Australian symphonic metal and gothic rock band CARMERIA will release “Caelira,” the first single from their forthcoming third studio album Ex Cathedra, on Friday, August 28, 2026. The single arrives alongside an official music video and offers the first glimpse into the band’s next chapter, where their established blend of symphonic metal and gothic rock is expanded with a stronger melodic rock influence.
One of the more confrontational songs on Ex Cathedra, “Caelira” explores betrayal, disillusionment and the way ambition can distort relationships and erode trust. Beneath the anger of the song is a sense of mourning for something that was once deeply valued, leading to the difficult recognition that resilience does not always mean reconciliation or endurance. Sometimes, it means knowing when to let go.
Written and arranged by CARMERIA singer/songwriter/producer Jordan von Grae, “Caelira” originally began life as an instrumental demo intended for his alternative hard-rock band Bad Moon Born before ultimately finding its place on Ex Cathedra.
“Caelira” introduces the central ideas explored throughout Ex Cathedra, an album built around suffering, resilience and the possibility of finding joy, love, meaning and connection in spite of hardship. Across ten tracks, CARMERIA examine different forms of suffering and the ways people respond to them, with “Caelira” representing the point where resilience takes the form of release.
Musically, the single reflects the broader evolution heard across Ex Cathedra. CARMERIA retain the orchestral atmosphere, gothic imagery and melodic songwriting that have defined their previous work, while bringing a more direct melodic rock energy into the mix. The result continues the balance between introspective subject matter, soaring choruses and high-energy songwriting that Jordan von Grae describes as “Misery You Can Dance To.”
The official music video for “Caelira” was designed and developed by Jordan von Grae, produced by Jordan von Grae and Mishka Bobrov, and directed, filmed and edited by Greg Oroth. The video forms part of the broader visual identity surrounding Ex Cathedra, which sees CARMERIA embracing a Gothic and vampiric masquerade aesthetic through glittering masks, lavish garments and sweeping cloaks.
About CARMERIA:
CARMERIA are an independent Australian band from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, blending symphonic metal, gothic rock and melodic rock into a sound built around soaring choruses, cinematic arrangements, dark atmosphere and narrative-driven songwriting. Drawing influence from artists such as Kamelot, HIM, Nightwish, Ghost and Powerwolf, the band balance dramatic orchestration and gothic imagery with melodic immediacy and an energetic live presence. It is a contrast that has seen audiences affectionately describe CARMERIA as “Party Goth,” a fitting shorthand for a band equally comfortable embracing shadow, spectacle and celebration.
Formed in Sydney in 2012, CARMERIA’s original lineup disbanded the following year before the project was rebuilt in 2014 around founding guitarist Jerry Zahija and vocalist and songwriter Jordan von Grae. Keytarist Mishka Bobrov joined in 2018, followed by bassist Emma Louise Nagy in 2021, completing the band’s current core lineup. Throughout their history, CARMERIA have remained completely independent, with members taking active roles across songwriting, production, visual design, social media and the business behind the band, allowing them to maintain a strong creative identity across every aspect of the project.
CARMERIA released their debut EP Awakening in 2013, followed by the standalone singles “Carpe Noctem” and “Solaris,” before issuing their first full-length album, Advenae, in 2021. Their second album, Tragédie D’amour, arrived in 2024, followed by the 2025 EP Trinity: Volume I. Along the way, the band have built a strong live reputation through national headline and co-headline tours and support appearances with artists including Flyleaf, Toehider, Wednesday 13, Davey Suicide, Valhalore and Battle Beast. Jordan von Grae also fronts Australian alternative hard-rock band Bad Moon Born and appeared on Vivaldi Metal Project’s 2022 album EpiClassica.
Community has become an equally important part of CARMERIA’s identity. Through Patreon, a members-only Discord server and their live shows, the band have cultivated a close-knit group of fans, friends and supporters known as The Carmunity, with an emphasis on connection, creative expression and giving people a place to belong. That sense of shared experience carries directly into the band’s music, where themes of grief, resilience, love, isolation and solidarity are explored through emotionally direct lyrics and theatrical, melody-driven arrangements.
In 2026, CARMERIA return with their third full-length album, Ex Cathedra, a record that expands the band’s established symphonic and gothic foundations with a stronger melodic rock influence. Centred on the idea that suffering is an unavoidable part of life but despair is not, the album represents a further evolution in CARMERIA’s songwriting, production and visual identity while remaining rooted in the qualities that have defined the band from the beginning: melody, storytelling, independence and connection.
CARMERIA is:
Jordan von Grae — Vocals
Jerry Zahija — Guitars
Mishka Bobrov — Keytar, Backing Vocals
Emma Louise Nagy — Bass, Backing Vocals
Connect with CARMERIA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmeriaMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmeria
X: https://x.com/carmeria
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CARMERIA
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/carmeria
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@CarmeriaMusic
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/carmeria
Track Listing:
- “Ex Cathedra”
- “Wings”
- “Unto the Dawn”
- “The Ashenheart”
- “Embrace the Moon”
- “Phantasma”
- “A Rose Divine”
- “Caelira”
- “Shadows in the Sunlight”
- “Echoes of the Dream”