Interview with Sara & Rocco - Messa

Released in April 2025, The Spin sees Messa delve into new textures, blending their doom roots with bold sonic explorations influenced by the 1980s. More daring and cohesive than ever, the album forges its own unique path. In this interview, vocalist Sara and drummer Rocco take us behind the scenes of its creation:

To begin with, The Spin marks a new direction, with a strong influence from the 1980s. What led you to explore these sounds after releasing Close in 2021? Rocco: With every new album, we try to explore different influences. For Close, for example, we focused a lot on the music itself trying out new instruments, experimenting with different sounds. This time, we wanted to go for something new again. We said, “Okay, let’s try to record something with a bit of an '80s vibe.” So we brought in new instruments like synthesizers, tweaked our sound a little, added more reverb especially on the drums and we just tried a bunch of different things. We also really appercited a lot of music from the '80s it's such a rich era, full of iconic bands that are still influential today. I mean, who doesn't like The Cure, Boy Harsher, Killing Joke… there are so many more! But we really focused on those bands with a darker edge, and tried to capture that mood, to let it inspire us. The '80s were such a crazy mix you could go from Bathory to Cyndi Lauper (laughs), and it all existed in the same moment. We really wanted to tap into that darker atmosphere and bring it into our own way of playing. That’s what we set out to do.

There are definitely so many bands from that era! Some are more happy vibes, others much darker. Do you think these influences also come from the fact that you've been listening to a lot of ’80s music lately? Rocco: I’m not sure about the other members of the band, but I’ve always listened to ’80s stuff. Not all the time, not on repeat, but regularly. For example, I go back to Pornography by The Cure at least once a year.So yeah, we envoye that era musically, and at some point we just said: “Let’s try something in that style!”

Sara joins the interview midway after a small technical issue. We were just talking about the ’80s influences that come through on The Spin. I don’t know if you’d like to add anything, or should we move on? Sara : I’d like to say something, maybe briefly. I’m not exactly sure what Rocco said, but we all have different visions of what ’80s music represents. We know it’s a huge well to draw from so many genres, albums, works... it’s a vast culture. If I had to pick two records that really influenced me during the writing and arrangement process for The Spin, I’d probably say Night Time by Killing Joke, and From the Lion’s Mouth by The Sound. Those two were crucial.

Perfect, we were just talking about The Cure, Killing Joke and others, so that really rounds out the question. To capture that authentic ’80s atmosphere, you also gathered quite a bit of original gear and instruments from that era. Was it a challenge to find all of that, or did it come together fairly easily? Rocco : No, it was definitely a real challenge! (laughs) Each of us had to rethink the way we play and Sara included, with her vocals. Marco (bass), for example, now plays both bass and synthesizer, which is a totally different technical approach. On my side, with the drums, I realized that the ideal formula was “Less Is More.” So I tried to simplify my beats, to make them tighter and more readable. It really pushed us to strip things down and aim for something more direct, more precise.

Sara : Yes, I agree having a clear direction was really important for us. We didn’t want to overdo anything, and we wanted to avoid anything that might distract from the essence. The Spin was conceived from the start to fit on a single double vinyl, so we naturally had to make choices included shorten certain parts, go straight to the point, and be more incisive.As a result, the tracks are shorter than on our previous albums. I think the longest one is The Dress (8 minutes and 15 seconds), or maybe the final track, Thicker Blood (8 minutes and 45 seconds). But overall, yes, the songs are more compact.

Rocco : It was also really important for us that the album could be released on a single vinyl, split across two sides. That was a key point during the recording process.

Sara : Yes, it was really make to fit within that format.

The recording of The Spin seems to have been quite different from your previous albums. How did you approach working in the studio this time? Sara : About the writing and arrangements, there weren’t that many changes compared to the previous albums, because we’ve always worked together in the same room, spending a lot of time fine tuning the songs. What really changed this time was the recording process.For Close, we worked in a much more intimate setup: we recorded all together in the same room, and since the pandemic wasn’t fully over yet, we really wanted that closeness in every sense.

For The Spin, we did the opposite. Everyone recorded their parts separately, often at home. It allowed us to be more focused, more precise, and to take the time to think carefully about every take. We really wanted to concentrate on our instruments and bring that true ‘80s feel.

