From Bandcamp, “MESSA emerged on the first day of 2014. The extreme diversity of their musical background immediately proved to be essential in the construction of the band’s sound: Prog, Black Metal, Punk, Dark Ambient, Jazz, Blues and Doom… all those influences have been channeled into a sonic cauldron that the band defines “Scarlet Doom.” The album has seven songs, and “Voice Meridian” is first. The opening tones are clean, and somber, and the vocalist has great expression. Layers are added, and the guitar tones are thick with reverb. The song has an almost throwback quality to the 80’s with electronica, and the chorus is rich and full.

“At Races” has the same melancholy throwback vibe that the first song did, but it is a bit firmer, and the band also works in some catchy melodies along with the meaty bass notes. It also has an energetic, almost jovial bounce, if it weren’t for the pensive, expressive vocals. Fire on the Roof” has a deep electronic beat that pulses like your heart, and when the weighted riff kicks in, it slams you upside your head. It is also quite catchy, and just try to sit back and not become engaged with this one…it’s nearly impossible. That big groove is infectious. “Immolation” begins with doleful piano notes and clean vocals that match. This is a deeply emotional song, and just let it soak in slowly. A towering riff and guitar solo follow, putting a stamp on that sound like icing on a cake.

“The Dress” is an eight-minute opus that shifts effortlessly in, out, and through a number of subgenres of Metal. Smokey, jazzy elements come into play, and It drips with emotion that is so heavy, you can’t even lug it into your shoulder and it would break your back. “Reveal” has a bluesy, old school, steel guitar, and it reminds me of a hot summer day in the south. From there is darkens a bit, and in many ways is different than the other songs on the album, especially when it comes to a head towards the end. “Thicker Blood” is the final song. It has a dark beginning, like fog in the early morning, and a hardened riff enters and then retreats. After the half way mark, it begins to descend into the bowels of the earth, and that’s where it stays.

To call “The Spin” a Doom Metal album is to oversimplify a work that claws at the edges of genre, digging deep into sonic spaces that feel far too expansive, too emotionally turbulent, too alive to be contained by any one label. What’s remarkable is how they use it as a foundation but build a whole landscape on top — one that includes gothic drama, ambient dread, and even moments of light. It’s a slow burn, but it’s also a journey across a fractured psyche. There’s narrative here, emotional range, and a deep sense of intention. It’s Doom Metal for listeners who want more than just a genre fix.