I like the name Gigafauna a lot, which is why I ended up choosing this album to review this week.  I like the idea that there are ever larger and more grand groups of animals than the well known megafauna of yore (does this imply there could be terafauna out there we just don’t know about?), but also I like taking a chance on an independent project that is new to me and sounds promising on paper, which Eye to Windward absolutely does.  Melodic death metal meets sludge meets progressive hard rock?  Yes please, sign me up.

Hailing from the wilds of Uppsala, Sweden, Gigafauna haven’t been around the block for very long, but if that intro didn’t sell it, they have kind of a unique take on a few formulas squashed together.  Billed as the band’s “most dynamic and wide-ranging work to date”, Eye to Windward exemplifies the band’s signature use of catchy, dynamic melodies over a template of churning sludge and hard rock choruses, set as a backdrop to songs touching on topics like environmental destruction, existential dread, isolation and the search for meaning.  The band worked with acclaimed producer Teemu Aalto (notable for his work with Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum) in order to up their game, deliver an even tighter and more well-balanced sonic package and make sure his attention to detail allowed each song to have its own musical and lyrical identity.  I gotta say, what they did here really works: the guitars are razor sharp and even when they are layered with spaced out effects you can still hear every nuance of what they are playing; the bass tone is monstrous and beefy and the drums hit like a Mack truck.  It’s all a very slick and cool package, which is a really cool thing to see from a band that is self-releasing their album.

Gigafauna’s deft use of melody is the first thing that really surprised me in a very good way about Eye to Windward.  I was expecting more traditional melodeath riffing, but guitarists Matt Greig and Arvid Nydén do a great job of mixing it up and going for some outside-the-box tricks to make the songs stand out from the pack.  Standout tracks “Beyond Sun and Sky” and “Pyres” are prime examples of this: the hooks are catchy as the black plague, but you don’t get the feeling like you’ve heard it all before.  In fact, Eye to Windward bears a lot more musical resemblance to Gojira than At the Gates.  It’s like if Gojira and Kylesa had a fucked up little baby in the best way possible, and I’m here for it.  The riffs never seem to stop coming, but each one does really allow these songs to take on a life of their own.  More aggressive cuts like closer “Vessel” and “Exogenesis” are tempered with the grungy hard rock of “Drowning Light” and “Plagued”.  There’s a really nice sense of flow and cohesion to the album as a whole, especially thanks to the sequencing.  And I gotta say: I don’t always love clean singing in metal, but Greig does a good job of balancing out the deep gutturals and the bluesy crooning so everyone can get a little bit of what they want.  He really only manages to overdo it in a few spots (some of the more butt-rocky, STP style moaning can get a little grating for me), so that is highly commendable.  The one criticism that I can level at Eye to Windward is that I think the progressive elements might have been a little oversold, but at least that gives them an area to grow into for their next release.

I do very much enjoy how writing for this site lets me take chances on bands solely because their name is cool and then walk away with a rewarding experience.  Eye to Windward is a rewarding listen, and now I know to keep my eyes peeled for whatever Gigafauna gets up to next.  If any of this sounds like it’s up your alley, make sure you check it out this album.  I wouldn’t steer you wrong.

-Ian

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Eye to Windward is out May 16 on the band’s Bandcamp page.  For more information on Gigafauna, visit their official website.