REVIEW: Gigafauna – ‘Eye to Windward’

On their latest studio album ‘Eye to Windward’, Sweden’s Gigafauna are pushing the envelope, lighting it on fire, and hurling it into the void. This is a record that swells with magnitude, anchored by searing emotional weight and delivered with a level of technical precision that’s as punishing as it is poetic.

From the very first track ‘Drowning Light, there’s a palpable sense of urgency where each riff lands like a tectonic shift, and each vocal line a howl against entropy. But what sets this album apart is the sheer range of feeling packed into every layer. One moment you’re hurtling through blackened space on the back of blistering drums, the next you’re dropped into a cavern of mournful clean passages that ache with introspection.

Recording in the forests of Finland with Teemu Aalto brings a new clarity and depth to their sound. Unlike their previous work with Daniel Bergstrand, which leaned into raw intensity, ‘Eye to Windward’ thrives on balance. The mix breathes. The aggression doesn’t eclipse the nuance. Melodies are allowed to bloom, even amid the carnage.

There are moments here that recall the emotive reach of post-metal titans like Cult of Luna, the bleak atmosphere of early Katatonia, and the cerebral scope of Devin Townsend’s more exploratory phases. Yet, despite the touchpoints, Gigafauna carve their own lane, writing songs that are as cerebral as they are cinematic.

In all, ‘Eye to Windward’ is a dense, unflinching meditation on collapse, survival, and what might be left behind when the dust settles. And in the cracks between despair and beauty, Gigafauna have crafted their most towering statement yet.