Band:	Messa
Album:	Close
Style:	Doom metal
Release date:	March 11, 2022
A review by:	nikarg

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

Readers’ warning: you are not going to get much criticism in this review because the reviewer is a huge fan and this is another Messa album that hits the spot, roughly in the same way the previous two did.

This does not mean that Close is pretty much the same as Feast For Water, just like Feast For Water was not the same as Belfry. Messa evolve with each release, but they do it subtly and keep intact their core sound. This is a band that combines doom, jazz, blues, and occult rock into a rich mixture of sonic flavours that is delicious. And Sara’s intoxicating voice is simply irresistible.

In case you didn’t notice, I did not mention drone at all. The reason is that the drone element that had already been dialled down in Feast For Water is now completely abandoned in Close. The other pieces of the puzzle are still there though, along with some new entries. A Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean facet that has scarcely been explored in the past is now a lot more distinctive, especially with the presence of the oud; just check out “Orphalese”, “Hollow”, and “Pilgrim”, which was the first single that Messa revealed. And if you have seen the hypnotizing video of “Pilgrim”, you must have noticed the ritual dance called ‘Nakh’ (also pictured on the cover art) that is known to be performed by women along the Algerian/Tunisian border. It involves the swaying of the dancer’s head and thrashing of the hair, and is very similar to headbanging. I don’t want to get too philosophical but I am under the impression that Messa wanted to point out the similarities between worlds that are considered to be distant; that we are closer to each other than we think, hence the album title - Close.

‘Messa’ means ‘Mass’ in Italian and their music feels somewhat religious and ritualistic. It has a ceremonial character and this aspect is quite prominent on Close. I have heard the band members talk about their influences and their answers are very diverse: Billie Holiday, Kyuss, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Bohren & Der Club Of Gore… It is clear that they have different musical backgrounds and that they incorporate them into Messa’s doom metal. The jazz component, with the use of the Rhodes piano and the saxophone, is given more room than before, both in its smooth and noir-tinted form, and in its discordant and anxiety-provoking one. On the other hand, Messa’s drummer has a long presence in the black metal scene. If you remember the blackened part of “Tulsi” in the previous album, you will now find a 45-second black metal piece, “Leffotrak”, which serves as an intro (?) to the closer, “Serving Him”.

Which brings us to my only point of criticism (yes, I am a fan but also a reviewer, so I have to provide an objective assessment). Close is the band’s longest album to date; it runs for almost 65 minutes, which means that it is approximately 15 minutes longer than Feast For Water and 20 minutes longer than Belfry. There is no such thing as too much of a good thing, but long albums need the songwriting to be exquisite throughout to keep the listener engaged. Messa achieve that thoroughly and they have a special talent in the build-up technique; “0=2”, for example, is the longest track, yet every second of it is totally justified. So, I wouldn’t utter the word “trimming” if it weren’t for the final track. I cannot help but feel that the 8-minute closer does not offer anything of great importance, and, without being bad, it doesn’t really justify its duration, inclusion, and its position on the record. And this is all the criticism I have for this album.

As the years go by, it is getting harder and harder for me to find new bands that manage to impress. Messa is one of them. Their style of doom is classy, artful, soulful, and seductive. They call it ‘scarlet doom’ themselves. Tracks like "Dark Horse" or “Rubedo” leave a permanent mark on the world of contemporary doom metal. I cannot tell you if I like Close more or less than any of their previous two. Belfry and Feast For Water are both albums I adore and have played infinite times. So, maybe ask me again after about a year? In the meantime, listen to Close and pay close attention.

“Pilgrim
You make me forget
What I’m here for
Pilgrim
Your breath blows away
All my thoughts”