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SALT LAKE CITY — Channeling darkwave music from the ‘80s and on, Salt Lake band Fossil Arms crafts catchy synth-driven music with melancholic vocals to create a reminiscent music that is still completely its own.
The group is made up of duo Chaz Costello and Melody Maglione, who first met each other in Arizona around 10 years ago. While there, they began playing together and have continued steadily through the years.
Costello stated that the town they lived in in Arizona wasn't especially conducive to making music or doing anything creatively, but also cited how this opposition helped form the music they play now.
“It gives you that motivation to create and strive to create something,” Costello said. “When you’re in a small town that doesn’t have an identity, or the identity is synonymous with partying, you see what you want to spend time on, and what’s most important.”
Maglione and Costello moved to Salt Lake City together about five years ago, and have since become an integral part of the local music and cultural scene. Costello, who owns the restaurant El Sillero plays in multiple bands around the area including, JAWWZZ, Baby Ghosts and his own solo project, Bears on Parade.
Each band plays a different type of music from the other, and this ability to play a variety of musical styles is right in line with Costello's goal to understand music, what it means to him and how each type of music affects him personally.
For Fossil Arms, he cites bands such as New Order, OMD and The Chameleons as heavy influences in the music he and Maglione create.
“With Fossil Arms, we really tried to create music with a post-punk kind of aesthetic because that style of music really means a lot to Melody and me,” Costello said. “Finding that niche in how we write songs kind of sets us free.”
The music scene in Salt Lake City has also helped cultivate the group’s music with its wide array of musical acts, and the musicians' ability to play and collaborate together.
“I think the local music scene here is incredible. Especially recently. I feel like Salt Lake has all the makings to become one of the best scenes,” Costello said. “This is a great city, and it’s really on the brink of bursting onto the scene and being able to show what it really is.”
Costello mentioned Diabolical Records as one of the central figures in helping the music scene to grow. Because of its promotion of local bands as well as the often free shows it puts on, Diabolical Records has allowed bands to play to a wider audience and allowed fans to find more music.
Although Fossil Arms just released a new album in October, it is already working on new material and looking to release another collection of music soon. It will be playing its next show as part of SLUG’s Christmas party.
