The Irish instrumental rock band, And So I Watch You From Afar, is entering its 20th year together. To celebrate, the band released their seventh studio album, Megafauna, on August 9th via Velocity Records. The album is a tribute to their roots, Portrush on the Irish Coast and Belfast. Megafauna is a follow up to 2022’s Jettison. The band consists of Rory Friers (guitar), Niall Kennedy (guitar), Ewen Friars (bass), and Chris Wee (drums). The album was created in a week during the pandemic.
Guitarist Rory Friars says, “Megafauna is essentially a distilled moniker for our peers. All of the friends and characters that we’ve grown up with who’ve made us and our homes what they are today. Lockdown was an intensely introspective and reflective process, which put the comfort of community at the forefront of our minds.”
The epic opening song, “North Coast Megafauna,” takes the listener on an intense musical adventure. The powerful anthem crescendos with the huge, distorted wall of sound we come to expect from this band.
“Mother Belfast (Part 1and 2)” are standout tracks on the album. “Part 1” begins with an ethereal feel with a slower, syncopated jazz sound then transitions into a high-energy assault of loud guitars and drums. “Part 2” is dynamic, powerful instrumental rock music at its finest.
Another highlight of the album is “Any Joy,” a song evoking an emotional, beautiful vibe. The musical transitions throughout are flawless.
And So I Watch You From Afar’s Megafauna is a masterfully crafted album. The journey the music takes you on is an extraordinary experience.
I’m Music Magazine Associate Editor/Writer Meesha Walden
Connect online with And So I Watch You From Afar:
