “My angels put a hex on ya (guess they had a grudge too).” At the end of the song, Martinez reiterates that if people mess around that much, they will find a grudge for life. Overall, this song makes listeners think of any grudges they have and purge their anger as they sing along.
7. “MONOPOLY MAN”
“MONOPOLY MAN” calls out greedy billionaires who already have everything, yet keep climbing higher and higher and taking more and more. Martinez demands what it will take for these people to see the damage they’ve done, but the plea remains unanswered. Lyrics like “Got so many houses while nobody else can eat” and “Own the earth and stars, still you climb higher” reflect the real-life monopoly men of the world.
Layered with a really good beat, listeners can’t help but sway to it as Martinez airs out dirty laundry. An interesting touch added at the end is Martinez speeding up the verses to convey the urgency of her statement before the track abruptly ends.
8. “AVOIDANT”
As the first slow song of the album, “AVOIDANT” is akin to “LIGHT SHOWER” from PORTALS with its sound and vulnerability. The song examines loving someone who can’t love them back the same amount because they’re avoidant. Heartbreak unfurls as Martinez expresses that she can probably find better, but would rather be alone than deal with this again.
Even though they didn’t give enough, she knows that she loved them with everything she had. This is heard in the lyric, “If the fall of our memory comes true, I know I did everything I could do.” The lyrics overall are gut-wrenching with a melody to match. It’s fitting for the times, as hook-up culture runs rampant, and no one wants to commit and put in the work for a relationship.
9. “MONOLITH”
“MONOLITH” delves into one person being everything for everyone, even if it kills them, and no one can be there for them in the same regard. This is stated in the lyric, “I wish someone would save me, ’cause God knows I spend my life doing all of the saving.” This song shows off Martinez’s vocal range with many high notes in the chorus and throughout.
At the end of the song, she repeats “A pillar, an icon, a relic, a ruin. A demon, a whore, a girl who is stupid.” It’s a mantra, almost, and hammers in who she is as a monolith for everybody. Peculiarly, sounds of dissection are at the very end. This calls back to sounds present in her last album.
10. “WEIGHT WATCHERS”
In “WEIGHT WATCHERS,” Martinez calls out the people online who’ve commented on her body over the years. It simultaneously is a venting session on how she tries to stay skinny and perfect, but nothing works, so maybe she’ll get surgery instead. The song bursts with relatable lyrics like “…skip lunch and dessert…somehow my stomach sticks out of my skirt,” and “I work out each day, but I don’t think it works.”
Martinez provides a voice to all the thoughts that most women frequently think about regarding weight and beauty in this song. It’s backed by an awesome beat that kicks in at the chorus. The song is basically the angry older sister of “Mrs. Potato Head.” It’s also special because it has a familiar tune that’s present in each of her albums, creating a fun easter egg for her fanbase.
11. “THE PLAGUE”
“THE PLAGUE” takes a sick turn that’s reminiscent of “Nurse’s Office” from K-12 with its coughing sound bites throughout. Martinez belts out in the soprano of a plague spreading across the land, and thus leading to the end times. There is an unexpected and interesting EDM beat added to the chorus that makes the song sound fun as audiences listen to it. The song serves as a slight palette cleanser from the recent heavy topics already sung.
12. “BATSHIT INTELLIGENCE”
Martinez pops off with “BATSHIT INTELLIGENCE” in a perfectly catchy tune that expresses the struggles of the world and how to combat and overcome them. It features this chant: “Heed to the warning, feed them the potion, wise are the tortured, trees by the ocean, keep your emotion, lead with devotion, kill the oppressor, drunk on corruption.” It makes listeners stop and pay attention, then resume dancing to Martinez’s soothing voice against the opposing lyrics.
Another great lyric to fit the times is “Where’s the alien to save us?” Backing up the lyrics is a synth beat that’s similar to Lana Del Rey after the first few listens. This adds to the joy if a listener is also a fan of that artist. At the end of the song, a news clip about a homeless encampment being cleared plays with a new melody. This sets the scene for the next song in the tracklist.
13. “GUTTER”
Beginning with the tune at the end of the last song, “GUTTER” talks about how the people in power leave those in need of help (like homeless people) to fend for themselves and essentially tosses them in the gutter. This song features again the carousel tune that’s heard throughout her albums, giving another easter egg to the fanbase. Martinez mentions the hypocrisy of people boasting for community yet not caring unless they need something, as heard in the lyric “Nobody ever talks to their neighbor, till they need a favor.” This song lays blame to the people supposed to help their fellow citizens, yet continue to turn said citizens away.
14. “UNCANNY VALLEY”
As the third single from the album, “UNCANNY VALLEY” pokes fun at how celebrities are getting the same procedures so that they all look “uncanny valley” hot. Martinez plays off the satire in the chorus, asking, “Is that what you want? Uncanny valley hot. Never enough, give you all my love…never good enough.” Through these lyrics, the reality rings true: looking so perfect will never be enough. Women can also relate to this song because it is a frequent realization they face: the picture-perfect face and body are never enough. There’s no pleasing society when “beauty comes in every form.”
15. “THE VATICAN”
Intertwining church choir background vocals, orchestral instruments, and a snappy beat, “THE VATICAN” calls out hypocrisy in men who preach they’re godly men, yet treat their women like crap. A great lyric highlighting this is “It’s so homoerotic, the way you pray to men, and treat your women, like a leviathan.” The chorus mocks and demands that they should worship women instead, as if they are the Vatican. Martinez knocks it out of the park again with a great song to jam out to and feel a sense of superiority while singing along.
16. “HELL’S FRONT PORCH”
“HELL’S FRONT PORCH” calls attention to the state of the environment and how everything is getting hotter and hotter. Martinez questions where all the seasons have gone, and claims Earth will spit out humans for breakfast and eat them for lunch. She delves into how the animals are running, and humans are next for extinction. Despite the grim lyrics, listeners will still dance on Hell’s front porch with Martinez as the trippy chorus and sound production carry the song.
17. “CHATROOM”
In “CHATROOM,” Martinez bares her heart as she sings about the damage online hate can cause a person. Although she knows it’s either “a bot, a 45-year-old incel, or a 10-year-old on their mom’s iPad,” the words still get to her regardless of where they came from. Her sorrowful tone carries on in the lyric “Still I could never make you love you.” This is beautifully told because at the end of the day, those vile words came from someone who hates themselves, and that makes them the real loser.
18. “THE LAST TWO PEOPLE ON EARTH”
Perhaps the lone happy love song on the album, “THE LAST TWO PEOPLE ON EARTH,” tells the story of the world ending, so people might as well be close to their love in the most intimate way. The song has a pretty chorus, and Martinez makes the whole affair sound incredibly romantic amongst the end-of-times backdrop. Added to the romance are the sounds of missiles exploding and police sirens going off.
Impact of the new album
HADES brought Melanie Martinez out of a three-year hiatus, and she came out swinging. Starring a new character, themes, aesthetic, and sound, Martinez has crafted a new world for her concept album that fans have been equally enjoying and dissecting since its release. With her new album also being a double album (details yet to be released for the second one), Martinez is blazing back onto the music scene with her unique flair and storytelling. She’s cultivated a new era of her music, and fans are eager to see what’s more in store for her and the era she’s crafting.