We also spent a lot of time researching gear. We asked around  friends, family… anyone who might still have old synths or equipment from that time (laughs). We wanted the sound to really match what we had in mind.

For the vocals, there was also a notable change: on our previous albums, my voice was more blended into the mix. On The Spin, it’s intentionally brought to the front. That was a conscious choice, very much inspired by the ‘80s, where the voice is often very present, very clear. There’s also a lot of reverb on the instruments, and the synths are omnipresent… all of that was part of a global vision.

Alright, that’s really interesting. I’ll come back to the recording of your vocals later, Sara, because that was also quite a challenge on this album. But first: since you recorded the instruments in a different way this time, is that something you enjoyed and would like to keep doing in the future?

Rocco : Well, it depends. For me, as a musician, it was pretty simple. I just needed my click track, I was working from home, and I went into the studio knowing exactly what I had to do. Maybe for Alberto, it was a bit more complicated, because he’s more used to jamming and building the songs together. So working separately might have felt less natural for him. But then again, he’s an incredible musician, so I’m sure he did just fine regardless.In any case, for me, it was a pretty comfortable way of working… Well, I’m only speaking for myself here! (laughs)

For you, Sara, recording your vocals on this album was a real challenge. Do you feel more comfortable with it now, or does it still feel like a challenge — whether in the studio or live? 

Sara : I think the voice, like any instrument, request a lot. But the voice especially it's something very intimate and powerful. Every show we play is intense because I truly feel everything. There’s something privileged, almost magical, about singing. The voice is really something unique. Even if it sounds cliché, I’m very aware of it there’s something deeply personal, vulnerable... it's almost like laying yourself bare when you share your voice, and that’s what has always fascinated me. Every recording has been a real challenge for me, to be honest. Because when you record an album, you give it everything you have. And sometimes, you even have to relive certain emotions or experiences while you sing. So yes, it can be difficult, and it also depends a lot on your mood that day (laughs). But I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. For me, it’s a profoundly honest way to communicate not just with your language, but with your whole body. So yes, it was intense, like every recording.

Is it also because the lyrics deal with strong, sometimes difficult themes to sing about? Is it hard to open up that much? Sara : Yes, I can’t detach myself from what I’m singing. I need to deeply feel what I’m talking about whether it’s something personal or an emotion, an experience that belongs to someone else. It’s not always necessarily me or something I’ve lived through. I can be inspired by someone else’s story or life, you know? But the important thing is that I really have to put myself in their shoes. I need to feel it 100%, otherwise it’s just a technical exercise. I can’t sing something that doesn’t move me. There has to be a resonance, something that reaches me deeply, otherwise it just doesn’t work. Maybe every singer has their own way of working, but for me, that’s how it is.

Do the lyrics on The Spin come only from your personal experiences, or are they also inspired by books, films, or other external influences? Sara : The lyrics on The Spin mainly come from personal experiences or from experiences of others, as I mentioned earlier. I wouldn’t say the songs are inspired by specific works, but there have been influences before for example, on our first album Belfry, the track “Hour of the Wolf” is indeed a nod to an Ingmar Bergman film. Regarding literature, some books have had an impact, but mostly in terms of structure and the intention behind the lyrics. I’ve always used a lot of metaphors in my writing, but this time I went for something more direct, raw something that hits you right in the face. That’s what The Spin seem different from our previous albums, and it’s something I wanted to experiment with more straightforward, verbal approach, tackling themes like stress and anxiety in a more direct and unfiltered way.

Why did you choose the name The Spin for the album? Is it a concept album?

Sara : I don’t really think you can say it’s a concept album. The title came, if I remember correctly, last summer while we were shooting the video for our first single, “At Races.” At that time, we didn’t have a name for the album yet. But that’s often how it goes with us: there’s a common thread linking the songs, a kind of continuity that naturally emerges. And with The Spin, it’s the same. All the songs, in a way, belong to a bigger picture. Even if that picture is mostly sonic at first, it forms a coherent whole.

The album cover fits into this overall vision too. Everything is very connected, very symbolic. What we liked about the word The Spin is that it’s visually strong but also simple and universal. It can speak to everyone, regardless of language. It evokes an idea of an eternal cycle, a circular motion that starts from stillness but never really stops. We’re all caught in a spiral, spinning, repeating — and that’s exactly what The Spin is. When we saw the artwork proposal by Nico Vascellari, we immediately knew it was the one. The image perfectly captured this idea; it made 100% sense with the music and the mood of the album.

