Megafauna is back, and they’re not messing around. The Austin-based rockers have released their new single, Leftist Heart, via Escondido Sound—an adrenaline rush of psychedelic noir hard rock with a fire that refuses to burn out.
I got to hear the track ahead of its release, and it doesn’t hold back. Leftist Heart is about watching someone who once burned bright—full of passion, ideas, and drive—slowly give in, swallowed by apathy and everything that dulls the edge. It’s pain, loss, and resistance packed into a track that refuses to go down quietly.
Massive yet flexible instrumentation, hypnotic melodies, and lyrics filled with a spirit of freedom weave together into a musical symbol of resilience. Even in the darkest times, one can stand firm and ignite light around them-instead of drowning in the darkness. As guitarist and vocalist Dani Neff says, “Leftist Heart is a message of hope to an ex-partner who had big dreams, musically and politically, but has now given everything up to party in the name of rock ‘n’ roll.”
Megafauna consists of Dani Neff (guitar, vocals), Winston Barrett (guitar, synthesizer), Zack Humphrey (drums), and Will Krause (bass). The band has long established itself as one of the most powerful and uncompromising forces in Austin’s psychedelic scene. They have six studio albums under their belt, including the critically acclaimed Olympico (2023). Their music is a living entity, constantly changing form and breaking genre boundaries.
Masters of their craft, Megafauna turn their instruments into a source of pure energy: Krause’s pulsating groove, Humphrey’s relentless rhythm, Barrett’s multilayered soundscapes, and Neff’s mesmerizing shredding—their music breaks all boundaries. Critics have already praised their powerful sound, but this is just the beginning. “Leftist Heart” is about to explode onto the scene.
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