Ammo from Silent Mass talks about Enya, her new album and the summer solstice (Interview)

that of New York Silent mass has a gift for creating an atmospheric, dreamlike world all its own. The group is led by singer-songwriter and creator Ammo Bankoff who uses his ethereal yet haunting voice to draw the listener in, drawing them into his unique world.

Silent Mass has just shared its debut album, an eight-track collection titled The great chaos. Fusing dreampop, goth rock, post-punk, shoegaze and more, the LP is described as a “charged melancholic reverie,” and that’s it. Standouts include the brooding single “Land of Heart’s Desire,” a contemplation on escapism and the unfulfilled desires that torment not only us, but those around us. Then there’s “Nest of Flowers,” a song about the unknown and how sometimes going somewhere new and unfamiliar can be healing and cathartic. With the title track, Silent Mass shows its musical diversity with mystical soundscapes, touching more on indie pop territory. The highlight is “Rose + Crown,” where Ammo’s angelic vocals are perfectly aligned with the colliding guitars and dark rhythms for an intriguing listen.

The great chaos is not just an album, but an experience, a journey through soundscapes of chaos and beauty that leave an indelible mark on the listener’s soul. We spoke with Ammo about the band’s new release, her musical journey, and what she hopes listeners take away from her music.

Question: When did music come into your life and when did you start writing and releasing your own music?

I’ve been interested in music for as long as I can remember. I taught myself guitar when I was 14. When I was 18, I took guitar lessons at a community college, but it was boring, so I dropped out after a few weeks and started a band. It evolved from there…

Your project Silent Mass is deeply exciting and combines a variety of genres. How would you describe your sound?

Goth Enya…?! But in reality, our sound is a mixture of my drummer’s influences and mine. Alex has a background in jazz and was a drum and bass DJ. We are both very interested in percussion. I am heavily influenced by a wide range of genres and love anything that elicits an emotional response. A small list of groups that comes to mind: Dead Can Dance, The Cranberries, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Roxy Music, Rudimentary Peni, The Cure, Rowland S. Howard, Natacha Atlas, and so many others.

Congratulations on the release of your album The great chaos. What are the central themes of the album?

THANKS! The album is a collection of vignettes encompassing various emotional themes. I think of these songs as brief flashes of memories that evoke forgotten emotions and realizations from those times. Sometimes it’s like living in a dream… Did I really experience them? Are these feelings real?

You decided to release the album on the summer solstice. What does this mean to you ?

We released the first single on the spring equinox and intermittently released a few singles on important astrological dates leading up to the album release on the summer solstice. I felt it was time to close a chapter and make room for the start of something new.

This record has been a long time coming, with many emotional, financial and logistical hurdles. These songs were written at different times over the past decade. In 2019, I finally took the time to work on the demos and flesh them out with Alex. Of course, there were other obstacles to overcome afterward, but it felt good to finally finish something I spent quite a bit of time on.

What do you hope listeners will take away from The Great Chaos?

I hope it evokes similar feelings and breakthroughs that I experienced while writing the music. It is a journey of reflection and creating a deeper connection with oneself.

What do you personally like most about the album?

The songs are all quite unique, but they have a common thread that holds the record together. This record was very experimental. Alex and I explored a lot of samples and percussion, which I believe led to the mood and cinematic landscape that comes through in many of the songs.

Who or what are some of your creative inspirations?

I am mainly inspired by films, books and the emotions they evoke in me.

Finally, what’s next for Silent Mass?

Writing, touring and maybe printing vinyl for “The Great Chaos”. The idea is to continue creating.

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