Cassette Review // Red Mass "Love & Magik" (No Coast)

https://nocoastrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/love-magik

The music of Red Mass begins with a sort of twangy rock n roll but by the time we reach the second song- "Trip Out"- it becomes more along the lines of a psych rock band.   There are echoes and the drums are just so loud.   At times it reminds me of the "What I Like About You" song, as the guitar has that punk rock feel to it, but mostly it's just trippy.

"My Baby Sure Can Go" has these racecar type sounds in it while "Spoiled Milk" has these echoing vocals.   "Drink My Blood" is somewhat punk but also reminds me of Black Sabbath somehow.  By "Maintain Order" I'm remembering the early days of Marilyn Manson (around the time of "Lunchbox") and that just seems to take it into new territory, as there are also just nice beats within here.

The vocals become distorted and it gets really trippy, yet then "Ghosts" is a more upbeat type of punk rock sound.   Before the end of that song and the first side, those "Stranger Things" tones come through as well.   "Black Mass" starts off the flip side with a very punk rock and somewhat hardcore way about it.   "Hot Bizz" follows suit but then drifts off into long, distorted guitar riffs to end this cassette.

I feel like Red Mass is two artists trapped in one, but in the year 2023 that should be more common.   At times, this feels like a straight up punk (and borderline hardcore) cassette, the type that a band who played CBGB's would've released.   At other times it's just far out like Shirese and rock n roll bands that remind you of that era of rock n roll.    These two sounds really do come together with Red Mass flawlessly.