MASON – Seconds To Impact

MASON
Seconds To Impact
Label: Eönian Records
Out: September 1^st, 2025
Playing time: 54:08

The Canadian Melodic Hard Rock / AOR band MASON has recently signed a record deal with the US label Eönian Records. This means that nothing stands in the way of the release of the new album ‘Seconds To Impact’. Led by namesake, singer, bassist and guitarist Marcus Mason, the band plays a fresh interpretation of Classic Hard Rock. Nevertheless, you can still clearly hear their roots. According to the press release, the experienced musicians are known for their dynamic chemistry and musical precision. Their 2024 debut ‘I Can’t Wait’ (Lions Pride Music) was already a success. But now the sound of MASON is to be raised to a new level.

And the opener ‘Hard To Tame’ immediately sets the tone. Catchy Melodic Rock. With an outstanding singer. Lead guitarist Josef Gebhard already shows his skills in the first song. ‘All I Ever Wanted’ is also easily easy to digest but by no means unimaginative AOR. ‘Waiting For You’ picks up a little more speed without leaving the mid-tempo range. ‘How I Carry On’ is rhythmic and has beautiful guitar melodies. Discreet guitar riffs set the pace alongside the drums and bass. In ‘Crime Of Love’ the guitars fry at times. Here, too, the riffs repeatedly set the mid-tempo beat. Of course, the harmonious guitar solos are not to be missed. And so it continues lively. Whether it’s ‘Never Be This Way’, ‘You Don’t Know Me’, ‘Long Way To Go’ or ‘Lost And Lonely’ – MASON attach great importance to beautiful, catchy but also varied melodic arcs. In terms of tempo, however, there is little variety. In between, we can hear a beautiful ballad with ‘Crescent Moon’. Towards the end, “Picking Up The Pieces” is a little more rocking.

‘Seconds To Impact’ is exactly what the press release announces – a collection of timelessly beautiful Rock songs. Have MASON reinvented AOR or Melodic Hard Rock? Certainly not. But they have kept the flag of this genre flying high. An album worth listening to.

MASON – All I Ever Wanted: https://youtu.be/AsK-wxDaOOo?si=MBcfY5hYzQ6dOF_B

Lineup:

Marcus Mason – Lead Vocals, Bass, Rhythm Guitar
Josef “Peppi” Gebhard – Lead Guitar
Peter Penhallow – Keyboards
Jimmy Katone – Drums

Track list:

• Hard To Tame
• All I Ever Wanted
• Waiting For You
• You Don’t Know Me
• How I (Carry On)
• Crime Of Love
• Never Be This Way
• Crescent Moon
• Long Way to Go
• It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
• Lost And Lonely
• Picking Up the Pieces (Bonus Track)
• Baptized By Fire (Bonus Track)