After two strong but somewhat anonymous albums, Messa managed to really catch the eye of fans of psychedelic doom with its third album Close. The strong development of the band did not go unnoticed by Metal Blade either, resulting in The Spin being released through this label.
One of the few points of criticism of Close was that, with a running time of an hour, the album did not always captivate fully. Messa has taken that criticism to heart on The Spin, because at 41 minutes this is the most concise album the band has released to date.
Within the songs there is also much more focus, and especially on the first four tracks that make up side A, the band dispenses with unnecessary frills and gets straight to the point. This results in particularly fine songs that, in terms of sound, take the listener back to the heyday of gothic wave. The doom influences are not forgotten, as is clearly audible in the strong At Races, but the heavy fuzzy guitars are less dominant on this album.
The role of singer Sara, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly important. Just listen to the fantastic chorus of Fire On The Roof or the epic ballad Immolation, where the power of her voice truly shines.
On the flip side of this record, the band loosens the reins somewhat and we get two longer compositions with The Dress and Thicker Blood, separated by the bluesy Reveal. These longer tracks offer a bit more room for the jazz influences, which were more prominently present on earlier albums, to come through. Even so, the songs continue to captivate, thanks in part to the fantastic soloing by guitarist Alberto.
The first three albums by Messa already showcased the band’s enormous potential, but on The Spin that potential has been transformed into a mature musical statement. This album surpasses the band’s previous work on all fronts. Hopefully, with the support of a larger label, the band will also manage to reach a wider audience with this release.
Score:
90/100
Label:
Metal Blade, 2025
Tracklisting:
- Void Meridian
- At Races
- Fire on the Roof
- Immolation
- The Dress
- Reveal
- Thicker Blood
Line-up:
- Sara – Vocals
- Marco – Guitar, bass guitar
- Alberto – Guitar
- Rocco – Drums
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