I only remember one thing about German metallers Mass. Along with my Scorpions collection, their album Metal Fighter had to be hidden away whenever there was a lady in the house. Apart from that, I can't remember much about them, hence my surprise when a couple of their albums turned up as part of the SPV Rare Classics Series.
Mass were on the go between 1976 and 1986, and seemed to have a penchant for displaying their nipples at every available opportunity. Whether that caused or was caused by the drug addiction and alcoholism that forced them apart remains a mystery. But at least their music is getting another chance on these lavish reissues (digipak and slip cases!).
Angel Power came out in 1980, and was the first Mass album to feature vocalist Jack E Burnside. And it's a bit shit. But no more so than a lot of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands of the time. However, Mass had been recording for five years by this time, so you'd have thought they'd have got the hang of it. A few of the tracks are quite fun. "Hate" has a good riff and a message that tells us that hate is bad. And you can never fault a track called "Rock Baby", which is very Diamond Head like. There is a song called "Good Times" which is about having a good time. And it's followed by a track called, um, "Bad Times". The former has a few glam influences. The latter doesn't. Things rattle to a close with a good old rock 'n' roll song called "Good Old Rock'n'Roll", which is all about, yes, good old rock 'n' roll! On the plus side, only one of the songs lasts over three minutes.
There is a bonus track, which has been mastered from a cassette, called "Black Mass" from back in 1975, when they had a different singer - Beppo Hart, and a different guitarist - Mick Thackeray. It's very reminiscent of UFOs "Boogie For George", so it's only about five years too late.
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