“2025 marks the twentieth anniversary of musical creation for Northern Irish band ‘And So I Watch You from Afar’. Their seventh studio recording, ‘Megafauna’, encapsulates an alluringly complex, loud, and enchanting musical experience, largely drawn from the locales they deem home. Residing the in coastal town of Portrush, and Belfast with its bustling music scene, the band first learned to harness the power of their guitars.
‘Megafauna’ houses a two-piece musical homage titled ‘Mother Belfast, Pt 1’ and ‘Mother Belfast, Pt 2’. These compositions bear the distinctive traits of this exceptional band with dramatic, unpredictable changes in rhythm and pace, gripping the listeners and taking them on a riveting acoustic expedition. ‘Years Ago’ splendidly exhibits the band’s evolved musical sound, where their traditional heavy metal and post-rock elements give way for a more diverse, captivating sound that they alone have masterfully crafted.
Darran Anderson, the author from Derry, lauds the abundance of narrative talent in Northern Ireland in his path-breaking book ‘Imaginary Cities: A Tour of Dream Cities Nightmare Cities and Everywhere in Between’ and his outstanding autobiography ‘Inventory: A River, a City, a Family’. He, however, scrutinises the nuances of ‘how’ and ‘why’ stories are told. ‘And So I Watch You from Afar’, in response, narrate their story through music, devoid of words, continually proving themselves to be one of the most commendable bands, sound-weavers and narrators not just in their homeland, but beyond.”