The Dark Side: Messa

Hi Invisibles of the night and Hiveans.

This is the 3rd episode of my format about #darkmusic where I talk about some acts in the alternative genre that can be defined by the "dark" label. Could be electronic, rock and metal, indie or pop... I talk about the bands I know but you can replicate this with your definition of #darkmusic, just use this tag and mention me because I wanna see what you post and contribute to the growth of an alternative music scene here on Hive 😁

Let's get into it

Messa

Messa are an Italian band, precisely from Veneto, my home region. Made up of four elements, they were formed in 2014 and released their first album Belfry in 2016. We can say that they fall into the Doom rock genre but the individual members manage to bring different influences into the project, ranging from blues to jazz to psychedelic rock and ambient music. They thus created their own style which differed from the classic doom which has now stagnated in the scene for years.

Messa is the Italian word for a religious ceremony, not only in the Christian meaning, but for any religion and also pagan rituals. By the band's admission, the intention is precisely to create a musical atmosphere that is a sort of ritual, a sound that calls the "devoted" to the ceremony of shared and contemplative listening.

And precisely for this reason their first album is called Belfry. A granite and powerful sound that rises to the sky and draws people towards the mass. Knowing the band's most recent works, I can say that this album still sounds a bit immature, almost a little ordinary, still very much focused on a more classic and rock-leaning sound.

There are already some experiments such as the use of environmental sounds and atypical instruments for the genre, including the saxophone. Certainly what makes all the difference compared to the canons of this type of music is the velvet voice of the singer Sara, which however in this album presents a rock grit that will later be abandoned.

With the second album, Feast for Water, they already reached their personal sound. The particularity of Messa is given by the contrasts. I've already talked about how contrasts in the sound of a musical project create interest and allow the music to be appreciated even by people who don't usually listen to the same genre.

In this album the doom part becomes deeper, tempos are extended and the bass is more pronounced. The guitar riffs get darker. Until the hardest part is suddenly broken by intermediate moments that sound more jazz than rock. To all this we add Sara's voice which has become slower and more ethereal, less gritty and more melodic. A sort of litany that devotees follow in a musical trance.

Now take all these elements and refine them into a songwriting that is, if possible, even more original and intense and you will get Close, their latest album, released in 2022. I leave you the first song, Suspended, which is a peak moment in their live concerts.

I realize that it's quite a long piece, I invite you to save it and enjoy it when you have the right amount of time available, possibly listening to the album in its entirety. Only this way you'll be able to fully understand all the elements I talked about previously and how they work in synergy to create a small masterpiece of modern doom music.

Messa have reached an amazing following in a really short period of time and already played in many venues and festivals all around Europe and also in the US. Proof that good music -- made with the right intention and attention to create something special -- still counts and is recognized by people who care about good music.

A bonus live track for you. From their second album, a song that they still play at every live show:

And that's all for today 😄 I hope you have appreciated this little deviation into the doom genre, a kind of music that rarely is mentioned in the mainstream world and that represents a little niche also in the rock and metal world. Despite how it is called, often this genre offers a deep meaning and reflective lyrics, with topics about life and it's existence, human condition and deep philosophical thoughts.
Let me know what you think about it and if you know any artist that plays something similar.

'Till next time 🦇

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I also make dark music, but in the electronic rock and goth genre. If you'd like to know more about me and my music, check my website harbiter.com or my Instagram