Mike Masser’s story is one of return, resilience, and reinvention. In the early 2000s, he was best known as the guitarist for Hand Over Fist, a hard-hitting rock outfit that found regional success across the Southwest with records like Night Creature and Die Trying. Their music landed on stations like KZGL and KUPD, and for a while, life was stages, riffs, and the rush of being part of a band. But when the group split, Masser slipped into cover bands, trying to keep the fire alive until the grind dulled the joy. Eventually, he walked away from music entirely. What brought him back wasn’t ambition or industry pressure—it was encouragement from a friend and his wife. That second chance became the catalyst for Masser’s solo career, starting with Desert Sun and leading him to his boldest and most personal release yet: “5“.
Where his earlier work carried the tentative weight of experimentation—testing whether he could step into the role of vocalist and frontman—”5” is the sound of an artist fully inhabiting his skin. Across ten tracks, Masser balances grit with vulnerability, channelling the swagger of classic rock while weaving in themes of loss, resilience, and human connection. It is a tribute and a rebirth, honouring the people who shaped him while proving that reinvention is possible, even after years away from the stage.
The record opens with “Wolves In The Whiskey,” a barnstorming introduction that sets the tone with teeth-baring riffs and gravel-laced vocals. It’s a song about temptation, excess, and the animal lurking inside us all, wrapped in a groove that feels equal parts Southern grit and 80s metal bravado. Immediately, you hear shades of his influences—Ozzy’s theatricality, Randy Rhoads’ guitar fireworks—but the delivery is Masser’s own: unapologetic, raw, and firmly anchored in storytelling.
From there, the album dives into “No Sin,” a track that pulses with rebellion. Its message is clear: to live authentically, you have to shed the shackles of judgment. Masser’s vocal confidence shines here, carrying the kind of conviction that only comes from lived experience. It’s followed by “Silence Speaks,” perhaps the first major tonal shift on the album. Stripped back compared to its predecessors, the track finds power in restraint, echoing themes of unspoken words, the weight of absence, and the way quiet moments often reveal the most truth.
“Abacab” arrives as homage and reinvention. While it borrows its name from Genesis’ 1981 track, Masser transforms it into something of his own—less progressive experimentation, more a straight shot of muscular rock. Then comes “Run,” a track that fuses urgency with catharsis. Its lyrics speak to escape, not just from places but from versions of ourselves that no longer serve us. Musically, it charges forward with unrelenting energy, carrying the listener in its sprint.
The second half of the album digs deeper into personal and emotional territory. “Red Line” pulses with tension, a track that feels like it’s constantly teetering on the edge of eruption. “Omen” shifts into darker territory, with haunting riffs and ominous undertones that channel Masser’s heavy metal influences. “Twilight Zone,” meanwhile, plays like a fever dream, balancing surreal imagery with riffs that oscillate between menace and wonder. It’s the kind of track that pulls you into a different dimension, much like its namesake television series.
“Don’t Follow” is where the album’s emotional core comes into focus. Written as a heartfelt tribute to Masser’s late best friend, Jeff, the singer of Rictus of Rage, the song sheds the bravado and digs into the ache of grief and remembrance. It’s a moment of vulnerability, one that makes clear how much this album means to Masser on a personal level. You can feel him singing not just to Jeff, but with him, keeping his memory alive in the only way musicians know how—through song.
The closer, “Morning After You,” delivers the perfect finale. It’s reflective, weary, and tender, speaking both to the aftermath of love and the morning-after haze of life’s hardest battles. As the guitars wind down and the last notes linger, you can sense the album completing its arc: from the feral energy of “Wolves In The Whiskey” to the introspection of its closer, “5″ is about confronting every shade of the human condition.
What makes “5″ such a standout is the power of the songs and the story behind them. After four years of work—and a lifetime of preparation—Masser has created something deeply personal and universally resonant. The inclusion of covers, tributes, and songs for his loved ones reflects a man who isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. The production is crisp but never sterile, allowing the rough edges and raw performances to shine. For listeners, it’s a document of survival, gratitude, and defiance.
In the end, “5” is a marker of arrival. It signifies the fifth chapter in Masser’s musical life: guitarist, cover-band survivor, exile, solo experimenter, and now, fully realised frontman. It’s proof that even after stepping away, even after silence, the fire can reignite stronger than ever. For fans of hard rock with heart, “5” is a record worth turning up loud and living with.
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