Isopoda - Biography

[ObiwanKenomi]

Isopoda is one of the best prog bands Belgium ever had. The first time I got to know them was in 1978, with the release of the album Achrostichon.
Their music is very melodieus and with good vocals and a good musical base with guitar, flute and keyboard as the leading instruments.
Some critics say, that they are making music in the vein of Genesis and Camel.

Achrostichon contains 6 tracks:

1. Acrostichon (9:20)
2. The Muse (7:31)
3. Watch The Daylight Shine (5:19)
4. Don´t Do it The Easy Way (12:03)
5. Considering (7:58)
6. Male And Female (4:43)

The line-up for this album was as follows:

Geert Amant - keyboards, strings, backing vocals
Walter De Berlangeer - guitars, percussion, backing vocals
Arnold De Schepper - lead vocals on track 2 and 6, bass, guitars, percussion, flute, backing vocals
Dirk De Schepper - vocals & percussion
Guido Rubrecht - organ on track 2 and 6
William Souffreau - backing vocals on track 6
Marc van der Schueren - drums, percussion

[ObiwanKenomi]

In 1981 they released their second album called Taking Root. The songs on this album were a lot shorter then the ones on Achrostichon. The longest composition on Achrostichon was 12 minutes and the longest one on Taking Root is only nearly 6 minutes.
Still there are some quit good tracks on Taking Root, but I prefer their first album.

Taking Root contains 11 tracks:

1. Taking Root (5:01)
2. The Usual Start (4:31)
3. Endless Streets (4:31)
4. Sunset Alley (3:17)
5. Harbringer (1:52)
6. Girl Will Be Girls (3:38)
7. The Fall (5:36)
8. O.K. With Me (3:11)
9. Join With The Stream (5:53)
10. You Flower (4:54)
11. Black Mountain Cat (3:00)

The Line-up for this album shows a light change:

Luc Vanhove - organ, synthesizer, string ensemble, electric piano
Walter De Berlangeer - guitar
Arnold De Schepper - double neck bass & 12 string guitar, guitars, vocals
Dirk De Schepper - lead vocals
Marc van der Schuerren - drums, percussion

After this, the band disappeared without leaving a trace.

[ObiwanKenomi]

In 2004 Isopoda reunited shortly for a couple of live concerts.

The reunion however was short lived although they kept in touch and in 2013 Isopoda reunited again. This time the band line-up was extended with two of the three sons of Arnold. Some months before, Arnold had started a band with his sons, Arne (drums), Maarten (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Wouter (guitar, vocals). Luc Vanhove would have joined their band but he sadly passed away in 2013 and the line-up was completed by one of the boy’s school friends Pieter De Groeve (keyboards).

The complete history of Isopoda can be found on a website called:  Belgian Metal History

Strange location for a band which didn't play Metal.