Messa
Formed: 2014
From:
Cittadella,
Italy
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Messa News
Below is our complete Messa news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Messa Announces European Headline Tour
Italian doom metal band Messa has announced that they will be embarking on a headlining run across western Europe this Autumn in support of their latest album, "The Spin." The record received critical acclaim across the metal press (including topping the list in one of our year-end articles,) and was released last April through Metal Blade Records. Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10am CET today.
The tour dates are as follows:
October 27 - Le Dodu, Marseille, France
October 28 - Sala Salamandra, Barcelona, Spain
October 29 - Copernico, Madrid, Spain
October 30 - Maison des Choeurs, Montpellier, France
November 1 - Petit Bain, Paris, France
November 3 - Cathouse, Glasgow, United Kingdom
November 4 - Rebellion, Manchester, United Kingdom
November 5 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, United Kingdom
November 6 - Thekla, Bristol, United Kingdom
November 7 - The Garage, London, United Kingdom
November 9 - 013, Tilburg, Netherlands
November 10 - Kavka, Antwerp, Belgium
November 12 - Frannz Club, Berlin, Germany
November 13 - Logo, Hamburg, Germany
November 14 - Rockpalast, Bochum, Germany
November 15 - Artheater, Cologne, Germany
November 17 - Das Bett, Frankfurt, Germany
November 18 - Backstage Club, Munich, Germany
November 19 - Dynamo, Zurich, Switzerland
November 21 - Live Club, Trezzo Sull'Adda, Italy
OpEd
Diamond's Mine: The Best Of 2025
Well... 2025 was crap wasn't it? More war, more hatred and AI is both rampant and mostly promoted by the biggest losers you know. Once again though, we find some solace in metal music, there as always to offer an outlet for our anger, frustration and general negativity. There's been no shortage of memorable moments, including the passing of metal's first frontman Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Mustaine announcing that Megadeth will be hanging up the gloves so he can talk about Metallica full time, the unexpected return of Acid Bath and the sad disbandment of many legends including Orange Goblin, Whitesnake and Bury Your Dead, along with some younger casualties in Ithaca and Svalbard. We also said our sad farewells to John Sykes of Thin Lizzy and Tygers Of Pan Tang, Mastodon vocalist and guitarist Brent Hinds, At The Gates frontman Tomas Lindberg original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, to name only a few.
Ordinarily, I begin my annual column by picking a favourite newcomer, but despite seeing plenty of bands this year, I don't think I caught anyone making their debut, nor did I hear a debut album which particularly grabbed me. Hell, even Googling "metal debut albums 2025" was practically useless. The closest I've come was seeing three bands who released their first album in 2024; High Parasite, Brat and Bobbie Dazzle. I would highly recommend all three to fans of different genres, especially the first on that list, but I can't really give them the award when they didn't form or release their first albums this year. So instead of arbitrarily picking a young band and pretending I know anything about them, I invite all readers to tell me which new acts they'd recommend in the comments below. More...
Report
Paradise Lost Ascends To Another Level In London
Great lineups can be like buses. You'll wait ages for one, then two come along at once. Only last week, Testament rampaged through the UK with Obituary, Destruction and Nervosa, and now fans of Gothic doom have their own dream tour as Paradise Lost embarked on the UK leg of their first European tour to promote their new album, "Ascension." It's an exciting time to see Paradise Lost, as "Ascension" has been hailed as an instant classic, with some going so far as to call the seventeenth outing their best yet, which is no easy feat considering their legendary status. It's not just Paradise Lost with a buzz about them on this tour, as joining them on the trek are Messa, the Italian doom band whose latest album, "The Spin" is also a contender for album of the year, and High Parasite, the "death pop" band fronted by Aaron Stainthorpe, whose departure from My Dying Bride after thirty five years was confirmed on the first date of the tour.
Speaking of which, it was High Parasite who got the evening underway, and very quickly too, hitting the stage mere minutes after the front doors opened. They released their debut album, "Forever We Burn" last year and it's another record full of superb tunes, gripping atmospheres and impressive song writing, so I for one was very eager to hear how the music would sound in a live setting. As it turns out, it sounds even better. High Parasite performs with enormous energy, getting the crowd moving and clapping along to a number of songs from the get go with the opening number, "Parasite." Stainthorpe himself is in tremendous form, his voice sailing across the room with majesty and force, like a ship charging through stormy waters.
Of course, there's more to the band than their most famous members and every one of them put in a great shift to make this set as fun and memorable as it could be. The singles "Wasn't Human" and "Let It Fail" sounded fantastic tonight and while not everyone was familiar with their work, those who were sang along to every word they knew, particularly on these two songs. "Hate Springs Eternal" was another highlight of the set, before they concluded their short time with the title track from "Forever We Burn." This was an exhilarating performance and, even though they'll be getting Lacrimas Profundere, I feel bad that mainland Europe won't be seeing High Parasite on this tour, as they fit in perfectly and are guaranteed to make new fans with every show. More...
