If it weren’t apparent from their dark, 80s-inspired appearance, Brooklyn-based trio Silent Mass is goth through and through. Their debut album, The Great Chaos, out today (June 20) via Mourning Sun Records, seeks to eclipse the summer solstice sun with their dark, dreamy music, written and produced by Silent Mass themselves.
At first a solo project of multi-hyphenate Ammo Bankoff, with only one song made for a charity compilation, the band soon evolved into a three-piece act rounded out by Robert Duncan (guitarist/engineer) and Alex Posell (drummer/producer). Across the past three years, they took their time crafting the album, gradually teasing singles here and there that conjured up lucid images bordering on the macabre.
Just before the release of The Great Chaos, Silent Mass dropped the title track, with Bankoff noting the song, “Finds beauty in the spiral of self-discovery. It’s a love song about mourning a version of your past self.” From the get-go, “The Great Chaos” begins swirling multiple elements such as the echoed drums, brooding guitar, and layered vocals, all of which combine in moments of passion. True to their intentions, the general feeling surrounding the track does not fall neatly into one emotion, instead nestling into a hyper-specific spot where love emerges from persistent grief.
Bankoff’s love for Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and other artists can be traced back to her time in different bands. But with Silent Mass, those influences leave just enough of an impression to set the band in a direction to be tossed out when they strike gold in the darkness of their lyrics. Their first single, “Rose + Crown,” proves their surefire recipe, relying heavily on the atmosphere characterized by reverb and an engrossing guitar that washes over the production.
Aside from their upcoming New York shows, Silent Mass has also played sold-out gigs in Berlin, Philadelphia, and LA. Between their initial debut in 2021 with “Rose + Crown” and now, Silent Mass kept busy, whether working on their album or playing shows when they could. With The Great Chaos, they embrace the chaos attributed to their full-length debut, a winding road that found the band closer to a unique voice born out of the best parts of their inspirations.
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Words: David Sosa
The Great Chaos by Silent Mass is out now on all streaming services. For more on new music and upcoming shows, follow them on Instagram, Bandcamp, and their website.
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