And actually, even musically, you can find this sensation of rotation in some tracks. For example, in “The Dress,” our second single, there’s a kind of loop, a downward spiral, both in the vocals and the guitars. We really wanted this feeling of dizziness, spinning, to be felt right down to the structure of the songs.

Was there any particular track on this album that was especially difficult to finalize or structure? A song that really challenged you in its writing or arrangement? Sara: I think there were several tracks that were complicated to arrange for some of us. But if there’s one that was really difficult for the whole band, it’s “Immolation.” Honestly, we really struggled (laughs). I believe it’s the song that challenged us the most because it was the first time we faced such a delicate balance. It was hard to figure out which direction to take, and we changed parts many times. At first, the track was very different, with a much more “straightforward” structure, then we ended up completely reworking it. We decided the beginning would be based solely on a piano/vocal duo. So yes, we had already used piano in previous songs, but this was really the first time it became the central element, literally carrying the song. So everyone had to find how to fit into that structure, whatever their instrument. Even though, for me vocally, it wasn’t the most complicated song, because I found my vocal line pretty quickly once we had the base. But when it comes to instrumental arrangements, I think “Immolation” was definitely the most difficult song to build.

Rocco : Yes, because at first, the track almost sounded like a somewhat dark ballad, with a very ’70s vibe. And when we decided to move towards a more ’80s atmosphere, everything changed. We felt it was a good song, but we had to rearrange everything, and it took us time to figure out how to give it that coherence. At first, we thought about going for something Phil Collins–style, but it didn’t work. In the end, as Sara said, we went for a stripped-down beginning, just piano and vocals, and built the rest from there. So yes, I agree with her: “Immolation” was definitely the most difficult track to arrange.

That’s interesting what you’re saying, because it feels like there’s always a kind of challenge in the way you compose. If we look back at your first two albums, they seem more open stylistically maybe because you were still exploring your direction. Whereas with Close and The Spin, there’s a much stronger sense of control, a real technical mastery and a very deliberate sound. Is that something you want to keep pursuing in the future, or would you like to return to something freer and more experimental?

Sara : To be honest, we have no idea (laughs). What we always try to keep is our freedom. And that means when it comes to experimenting, we don’t really set any limits. Right now, we’re more focused on playing live, touring, and everything that comes with that. But honestly, we have no clue what we’ll do next. We might decide to experiment even more, or… I don’t know, maybe we’ll make a traditional doom album inspired by Candlemass who knows? The possibilities are endless, and that’s exactly what we love. Having that wide range of options is something we truly enjoy. And honestly, we really don’t know what the future holds. What’s certain is that we want to keep exploring, keep evolving, and maybe do something completely different. We’ll see what comes next!

And maybe there are already some wild ideas in the back of your mind? Like playing with an orchestra, or trying something you’ve never done before?

Sara : I think we’ll just see what the future brings. We always have this urge to do something new with every album. What I’m almost 99% sure of is that the next one won’t sound like The Spin. It won’t have the same intent, that’s for sure. People change and so do we. We need to broaden our vision, to find a new language. That’s what keeps things exciting and challenging for us as musicians.

You’ve been playing together with the same lineup for over ten years now what’s your secret to staying united? Sara : Sometimes it’s tough, of course—like in any relationship. We all have different personalities, and we spend a lot of time together: writing, touring, and so on. Let’s just say it’s not easy to keep good communication going when you’ve only slept three hours in three days! (laughs) So yes, there can be tensions, and that’s totally normal. But I think what keeps us together is, first of all, that we share a very strong common vision. And above all, we were friends before been colleagues. That changes everything. We talk a lot, we try to listen to each other, to understand one another… That’s what keeps us united.

Thanks so much for your time! I feel like we could easily keep talking for hours about this new album, as its concept is so rich and full of intricate detail. I hope to see you live again very soon. Wishing you all the best for the release!

Catch Messa live at Hellfest on Sunday, June 22 at 4:00 PM sharp under The Valley!

The band will also be hitting the road this fall with Paradise Lost and Lacrimas Profundere:

• October 19 in Lille (Tyrant Fest, L’Aéronef)

• October 20 in Paris (Élysée Montmartre)

• October 21 in Lyon (La Rayonne)