If your musical cup o' tea is a near-future experience of existence, of a world that might well be as close to reality as any one has ever imagined before, well, welcome to the world of DarWin.

An intricate musical fantasy concept, Origin Of Species (now available internationally on all major digital distribution platforms, with an epic cinematic video of "Escape the Maze" available on YouTube, Facebook and iTunes) is now ready for public consumption.

Origin Of Species features legendary drummer and producer Simon Phillips, who, in addition to playing drums, percussion and keyboards, also engineered, mixed and drove the production on the album.

Veteran bass player and singer Matt Bissonette performed a rich array of lead and background vocals and bass and DarWin himself drove the songwriting and conceptual vision while playing various guitars.

CD 1:
1. 'For Humanity' (4:08)
2. 'The Last Chance' (5:38)
3. 'Taking Chances' (4:42)
4. 'Escape The Maze' (7:24)
5. 'Walk Away From Earth' (4:44)
6. 'Gummy Bear' (5:12)
7. 'Forever' (5:44)

CD 2:
1. 'War Against My Mind' (4:42)
2. 'Artificial' (4:45)
3. 'One Horizon' (5:11)
4. 'Modern Insanity' (5:24)
5. 'Cosmic Rays' (4:50)
6. 'Life Is A Mystery' (4:12)
7. 'Slowly Melting' (3:52)
8. 'Rise' (4:53)
9. 'Just One More Day' (3;22)
10. 'Prologue / For Humanity' (5:28)

On this quite wondrous 2CD release, the music ebbs and flows freely, encouraging the listener to drop whatever it is they are doing and give over their minds to what is quite easily a stunning concept album for the ages.

With the world we live in today beginning to heavily influence and redesign the world of tomorrow, Origin Of Species uses heavy riffs and deep bass grooves, all alluring segued into incredible Prog ensembles to forecast what they interpret to be our future world.

With DarWin having approached drum maestro Phillips some 4 years ago now with the idea of having the great musician simply produce his record, once emails had been swapped back and forth, it was obvious for communications that Phillips should have more of a hands on experience with the album.

And that shows as most all the tracks are drum-led and together with the searing guitar solos and overall Prog rock vibe, tracks such as the massive opener 'For Humanity,' 'Walk Away From Earth', 'The Last Chance' and both 'Artificial 'Life Is A Mystery,' ooze their emotionally power track after track after track.

The album also features guest performances from the likes of: Jeff Babko (keyboards and quartet arrangements), Greg Howe (blazing lead guitar solos), Dennis Hamm (keyboards), Ernst Tibbs (bass), Katisse Buckingham (Flute, Soprano Sax), Samuel Sim and Peter Nickalls (orchestral and quartet arrangements), The Origin of Species Quartet (Los Angeles), The Reykjavik String Quartet (Iceland), and The Chamber Orchestra Of London (Conductor Matt Dunkley).

Official UK CD Purchase Link