Italian band Messa‘s fourth album The Spin toes the lines between rock and metal. Vocalist Sara Blanchin stars with her ethereal vocals that help to open the album on “Void Meridian,” complete with drums that give off a post-punk vibe.
Things begin to slow down significantly as the band’s sound can almost be described as gothic, if only for a second while lead guitarist Alberto Piccolo rips an insanely beautiful guitar solo before Blanchin rejoins the fray to soar. The band treads similar ground on the slowed pace of “At Races,” continuing a trend of the guitar tone seeming like it would fit with the sounds of the band Tribulation’s latest transformation.
“Fire on the Roof” appears to be the band’s heaviest “rock” song with a riff that breaks up the main sections that can only be described as “mean,” all while the vocals coo off in the distance as the mix remains pristine, highlighting exactly what is intended in each very deliberate moment.
One of the biggest standout tracks on the album is one of the songs that tops the 8-minute mark, specifically “The Dress,” a song that hits the listener immediately on the first listen. There is enough subtlety present, but this could well be the best vocal performance on the entire album. That’s something that is hard to believe considered what has been showcased on the album already.
Messa do an incredible job of interspersing sections of rock, metal, jazz, post-punk and goth rock all in under 45 minutes, with twists and turns around every corner, making for their best album to date, even more so than their 2022 breakthrough, Close.
Blanchin’s vocal performance is evocative of Anneke van Giersbergen’s on The Gathering’s 1995 classic Mandylion, which is not something to take lightly, considering it is one of the gold standards for vocals on a metal album. The Spin is an unparalleled success and one of the best albums of the year so far.
(released April 11, 2025 on Metal Blade Records)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Watch Messa – “The Dress” Video
