Fossils can still contain live – Fossil Evolution

Belgian band Isopoda was also referred to as ‘the Belgian Genesis’ in the 1970s, and has long since disappeared from view. However, former singer and bass player Arnold de Schepper is still very much alive and kicking, and tries to bring the remains of Isopoda back to live, by means of Fossil Evolution, a band in which he plays together with his three sons and one of their friends.

Fossil Evolution

Their debut album World in Motion was released in October of this year, and contains some great music, that does require a attentative listen to be appreciated fully.

A track like opener Beautiful Colours starts out slow and mellow, and just when your attention drifts away, it takes of into a well performed, melodic instrumental that resembles Genesis (and of course Isopoda).

World in Motion itself has a similar song structure, initially starts as an acoustic guitar based folk song fashion. As more instruments joins in, the song gains more power, but it never satisfies me completely, and I have the same problem with The Voice Inside.

The drums and bass, and the vocal harmonies of Arnold and Maarten de Schepper (father and son) make up for that on Next Time. 

Oblivion has some jazz influences in its structure, as it builds up to an instrumental climax that is dominated by a guitar solo that reminded me (surprisingly on an album like this) of Savatage.

The icing on the cake of this album is the Isopoda cover Considering.  This is a full blown 12-minute epic. The piano and keyboard on this one are nearly perfect. A trumpet solo and the vocal harmonies complete the show. However, the fact that the cover is the best part of the album means that the band has some work to do to be able to top this effort on a next release….

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