The Mass from Oakland make some killer heavy prog influenced rock. Somehow mixing: Melvins, late era Black Flag (“Process Of Weeding Out”), Keelhaul, King Crimson, Jesus Lizard and NoMeansNo and doing really well. The Mass are proving once again that Oakland keeps putting out more & more killer heavy music.
(1) Intro by the (In) famous Big Chief
((((2)))) 13+ minute epic of uptempo hardrockin’ sounding proportions. Like early Rollins Band mixed with No Means No and King Crimson (in the sax solo mostly). Awesome sax solo which changes the feeling of the song and makes it more interesting as they also add an awesome march part (think Diamond Head’s (& Metallica’s) “Am I Evil?”
((((3)))) The Chief talks to The Mass. Then it gets into the fast hardcore -like rage lots of incredible stop/starts. Varied tempos all over the place & great playing all around. Great ending to boot!
((((4)))) The Chief talks to the Mass again.
(((((5)))) Super-rockin’ raging prog/punk/rock hybrid. I’d say it’s like King Crimson jamming with the first Rollins Band line up. Again, more amazing stop/starts & crazy tempos all in epic proportions.
((((6)))) More talk with The Mass. What? Their bassist dresses like a viking and I wasn’t informed of this?
((((7)))) Sounds like Jesus Lizard crossed with DarkThrone (well not that much DarkThrone but that intro riff sounds kinda black metal). Kind of straight forward punk overall.
(8) This is just Big Chief explaining the last song was actually the ending of the previous tune.
((((9))))) Prog-tastic groove then a whole lot of pounding riffage.
(((10))) More talk with The Mass & The Big Chief
(((((11)))) then the brilliantly titled “We Enslaved Elves To Build Our Death Machine” fast pumelling punk & heavy rock, prog and even
some black/death metal parts. The drumming is fucking awesome as is everything else.It’s all here & it’s all mixed up and mixed up extremely well.
(((12))) More talk.
((((13))) Freaked out noise/improv thing. Radness!
(((14))) Last words from the Mass & the Chief.