Of course the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of suffering throughout the world, and with the cancelation of many festivals and tours, the bands had to deal with a very hard time. Brazilian Metal scene is suffering a lot, because as the country is going in the opposite way proposed by WHO (the Brazilian President is an idiot, who is defended by a bunch of mindless idiots that are worried about kisses between same gender people on the TV screens than to see more than 400,000 lives being destroyed). But even in these dark times, some good works are appearing, and one of them is from the quartet MELISSA, from São Paulo. During last January, they recorded their first album, "Devil's Mask".

Their musical work can be described as a Doom Metal for from the past, when to sound raw, bitter and darkened was what meant to be a Doom Metal band. But even doing a Metal genre eroded by use and time, they show very good and personal musical arrangements, along with strong nasty melodies, a solid instrumental work and sharp voices. Yes, it's really tasteful for old Doom Metal fans, but will get some traditional Metal fans as well. The mixing of "Devil's Mask" was done by Melissa Rainbow herself at home, and the result is a sonority that is crude, bitter and filthy, but in a way that any listener can understand. This filthy approach reinforces the organic feeling that comes from the songs, so it fits on what the band expresses (but it could be better).

The bitter and slow paced tempos used on "Perfect Soulmate" (that shows very good crude melodies), the hard and crude energy that flows from "Buried in a Body" (that shows a brutal and grasping work on bass guitar and drums), the psychedelic experimentalism show on the harmonies of "I, the Witch" (with monolithic guitar riffs in the vein of Tony Iommi), and the funereal introspection shown on "Devil's Mask" (that bears very good vocals) are the best ones for a first time on the quartet's musical work. On the second, you'll be hooked for sure.

As last words, let's wait that the pandemic can go away as soon as possible (not thanks to Bolsonaro and his followers), and that MELISSA can play some live gigs, in and outside Brazil.