Messa unleashed their third full-length album »Close«, out today via Svart Records!

Italian doom metal quartet Messa is streaming their third full-length album, »Close«, which was just released this Friday, March 11th, 2022 via Svart Records.

Says the band: “All the physical formats of »Close« are now sold out in our Bandcamp. We are overwhelmed by the amount of support we’ve received so far and we wish to thank you all for this. All the copies were shipped out in the past few days.
We’ve got some copies left but those will be sold at our shows exclusively. Some copies of black LP and CD are available at Svart Records online store.
Release party is next week on Friday and we’re just looking forward to it. Cheers!”

Tracklist:
01. Suspended
02. Dark Horse
03. Orphalese
04. Rubedo
05. Hollow
06. Pilgrim
07. 0=2
08. If You Want Her To Be Taken
09. Leffotrak
10. Serving Him

From Svart Records:

Svart Records to release new album by rising stars of eclectic heavy rock, Messa on the 11th of March 2022.

Messa’s rising trajectory hits the stratosphere on their immense new album »Close«. Soaring up out of the Italian doom rock underground in 2014, Messa have been rapidly garnering a frenzied throng of devotees, in thrall to their monumental and broad-ranging sound craft. Releasing two widely celebrated cult records, the latest of which »Feast For Water« in 2018 was a critical breakthrough success, with Rolling Stone calling the whole album “captivating, wringing maximum drama out of its savvy stylistic clash,” Messa have had everyone on tenterhooks, waiting for what was next.

Photo by Federico Floriani

»Close« draws us further into Messa’s spellbinding textures and immersive dynamics. Described as “Stevie Nicks fronting Black Sabbath,” singer Sara’s colossal voice omnipotently carries the listener on an emotional rollercoaster ride where the sonic cauldron of Iommi guitars gives way to Arabian oudh and progressive solos in a masterful style-clash that well befits Messa’s incendiary reputation.

The hushed Fender Rhodes piano intro on opener »Suspended«, picks up where Messa left off on their previous album »Feast For Water« but then collapses gloriously into jazz guitar and widescreen impassioned crushing riffs, lighting our way for the odyssey ahead. The scene is set magnificently for the journey that »Close« expertly takes the listener on, with Messa’s obvious care and passion for the album as a pilgrimage of sonic experience. Heavyweight tracks like »If You Want Her To Be Taken« or »0=2« are modern doom rock classics that expertly upgrade and leave the genre reeling in their wake.

»Pilgrim« and »Orphalese« are woven with tapestries of Mediterranean sounds where oudh and eastern chord phrasings expand Messa’s cinematic palette with a panache that is all their own. Atmospheric and grandiose belters like »Rubedo« and »Dark Horse« build into an almost limitless climax of discord and harmony where blast beats and saxophones descend into a thrilling cacophony that’s a masterclass in artful cutting edge Doom.

Referencing bands like Dead Can Dance, Swans and Om, Messa have created an album where song, experience and atmosphere are focused into a crystalline modus where high art flawlessly embraces good old fashioned riff-worship. Transcending the occult and noir-tinted atmospheres of their past works, »Close« confidently weaves Messa’s multifarious influences into a singular breath-taking sound that leaves the listener enthralled. Perfection or something extremely close, Messa’s »Close« is not just a metal record, but it’s definitely one of the best things to break out of the confines of metal in a long time.

Messa is:
Sara – Vocals
Marco – Guitar, Bass
Alberto – Guitar
Rocco – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well