Is "Newborn Fossil" A Hidden Gem Of Lost Time?

There’s something about Marcus: The Apex Predator!’s EP that’s nostalgic, maybe how their guitars sound, or how they play their tunes overall, but they still manage to capture the fun vibe of indie rock throughout all five tracks of “Newborn Fossil”.

If you catch the drift, there’s nothing better than instantly getting greeted by the distortion and crunch of guitars – it’s a recurring element in this record, just rearranged and restyles in multiple ways to keep audiences upright. Each track brings a sense of familiarity, engraving a mental note of ‘you’re listening to M:tAP! right now’ during the listen.

Beginning with the title track, bringing a line like “This newborn fossil, my doppelganger” sounds like a feel-good, yet hardcore theme song of something remarkable, like a beloved show, or simply a headturner of a song at a gig. The different layers of guitar come together, creating a sensational fuzz leading to an iconic rock sound.

Seemingly about one’s imprint, “Lo-Fi” makes itself known into the mix, with the chorus mostly standing out with lyrics like “Lo-Fi, my legacy / The match that lights my effigy”. Despite the emphasis and somewhat dominance of guitar tones, the bass is evidently around, making its own mark into the song.

Meanwhile, “No Fraction” offers a new technique, yet a familiar tone; the beat is fun to follow along to, leaving high hopes for how this sounds live. It’s the type of song that people would go crazy for in the mosh pit, and there’s a lot of potential and space for improv solo moments for the band and the audience to bask in the wonders of music, and fun in the moment.

“The First Summer” emits this hopeful, motivationally energetic vibe – “every waking dream feels possible”. It’s a literal vision of school being out for the summer, and includes complex instrumentals that really showcase the band’s musical skills and capabilities.

“Plenty & Shine”, on the other hand, has an addicting arrangement of guitar and bass, it’s all far from simple. Personally, this is what made the realization of this EP being a hidden gem in lost time pop up, because the 2000s nostalgia is just there, with the words “I miss the moments that built the years” within the mix. The curiosity of M:tAP!’s musical influences are heightened because of this one.

All in all, this record somewhat fulfills a craving one never consciously knows they have. The beautiful clash of instruments in every track is overall fun to listen to, and they’ve really nailed what they came in to do: to create interesting, versatile tunes. An easy recommendation to anyone with a similar style and preference.