Monotreme Records: The Mass

The Mass is an angular four-piece band from Oakland, California comprising Matt Waters (sax / vocals), Matthew Solberg (bass – also plays guitar in From Monument to Masses), Tom O’Donnell (guitar) and Tyler Cox (drums). The band play dynamic, stop-on-a-dime music that gallops through a variety of styles, incorporating math-rock, punk/ jazz saxophone and huge metal riffs with grindcore vocals that range from high-pitched screams to deep guttural growls and unearthly howls. Tracks such as ‘Trapped Under A Ice’ and ‘We Enslaved Elves To Build Our Death Machine’ are epic trawls through ever-shifting landscapes of squalling saxophone, drifting art-rock drones and crushing guitar. Despite the varied nature of their music, the songs somehow remain cohesive and even melodic.

Their 2004 debut album, ‘City of Dis’, received critical praise for its dynamic and eclectic blending of heavy musical styles. In ‘Perfect Picture of Wisdom and Boldness’ The Mass continue to stretch the boundaries of heavy music as they further solidify their collective vision of skewed melody and crushing brutality.

‘Perfect Picture…’ is a relentless assault on the senses, in which monstrous, headbanging riffs, plaintive, eerie post-rock, wailing free jazz, dense sludge, stoned math, hushed, sinister saxophone interludes, screaming black metal and ripping hardcore punk are all thrown into a virulent, bubbling cauldron, along with catchy hooks employing maniacal guitar/sax harmonies that reference the likes of Thin Lizzy, Zappa, Neurosis and Opeth.

Hailing from Oakland, CA, The Mass (Matt Waters on Vocals/Saxophone, drummer Tyler Cox, bassist Matthew Solberg and guitarist Tom O’Donnell) is truly one of the more original and heavy bands around.

The album was recorded by Tim Green (of The Fucking Champs and Nation of Ulysses) at Louder studios and mastered by John Golden. Matt Waters also plays in Crime in Choir and Matthew Solberg is also in From Monument To Masses.

Released in North America on Crucial Blast Records

City of Dis was their debut album, following the release of one previous self-titled ep on Whole Enchilada Records in the US. The album was recorded by Tim Green (of The Fucking Champs and Nation of Ulysses) at Louder studios and mastered by John Golden.

Fans of Mr Bungle, Fantomas, Shellac, John Zorn, NoMeansNo, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Sweep The Leg Johnny, and Frank Zappa may find a welcome place for City of Dis in their CD collection.

Visit their website at www.themass.us