Ways Of Seeing Shine On ‘Cruel, Naturally’ From Upcoming Album

Rising Cork shoegazers Ways of Seeing unveil haunting new single ‘Cruel, Naturally’ ahead of sophomore album

Cork-based quartet Ways of Seeing return this month with their most emotionally charged release to date. The shoegaze-influenced outfit will share their haunting new single ‘Cruel, Naturally’ on 20th August, the latest glimpse into their forthcoming second album, The Inheritance of Fear, out 10th October via Joyful Hour Records.

Marking a bold sonic and lyrical departure, ‘Cruel, Naturally’ sets the stage for an album steeped in unearthed memory, vulnerability, and intergenerational reckoning. Produced by Christian Best (Susan O’Neill, Mick Flannery, O Emperor), with additional production and mixing by Daniel Fox of Gilla Band, and mastering by Jamie Hyland (Mhaol), the track finds the band pushing further into darker, introspective terrain. Fragmented lyrical imagery weaves through a brooding instrumental palette, resulting in a sound that is at once intimate and cathartic.

Vocalist James explains that the song grapples with the complex weight of inherited trauma: "‘Cruel, Naturally’ explores the idea of inherited trauma—the emotional patterns and unresolved wounds that pass from one generation to the next, often without intention or awareness. It was inspired in part by Philip Larkin’s This Be The Verse. The song delves into the tension between empathy and burden, love and legacy… It recognises the rage that can come with that burden and the quiet resignation that often follows."

Since emerging with their debut, Ways of Seeing have drawn acclaim for atmosphere-driven, emotionally expansive songwriting, earning comparisons to Slowdive, The National, Gilla Band, and early Interpol. Their music has been championed by Earmilk, Nialler9, GoldenPlec, The Thin Air, Hot Press, Notion, and Backseat Mafia, alongside radio play on RTÉ 2fm, Newstalk, and Raidió na Gaeltachta.

On stage, the band have cultivated a loyal following through sold-out headline shows at Whelan’s (Dublin), Mike the Pies (Kerry), and Coughlan’s (Cork), while also supporting Cork stalwarts The Frank and Walters. Its members share a long history in the Irish music scene, having previously performed in Hush War Cry with Eoin French (now known as Talos).

With The Inheritance of Fear due in October and a national headline tour to follow this winter, ‘Cruel, Naturally’ captures a band stepping boldly into their next chapter—one defined by catharsis, confrontation, and the echoes of the past.

Listen below: