THE MASK: Life Happens In The Backstage

We're Gonna Die

WIKIPEDIA: THE MASK

The Mask is a rock band from New York.[1] The group members are: Maxine Hawk (vocalist and pianist), Walter Kato guitarrist, Louise Romilly (drummer, sub-vocalist) and Cassie Lucena bassist.[2]

Background Information

Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Genres: rock • classic rock • indie rock • indie pop • pop-rock • alternative rock
Years active: 2018-present
Labels: Columbia Studios • Threshold Studios NYC • Studio VMR • Warner Records
Members:
Maxine Hawk
Walter Kato
Louise Romilly
Cassie Lucena
Website: http://themask.com/

After releasing 2 EPs, "The Game" and "C.H.A.O.S.", they had their first full album, "Cursed Town", in October 18th, 2019, under Columbia Studios. In June 2020, they release a mixtape named "I Hear Voices" during lockdown. The band's second formal album, "The Show Must Go On" was released in January 24th 2022, including the main single "MAYHEM".

• History

- 2015-17: Formation
Louise Romilly and Maxine Hawk met for the first time on the Andrew Carnegie High School in September 2015. They met through a RPG Club, and as members, they met two other On-line players: Cassie Lucena and Walter Kato. The four of them decided to create a band by the end of 2016, after finishing a RPG session and discovering each other's love for music.[2] Walter Kato and Cassie Lucena traveled by train/subway in the weekends and holidays for recordings, rehearsals and performances in Louise Romilly's parent's garage. Before settling down with the name "The Mask", they thought about other options such as "MidKnight", "Indie Division", "MegaKey", "Ten Rats" and "The Great Four".[3]

- Debut
After showcasing in some local places and winning some talent shows in their schools and remotely, in 2017, the band received their first opportunities to sign up to recording studios and music companies because of the popularity they gained on the internet.[4] They analized their options and dealed with some burocracy due to the members's ages, so together with their guardians they decided that Columbia Studios had the best opportunity for the group, mainly because they'd still allow them to continue their studies and would still support their music.[5]

When the year 2018 began, on February second, the band released their first EP "The Game" with 4 tracks included, when the members were only 16 and 17 years old. By the end of the same year, in October 19th, they released another EP, this time with 3 new songs, entitled "C.H.A.O.S.".[6] After both releases in the year, they performed at the Corona Capital music festival in 2019.[7]

The writing and recording of the first EPs were chaotic. Lucena and Kato admitted to have had very harsh arguments and they even almost left the band, but Hawk and Romilly begged them to come back, so after a serious conversation, Walter and Cassie went to a music festival together to make up with each other.[8] Eventually, the band worked on their differences and established new rules to keep the harmony between them. Inspiring their sound in bands such as Arctic Monkeys, R.E.M., Nirvana and The Neighbourhood, they decided to be democratic towards "The Mask", and everything they earned would always be shared equally amongst the members.[9]

- 2019: Cursed Town
In June, Maxine Hawk was the first in the group to graduate High School, she celebrated her graduation in private with her friends and family. All the fans got was some pictures and videos she posted on social media.[10]

In September 8th 2019, the band's social media were covered with a new theme filled with black, blue, purple, white and silver colors.[11]

In the same day, The Mask announced it's first album, "Cursed Town". The first single was release on September 20th and they called it "Odds and Ends", the message behind it is a critic to the high standards and expectations these days, according to Kato, it says a lot about their younger teenage years.[12] Not too long after, they scheduled a US and Canada tour.[13] The second single was released in September 27th and was called "I'm Sorry", because it talks about the effect of traumatic events on young people, such as the school shootings and abusive parenting.[14] Finally, four days before their album's D-Day, on October 11th, the last single was presented to the public on the Jimmy Kimmel show, the song's name was "Paradox".[15]