Messa Shares New Music Video "Reveal"
Italian doom metal outfit Messa are pleased to unveil their new video for "Reveal." The track comes off the band‘s critically-adored new full-length, "The Spin," released in April via Metal Blade Records.
Based in the band's eclectic, self-defined “scarlet doom” sound, The Spin rises, falls, broods, bites, comforts, and destroys, all the while resounding with both instinctive magic and obsessive, concerted hard work. After lighting up the underground with a triptych of increasingly distinctive and wondrous records – 2016's "Belfry," 2018's "Feast For Water," and 2022's "Close" – with "The Spin," Messa is audibly equipped for the proverbial big leagues.
Comments the band on their "Reveal" video; "The main riff in 'Reveal' manifested itself spontaneously. Our guitar player Alberto dreamed of it one night. He suddenly woke up at 4:00am and recorded it with his phone so he wouldn't forget it. It was the most immediate song to write out of all those we wrote for 'The Spin' and it features two key elements: the typical, 'blues' use of slide guitar and the 'metal' element of the blastbeats.
"This video was entirely shot with analog equipment in a tire warehouse in our hometown. We chose the lo-fi aesthetic on purpose, using the dynamism of strobe and neon lights. We tried to make it as spontaneous as the songwriting process for the track." More...
Messa Debuts "Fire On The Roof" Music Video
The Italian doom metal alchemists in Messa are pleased to unveil their new video for "Fire On The Roof." The track comes off the band‘s outstanding new album, "The Spin," released on April 11th through Metal Blade Records.
Messa's majestic, critically-lauded fourth full-length opus, "The Spin" takes its listeners on a breathtaking journey across the wide-open skies of their creative imagination and over a compelling landscape of moods, twists, and styles. Based in the band's eclectic, self-defined "scarlet doom" sound, The Spin rises, falls, broods, bites, comforts, and destroys, all the while resounding with both instinctive magic and obsessive, concerted hard work. After lighting up the underground with a triptych of increasingly distinctive and wondrous records – 2016's "Belfry," 2018's "Feast For Water," and 2022's "Close" – with "The Spin," Messa is audibly equipped for the proverbial big leagues.
Metal Injection accurately crowns Messa "purveyors of the catchiest doom.” Of The Spin, Decibel Magazine champions ..." a sweeping statement that draws equally from doom and goth rock, with hefty doses of classic heavy metal and jazz thrown in.” Deaf Forever concurs lauding "their strongest album to date," that, "definitively establishes Messa as one of the most exciting and creative bands of the modern era." Adds Metal Hammer Germany, "Anyone who appreciates the free-spirited combination of an exceptional voice with plenty of quiet moments and some blaring riffs will find Messa to be the perfect band."
Comments the band on their "Fire On The Roof" single; "Some have experienced forbidden and impossible love. The curse, the fear, the flames that guide you to hell. Magnetism between two humans is hard to ignore – but what gets in the way with those interactions? This song‘s a testament to trusting your own guts and vulnerability." More...
Messa Unveils "The Dress" Music Video
"The Dress" is the latest single from Italian doom metal conjurors Messa. The stunning new track, which includes a trumpet solo by Michele Tedesco, comes off the band‘s forthcoming new full-length, "The Spin," set for release on April 11th through Metal Blade Records.
Sailing past their tenth anniversary in 2024, Messa takes another step towards legendary status with their majestic fourth album "The Spin," which takes its listeners on a breathtaking journey across the wide-open skies of their creative imagination and over a compelling landscape of moods, twists, and styles. Based in the band's eclectic, self-defined "scarlet doom" sound, "The Spin" rises, falls, broods, bites, comforts, and destroys, all the while resounding with both instinctive magic and obsessive, concerted hard work. After lighting up the underground with a triptych of increasingly distinctive and wondrous records – 2016's "Belfry," 2018's "Feast For Water," and 2022's "Close" – Messa is audibly equipped for the proverbial big leagues.
Comments the band on "The Dress": "This song comes from the darkest place and the unfathomable void of oneself. Pain circles around, emerging violently and then drowning again in the depths. This is reflected in the riff: the descent scale keeps coming back and circles repetitively. The dress, in this case, is the gateway to a personal crucifix built with self-hatred and mirroring despair." More...
Messa Reveals New Album Details
Italian doom metal alchemists Messa will release their new full-length, "The Spin," on April 11th through their new label home of Metal Blade Records.
