Artists to know: Silent Mass

If that wasn’t evident from their dark ’80s-inspired appearance, the Brooklyn-based trio Silent mass is accomplished from start to finish. Their first album, The great chaosreleased today (June 20) via Mourning Sun Records, seeks to eclipse the summer solstice sun with its dark, dreamlike music, written and produced by Silent Mass themselves.

Initially a solo project by Ammo Bankoff, with a single song made for a charity compilation, the group quickly transformed into a trio completed by Robert Duncan (guitarist/engineer) and Alex Posell (drummer/producer). . Over the last three years, they took their time to compose the album, gradually teasing singles here and there that evoke 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 “Find beauty in the spiral of self-discovery.” It’s a love song about grieving a version of your past. From the start, “The Great Chaos” begins to swirl several elements such as echoing drums, brooding guitar and layered vocals, all of which combine into moments of passion. True to their intentions, the overall feeling surrounding the track doesn’t boil down to a single emotion, but rather nestles in a hyper-specific place where love emerges from lingering heartbreak.

^{_{This article may contain affiliate links. Ads and affiliate links allow independent blogs like Grimy Goods to operate. Thank you for supporting our work and being part of our music community.}}

Bankoff’s love for Cocteau Twins, Slow dive, and other artists go back to his time in different groups. But with Silent Mass, those influences leave just enough of an impression to set the band in a direction to throw away when they find the gold in the darkness of their lyrics. Their debut single, “Rose + Crown,” proves their foolproof recipe, relying heavily on atmosphere characterized by reverb and captivating guitar that pervades the production.

In addition to their upcoming concerts in New York, Silent Mass also performed sold-out concerts in Berlin, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Between their 2021 debut with “Rose + Crown” and now, Silent Mass have stayed busy, whether it’s working on their album or playing shows when they can. With The great chaosthey embrace the chaos attributed to their debut album, a winding path that brought the band closer to a unique voice born from the best of their inspirations.

Words: David Sosa

The great chaos from Silent Mass is now available on all streaming services. To learn more about new music and upcoming shows, follow them on Instagram, Bandcamp, and their website.