https://youtu.be/zhaLR_VbLnI
Band info
Band: Massa Nera
Album: ‘The Emptiness of All Things‘
Genre: screamo, hardcore punk
Released: October 31st, 2025
Location: US
Review
Today, ABMN presents a little treat for all who enjoy post-metal from the likes of Ashenspire, Laster and co. This may particularly connect the lyrical hyperrealism of the former with this strange, atmospheric feel of the latter.
New Jersey-based Massa Nera are one of those bands that surprise with their natural understanding of their own music. Forming an easily recognisable and distinctive own style, they take stylistic parts from everywhere as long as they fit, as long as they work as intended. For example, the ending part of “City of Mines“. Lyrics matched in their condemning, critical tone by the likes of the already mentioned Ashenspire or the great Chat Pile, reaching to address systemic and social errors like inequality, the climate catastrophe or even the participation of uncritical academic structures in the stabilization of power followed by unforgiving post hardcore riffs just to end in soft guitar picking weirdly reminiscent of Midwest emo acts like Duster or American Football of all people. These are also the parts that shake off way too easily, given labels like ‘blackened’ just as smooth as ‘hardcore’ or simply ’emo’.
One should also be struck by the production value of ‘The Emptiness of All Things‘. The obvious amount of resources and dedication pays out in this high dynamic, keeping together all of the noise alternating with those quiet, slow passages. Thumping dry-mixed drums (just listen to those toms), that cover modern low frequency kicks with a snare as it could well be heard on the darkest black metal tracks to smoother quieter rock rhythms, flow with atmospheric guitars that can afford to leave behind this concentration on low mid chugging tones we know from the modern ways of harder playing styles. They do, in fact, gain a little fragility, underlining the emotional content of the music. Connected by a well-balanced bass, this just results in a well-thought-out mix that the engineer, Matthew Michael, and the band seemingly put a lot of work and conceptualisation into.
Even if not the easiest-to-access music, and sure as hell nothing to put on the background, ‘The Emptiness Of All Things‘ deserves an audience that can acknowledge this effort, and it will pay back double with a memorable and deep listening experience. Notably stays also the fact that Massa Nera decided to give out the digital version of the release for free, pointing out organisations that could use the money way more. Check them out on their Bandcamp!
Still selling hardcopy versions, this decision sure wasn’t the easiest and acts of solidarity just like this are, of course, welcomed with high respect and acknowledgement by us!
Other links and platforms:
BC: https://massanera.bandcamp.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/MASSANERANJ/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYNZI1BCwFCM1dqj-0WbKBA