  Mass loss is one of the key parameters that determine stellar evolution.
Despite the progress we have achieved over the last decades we still cannot
match the observational derived values with theoretical predictions. Even
worse, there are certain phases, such as the B[e] supergiants (B[e]SGs) and the
Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), where significant mass is lost through episodic
or outburst activity. This leads to various structures around them that permit
dust formation, making these objects bright IR sources. The ASSESS project aims
to determine the role of episodic mass in the evolution of massive stars, by
examining large numbers of cool and hot objects (such as B[e]SGs/LBVs). For
this, we initiated a large observing campaign to obtain spectroscopic data for
$\sim$1000 IR selected sources in 27 nearby galaxies. Within this project we
successfully identified 7 B[e] supergiants (one candidate) and 4 Luminous Blue
Variables of which 6 and 2, respectively, are new discoveries. We used
spectroscopic, photometric, and light curve information to better constrain the
nature of the reported objects. We particularly note the presence of B[e]SGs at
metallicity environments as low as 0.14 Z$_{\odot}$.
