MESSA – The Spin
Release Date: 1th April 2025
Label: Metal Blade Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Heavy Metal, Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, Jazz, Dark Ambient.
FFO: Frayle, Darkher, YOB, Windhand, Spaceslug, King Woman, REZN.
Review By: Mark Waight
Italian Doom merchants MESSA are just about to unleash their highly anticipated 4th album, “The Spin,” under the self-styled banner of their very own musical brand, known affectionately as Scarlet Doom. Originally an Occult Doom band, MESSA have since flirted with Noir-Tinged Doom incorporating Mediterranean and Arabian sounds before arriving at their signature incarnation.
With over ten years’ experience behind them, MESSA are more than capable of mixing it up with the big boys. Influences from the worlds of Jazz, Blues, Punk, Progressive Rock, Black Metal and others allow them to experiment and hone their sound to suit the changing musical environment around them. So, without further ado, let’s take “The Spin” for a spin!
MESSA is Sara (vocals), Marco (guitars, bass), Alberto (guitars) and Rocco (drums).
With a touch of clever speaker trickery, the haunting opening track “Void Meridian” gets things nicely under way with a pucker trip down retro gothic lane and a tingling guitar solo that will certainly get you in the mood. Darker and moodier “At Races” is a much slower composition, beautiful melancholy vocals and a more prog rock core theme accompany this atmospheric song.
Pulsating track “Fire on the Roof” is a complete change in direction altogether with a much harder and heavier edge to it, the vocal/guitar showdown finale is sublime with a real wow factor. Next up, slow burner “Immolation” is a wonderful piano and dreamy vocal combination, that is until a very impressive and passionate guitar joins the gloomy pair for an explosive climax.
Epic and emotional track “The Dress” runs hot and cold throughout, it sits somewhere between very powerful rock and super cool jazz in the MESSA world where the boundaries between different genres no longer exist. My favourite track on the album, “Reveal” is a kind of Black Sabbath meets Hawkwind mashup that will strike a chord with any fan of old school heavy metal. It totally rocks!
At just over nine minutes long, final track “Thicker Blood” is a very captivating and engaging listen. It’s twisted, bleak and hard hitting without ever getting too carried away, leaving you wanting just that little bit more.
“The Spin” is certainly worthy of further investigation, it is a very skilfully blended, yet almost seamless cocktail of many different genres gelled into an absorbing album with plenty to pique interest from far afield. MESSA have an uncanny knack of bringing the improbable together by presenting it in such a forthright manner that we can all be forgiven for thinking it has always been that way! Recommended.
(3.5 / 5)
