Messa – The Spin – The DevilsHorns

One Listen Review

1st Listen 8Apr 25
Reviewed 9 Apr 25

Messa – The Spin

Metal Blade Records

Released 11 Apr 25

Scarlet doom! Anybody who knows me is aware of my views on genres in metal (there are only 4). Messa are purveyors of this self-styled doom genre and in The Spin, they have released a mighty 4^th album!

For the unaware, Messa are a female fronted 4 piece band from Italy. Their debut full-length, Belfry, was released in 2015 and in the intervening years, the band have grown from strength to strength. The Spin might just be their best album yet.

Or it might not be….

Clocking in at just over 43 minutes, we are presented with 7 tracks, with each one being utterly dominated by the glorious voice of Sara. There are riffs behind the vocals, there are excellent bass-runs

and the drumming is tight. But the diamond amongst the coal is the vocals. They soar, they fly freely across the album, easing any discomfort you may have about the song.

A gothic ambience surrounds album opening, ‘Void Meridian’. It is a strong opening. ‘At the Races’ follows, showing that Messa are not a band to be, erm, messed with. The riff is genuinely catchy and the mid-section, with a space-rock feel, gives added depth to the track. But once again, Sara is the queen. ‘The Dress’ brings a heavier guitar tone, then flirts with a call-answer with a trumpet no less. The flirts dangerously with being pretentious, but casually avoids it with a superb ending.

So why may it not be their best? Well, as much as the album is enjoyable, the vocals are so incredibly dominant that it took until the penultimate song, ‘Reveal’ for the riff to hit home. It also has an excellent solo, with the rest of the band going mental in the background. Very enjoyable, and it left me wanting a little more of this.

Then you listen to the album closer, ‘Thicker Blood’ – and you think that The Spin may be their best album. It has a truly magnificent final 3 minutes and it leaves you begging for another listen.

The Spin is top drawer, and scarlet doom may not be a thing, but perhaps it should be.