Sailing past their tenth anniversary in 2024, Messa takes another step towards legendary status with their majestic fourth album The Spin, which takes it‘s listeners on a breathtaking journey across the wide-open skies of their creative imagination and over a compelling landscape of moods, twists, and styles. Based in the band's eclectic, self-defined “scarlet doom” sound, The Spin rises, falls, broods, bites, comforts, and destroys, all the while resounding with both instinctive magic and obsessive, concerted hard work. After lighting up the underground with a triptych of increasingly distinctive and wondrous records – 2016's "Belfry," 2018's "Feast For Water," and 2022's "Close" – Messa is audibly equipped for the proverbial big leagues.
Palpably assembled with love and care, Messa's heightened craftsmanship rings loud from the album's elegant architecture. Written over six weeks of intensive daily sessions, in a 500-year-old villa close to the quartet's beautiful hometown of Bassano Del Grappa (VI) in Northern Italy, Messa applied scrupulously high standards to the process, even while challenging themselves to change the way they work. "When we recorded 'Close' back in 2021, we wanted to be all in the same room together," explains the band. "This time we decided to do the exact opposite. We recorded the album in three different locations and timings. This record has seen a lot of rearrangement of the same musical material in order to make a coherent work from start to finish. We also aimed at making the songs work with the most minimal structure while trying not to repeat ourselves too much. We applied a simple rule: if you hear the same thing twice it‘s enough. Three times? It gets boring." More...
Messa Signs With Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade is very happy to welcome Italian Doomster Messa to it's Worldwide roster!
Messa play evoking doom metal with middle-eastern vibes. Deliciously haunting female vocals, 70‘s guitars and Arabian Oudh combine to conjure a sound that is all of their own. With influences as diverse as Dead Can Dance, Om, Swans, Killing Joke, Electric Wizard, Thergothon, Current 93, the band has moved from the first occult then noir-tinged doom metal of their previous works to a new atmospheric mediterranean sound which is unique. The evolution is clearly showcased in their latest studio album "Close."
Messa emerged in the first day of 2014. Marco and Sara started to develop the basic concept while writing the first songs. Later on, Alberto and Rocco joined the band. The extreme diversity of their musical background immediately proved to be essential in the construction of the band‘s sound. In 2016 their first opus "Belfry" was released, and the band made several tours across Europe and the USA. In 2018 their second work "Feast For Water" brought the band on tour even more extensively. Their latest studio work "Close," released in 2022, was acclaimed by critics and was defined "the sound of a band fleshing out their place in doom metal's past, present and future" (Metal Injection). Some appearances made by the band were Hellfest Open Air, Roadburn, and Desert Fest. The band‘s latest record "Live At Roadburn" was released April 7th 2023, offering their main-stage triumph, joined by a unique constellation of musicians and instruments. Seeming to both embrace and defy everything it means to be a metal band, Messa mesh Mediterranean sounds with crushing doom riffs, with an emphasis on atmosphere and unusual use of instrumentation.
Comments Messa: "We're glad to announce we've joined forces with legendary Metal Blade Records. We are beyond stoked to become part of the incredible legacy of this label, marking their catalog with our music. Since 1982 Metal Blade has put fundamental metal artists on the map, and being in this labels' roster is a big honor for us. We can't wait to share some glimpses of what we are working on! In the meantime you can catch our live shows in the following European cities, list below." More...
Messa Debuts "Orphalese" Live Single
Italian doom metallers Messa’s extraordinary live show from Roadburn Festival and their unique sound was captured live in 2022, with a special extended lineup, immortalised on LP, CD and digital via Svart Records. In celebration, the trailblazers have released the record's first live single.
Relive Messa’s main-stage Roadburn Festival triumph, featuring songs from album "Close," and joined by a unique constellation of musicians and instruments that give their massive new album its distinctive sound.
Of their Roadburn performance, Messa shares:
"Our appearance at Roadburn 2022 saw us performing a specially dedicated and one of a kind set. We played songs from our new record CLOSE with a unique line-up that included other fellow musicians within our project. We involved Giorgio Trombino (Oud, Duduk, Saxophone), Alex Fernet (Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar) and Blak Saagan (Synthesizers) to recreate the sounds of CLOSE in their true form. Our aim with Messa’s performance was to embrace a musical wandering that could allow all of us – on and off stage – to drift away into another place. We couldn't wait to be on Roadburn’s stage again and we were very excited to be part of the 2022 edition." More...
Messa Announces "Belfry" Album
Messa will release "Belfry" via Aural Music this coming May 6th, 2016. Aural Music had this to say about the band:
"Messa plays obscure and evoking doom with deliciously haunting female vocals, influenced by Pentagram, Bellwitch, Windhand, Jex Thoth, Sabbath Assembly, Bathory. The debut album titled 'Belfry' mixes dark ambient drones with vintage heavy occult doom and mesmerizing female vocals that will drive you through a scarlet velvet trip."
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