Release Date 13th November 2026
The Emerald is the second album from Martin Kennedy's instrumental metal project, Observers. The Emerald's instrumental post-metal was inspired by the primeval forests and hidden portals of the cover art by visionary art pioneer Gilbert Williams, one of Kennedy's favourite artists. Once again mixed by Joe Haley of Australia's Psycroptic, the album is equal parts crushing guitars and atmospheric soundscapes, reminiscent of Kennedy's ambient rock project All India Radio.
Observers' debut earned widespread acclaim, including selection on NPR's New Music
Friday, a Wild One pick on ABC TV's Rage, and praise from critics around the world. Prog magazine hailed it as a "glorious instrumental reimagining of 2001: A Space Odyssey," while Distorted Sound called it "a sprawling space-metal epic." Steve Kilbey of The Church simply declared it "sounds brilliant," and Sea of Tranquility "Spacey and doomy" 3 stars.
Bringing a piece of The Emerald to life is the stop motion music video for “Eye Tree”. Made by US stop motion animator Brett Foxwell (WoodSwimmer - Vimeo Staff Pick) from tens of thousands of photos of leaves and wood as it is sawcut, creating beautiful and strange alien 'woodscapes'.
