New Music Friday!

musicjunkiegreg said:
Messa was a band I was late to the party with discovering. I only recently discovered them after the release of their 2022, 3rd LP, Close. After hearing that one and listening to their back catalog, the Italian quartet's new, 4th LP here, The Spin, was near the top of the list for my most anticipated albums in Q2. The Spin was the first album I spun on this new music Friday, and it has definitely set the bar for the week, for April, and for Q2 (that being said, we are only at the second week in Q2 right now).

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Imagine being so cool that you coin your own genre tag. Messa has done that, coining their style as "Scarlet Doom": a blend of doom, jazz, prog, goth, blues, black metal, punk, and dark ambient. And before any non-metal fans turn their heads and noses away from this, stop. This album teeters the border between rock and metal, and, say for just one instance near the end of the closing track, there are no harsh vocals. Quite the contrary, actually, as we are gifted with Sara's beautiful, infectuous, echoey, and smoky vocals across the albums 7 tracks, 42-minute runtime. In addition to Sara's excellent vocals, we have riffs and guitar solos for days!! The band's diverse musical background is guaranteed to have forged something on this record that everyone can enjoy and appreciate. Seriously, this album is likely one of the most unique listens I'll have all year. There is no fat to trim on this album, and all 7 tracks are very good. After an initial listen, 'Fire on the Roof' and 'The Dress' are the two that stand out just a bit more than the rest. Be sure to give The Spin a spin - you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it.

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Update:

After about 9 or 10 full listens to The Spin since it dropped last week Friday, I can confidently say that Messa's new album is a #1 AOTY contender right now (I'd actually slot it in at my #2 album of the year, currently).

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Initially I said that 'Fire on the Roof' and 'The Dress' were my two standout tracks. Now, I can confidently say that I could stick the names of all 7 tracks in a hat and, if asked to draw my favorite track, whichever I pulled out would be the correct answer (and I could do this over and over and never be wrong). On opening track 'Void Meridian', the hook, the guitar solo, and the hook once again is sure to stop you in your tracks and draw you in. 'At Races' and 'Fire on the Roof' are absolute bangers. 'Immolation' may be Sara Bianchin's best vocal performance. As she sings "It is like a beautiful weight on my heart, please run away, please", she absolutely holds me like a cup in her hands (actually, picking her best vocal performance on this album is an exercise in futility.. she gives standout performances on all 7 tracks). Coupled with the piano in the first half, and the double guitar solos in the second half, 'Immolation' is the quintessential chef's kiss.
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'The Dress' is still just as fantastic as I initially said. The "All my monsters, ready to feed" chorus is as powerful as ever. Pemultimate track, 'Reveal', is the band's 5-minute jam session sandwiched between the albums two longest tracks. Track 7, 'Thicker Blood' is a perfect closing track (calling 📞 @Piratenovelist ! - we do love a strong closing track). What a way to end the album. It starts out slow, has a beat and tempo change in the middle, picks up the intensity, and then builds to the powerful conclusion - all coupled with Sara's soaring and enrapturing vocals. What more could you want in an album?

This album is as near flawless as it can get.

The Spin is THE album to beat in Q2. I implore you, do not miss this one 🎧✌️




The band has three music videos out right now, too, for the album's three singles (shared below). I'm really hoping they release music videos for the other 4 tracks..





 
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🪻🪻List Of The Radar Variety🌷🌷
4.25.25 (Biggest Radar List of the year so far!)

aeseaes - Opia (Indie Folk/Pop)
Amanda Mur - Neu Om (Experimental, Medieval Ambient, Electronic, Avant-Folk)
BIG|BRAVE - OST (Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Metal, Doomgaze, Drone, Noise Rock)
BRUIT ≤ - The Age Of Ephemerality (Experimental, Ambient, Post-Rock)
CAUSTIC WOUND - Grinding Mechanism Of Torment (Deathgrind)
Changeling - Changeling (Progressive Rock/Metal, Death Metal)
Conan - Violence Dimension (Sludge Metal, Doom Metal)
Deerhoof - Noble and Godlike in Ruin (Indie Rock, Experimental Rock, Art Pop, Noise Pop/Rock)
Emma-Jean Thackray - Weirdo (Nu Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Funk, Electronic)
Felgrave - Otherlike Darnesses (Progressive Metal, Black Metal)
Ghost - Skeletá (Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Goth, Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock)
Inhuman Nature - Greater Than Death (Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Hardcore)
Kanonenfieber - LIVE in Oberhausen (Blackened Death Metal)
Kardashev - Alunea (Progressive Metal, Post-Metal, Deathcore)
Machine Head - UNATØNED (Groove Metal, Alternative Metal)
Opia - I Welcome Thee, Eternal Sleep (Gothic Doom Metal)
Pagan Altar - Never Quite Dead (Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Doom Metal)
Samia - Bloodless (Singer-Songwriter, Indie Rock/Folk/Pop, Alternative, Bedroom Pop)
SUMAC and Moor Mother - The Film (Experimental Metal, Post-Metal, Jazz, Spoken Word)
Tennis - Face Down In The Garden (Indie Pop, Bedroom Pop, Soft Rock, Indie Surf)
The Great Sea - Noble Art Of Desolation (Atmospheric Black Metal)
The Toxhards - Your Neighborhood (Indie Rock, Garage Rock, Alternative, Psychedelic)
Urisk - Shrivelling Lights (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Uwade - Florilegium (Singer-Songwriter, Indie)
Viagra Boys - viagr aboys (Post-Punk, Dance Punk, Art Punk)
 
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