I honestly expected either a full-on ambient/drone listen or something shaded to fit black metal upon seeing the cover art and speed-reading a very brief synopsis of the album. Imagine my surprise as the boom of a bluesy, soulful riff kicking off "Babalon" veered far from my expectations and brought me somewhere far beyond. Doom is the name of the game, and there is no shortage of incredible licks that will have Sabbath and Pentagram addicts licking their chops; this arsenal of authentic doom metal has some of the best riffs the genre has to offer. The driving groove of "Hour of the Wolf" is superb, its energy augmented by the terrific raw mix of fuzz and distortion flowing like blood through the veins of "Belfry," whereas the haunting drones of "Blood" conjure an atmosphere cloaked in shadows.

Messa, however, is an adaptable entity. There is a notable degree of variance between the tracks that aren't solely ambient or drone cuts, and thus "Belfry" benefits from the shifting of shape. Each song invokes its own sense of purpose-"Blood" is creepy, "Hour of the Wolf" desperate, and so on-while compiling different instrumental ideas. "Blood," for instance, lurches into a soft guitar bridge led by a discordant clarinet solo before ending in a gloomy fugue of groovy bass work and unhinged drum fills. Although the music is incredible, the vocals are magnificent, filled with evocative poignancy and incredible passion. The vocalist sounds magical throughout both doom numbers and the acoustic serenades of the closing "Confess," the urgency never depleted.