Alternative rock metal band Ammonita stand on the precipice of stardom as they release their debut single 'Walnut' on the last day of New Zealand Music Month. From left: Ecology and Communications Studies student and drummer Zoe Eckhoff, former Marine Science student and bass player Karl Young, Ecology student and guitar player Iván Fernandez, and Ecology student and guitar player Mason O’Connell. Absent: Marine Science student and singer Paige Sumner.
Five-piece alternative rock metal band Ammonita, who release their debut single 'Walnut' on all major streaming platforms today, had a world of possible band names at their fingertips thanks to their Science studies.
“We were studying Environmental Science, and we thought it would be cool to have a name that reflected that. I had a poster with the names of mushrooms, and one was from the amanita genus,” says guitar player and Ecology student Iván Fernandez.
“We changed the spelling a bit so that it also looks like ammonite, which is basically a fossilised prehistoric squid,” adds Mason O’Connell, also a guitarist and Ecology student.
The name lends itself to the toadstool and seashell imagery that drummer and Ecology student Zoe Eckhoff has used for band posters – and science has informed some of the songwriting too, with all members of the band passionate about nature and conservation.
“We definitely have some politically based songs about our disgust around how people treat the world,” Ivan says.
Zoe says the band’s oeuvre spans a spectrum from political commentary through to “emotional, beautiful ballads”.
“We do some rap metal where our singer Paige drums and I come up and do the rapping, and we also have songs where we’re all in our core parts doing our punchy grunge songs,” she says.
Bass player and former Marine Science student Karl Young says their single 'Walnut' is "by far our most calm, chill song. It’s very yearning, about a long-distance relationship.”
Recording the single was made possible after Ammonita won OUSA’s annual band competition Bring the Noise in October last year. The prize package included Radio One promotion, a music video made by third year Otago Polytechnic students, and the recording of a single at Sublime Studios in the Waitaki Valley.
Ammonita won OUSA’s Bring the Noise competition in October last year. Photo: Ben Eckhoff
Mason says recording 'Walnut' was the band’s “first proper studio experience – other than bedroom studio experiences”.
“Sublime Studio’s in such a beautiful place. It’s on a vineyard, they offer accommodation and meals, there were multiple dogs, and there was so much recording equipment,” Karl adds.
The savvy students made the most of the opportunity, using their band funds to book extra time to record three additional songs for an EP that will be released in Semester Two. The EP launch will coincide with the release of a music video for the EP’s focus track, 'Jane’s Masquerade'.
“Filming was so much fun. We had a giant party, we had a fight scene, and we even had an underwater scene that we filmed at Moana Pool,” Karl says.
A giant party sounds fitting for a group of students who value the social aspects of student life.
“The education here is such a huge thing, but honestly the community has been a huge part of it as well. The Halls experience has been incredible, and the Ecology labs have been a great place to meet people,” Zoe says.
Ivan agrees, saying “you always get to meet great people, and in Ecology there are really cool field trips as well. We went to the Catlins and had such a great time.”
“I love learning about ecology. It feels super important, and with climate change going on, studying Ecology makes things feel a little more hopeful. Like, last Friday I went to Brighton Beach for a Botany paper, and we planted a bunch of trees,” Mason says.
They’re serious about their studies, but Karl says the band entered Bring the Noise because they just wanted to have fun.
“We had no expectations, but lo and behold, we made it to the finals and we won. We put our hearts out there, and people liked it.”
Local inspiration
In honour of New Zealand Music Month, we asked Ammonita about their favourite local bands.
Zoe: “Blindspott. I love them so much. I got to see them live recently and it was mind-blowing. The drummer inspires me a lot.”
Karl: “Devilskin and Supergroove. They’re two very different bands, but I just love music with bass.”
Ivan: “I'm a huge advocate for Alien Weaponry. I love the way they use Māori folklore with the metal. And the riffs are super catchy.”
Mason: “I don’t think it’s at all similar to what we play, but I love Dragon and The Exponents.”
- Keep up with Ammonita on Instagram
- Kōrero by Kathryn van Beek, Communications Advisor | Kaiarataki Pārokoroko
Study Ecology at Otago
Ecology is your invitation to understand life’s big story. How plants, animals and environments connect, change and shape our world. At its heart, Ecology gives you the tools to explore questions like: where do organisms live, why do they live there, and how do they interact with each other and with their surroundings?
Ecology at Otago