They're partly inspired by recounts of sleep paralysis, where sufferers describe seeing a 'black matter' or 'black mass' haunting them in their rooms at night, while they lie paralysed in bed.
[2] Ali Shutler of Upset magazine described "Black Mass" as one of the fastest songs released by Creeper to date, noting a "rhythmic, frantic dance" pace in the intro and "the hurried yell of, 'Hey!'"
[3] In a review of the song for DIY, Tom Connick described "Black Mass" as a mix between "fist-aloft punk-rock and ballroom blitz", comparing its style to that of singer Meat Loaf and punk band Misfits.
[4] Shutler continued by claiming that, despite its fast pace and short running length, the track has "plenty of room for those big band theatrics", including Gould "channeling his inner-crooner".
[3] Tom Connick of DIY magazine praised the song for showcasing The Stranger, which he claimed was the band's "most triumphant step ... yet",[4] while Rock Sound writer Andy Biddulph hailed the track as "a goth-punk dream" and "just wonderful".