B-Side Guys

Eighteen minutes isn’t much time to make an impression, but Detroit’s Marcus: the Apex Predator! exploits every second of their “Newborn Fossil” EP with surgical precision and blunt-force trauma simultaneously. Seven years after their debut “The Fury of Almost,” this trio has bottled lightning with five tracks that refuse to follow contemporary formulas, embracing contradiction as creative fuel.

The title track opens with a deceptively simple guitar riff that quickly evolves into a distortion-drenched statement of purpose. Kevin Watts’ vocals arrive with an urgency that suggests these songs needed to be excavated rather than simply written. The production, courtesy of engineer Jake Shives at Tempermill Studios, perfectly captures the band’s duality—polished enough to highlight the intricate guitar work while maintaining the raw immediacy essential to their sound.

“Lo-Fi” immediately subverts expectations, employing unconventional rhythmic patterns that create cognitive dissonance between what the ear expects and what it receives. Nick Marko’s drumming deserves particular recognition here, navigating abrupt time signature shifts with fluidity while Sean Bondareff’s bass provides the gravitational center. When Watts sings about the struggle of pursuing creative paths against familial incomprehension, the band manifests that tension musically—creating beauty through productive friction.

The EP’s emotional centerpiece arrives with “The First Summer,” a propulsive exploration of that brief, strange respite between COVID waves when possibility momentarily reemerged. The spoken-word verses give way to anthemic choruses, creating a dynamic architecture that mirrors the song’s thematic progression from confinement to liberation and back again. Watts’ lyric “The first summer, everything is possible” captures that fleeting moment of collective hope with haunting simplicity.

“Plenty & Shine” reveals the band’s capacity for vulnerability beneath their abrasive exterior. Watts has described this as his most emotionally challenging recording, a meditation on parental anxiety and time’s relentless progression. What elevates the track beyond confessional territory is how the instrumentation physically embodies its themes—the tempo accelerates like time slipping through fingers, creating a visceral sensation of futile resistance against inevitable forward motion.

The EP concludes with “No Fraction,” a deliberate descent into controlled chaos that serves as both culmination and catharsis. Grammy-winning Detroit legend Dave Feeny’s mastering work shines here, allowing the track’s dense layers to remain distinct despite the sonic maelstrom. The reverb-drenched vocals and effects create disorientation while maintaining melodic coherence—no small feat in a song that deliberately pushes against conventional structures.

Throughout “Newborn Fossil,” Marcus: the Apex Predator! demonstrates remarkable self-awareness. They understand their lineage (the Jawbreaker influence is palpable but never derivative) while refusing to become museum pieces. The band’s name suddenly makes perfect sense—they’re simultaneously prehistoric and futuristic, preserving post-hardcore’s essential DNA while evolving it into something suited for contemporary survival.

What distinguishes this EP from countless other punk-adjacent releases is its thoughtful integration of intellectual and visceral elements. As the band notes, they aim to create “melodic grit with a few braincells to spare,” and this balance pervades every aspect of their approach. The guitar work displays technical proficiency without sacrificing emotional impact; the lyrics explore complex themes without descending into pretension; the production achieves clarity without sacrificing intensity.

Seven years between releases could indicate creative stagnation, but “Newborn Fossil” suggests quite the opposite—these songs feel like the product of continuous refinement rather than hasty assembly. The trio of Watts, Marko, and Bondareff has created something that honors Detroit’s rich musical legacy while carving out distinct territory in the contemporary landscape.

In an era where streaming algorithms reward formula and predictability, “Newborn Fossil” stands as a defiant eighteen-minute argument for music that demands active engagement rather than passive consumption. It challenges listeners to inhabit the contradictions Marcus: the Apex Predator! navigates so fluently—between nostalgia and innovation, intellect and instinct, polish and grit. For those willing to accept this challenge, the rewards are substantial.