I really enjoyed Marvel’s ‘Guilty Pleasures’ covers album from last year and so to see the ‘barons of rock’ back so soon with new material is great even if it is just the four songs on the new EP. The bonus for me is that I’ve not actually heard the band play their own material! But of course this being Marvel there is a twist…
The band tells the story in their own words: “You know the story… and if you don’t, here it comes! Marvel formed in 2002 when three guys from Åtvidaberg enjoyed rocking and rolling more than studying during their high school exchange year in Colorado – but have you ever heard the songs from our debut EP? No – not until today you haven’t! We got picked up by the US indie label “New York Powerhitters” and recorded “Marvellous” in the US. Before the release of the 4 track EP we parted ways with the label and moved back to Sweden. The label promised that copies would be sent to us and that we also would get the master tapes. That never happened and we never heard from the label again. For years we tried to get a hold of the tapes to be able to re-release the songs or at least get a listening copy. Sadly, after being acquired and moved multiple times by different labels (and according to hearsay) the tapes were destroyed in the Universal Studios fire in 2008. Even though we re-recorded “A Taste of Platinum” for our debut album “Five Smell City” in 2005 we’ve always felt that it was a shame that people never got to hear the songs that kicked off our career. So to celebrate our roots we’ve re-recorded all of the songs! We haven’t tried to make it sound like the originals did but instead we wanted to play, produce and record the songs as good as we possibly could. It was Marvellous – now it’s Märvellous – we hope you löve it!”
So here it is a step back in time if you will. Opening with the intriguingly-titled ‘Amaze O’ we start out like vintage Kiss of the first couple of albums inhabiting that territory Gene Simmons once plowed so effectively. It’s a nice riff but really only that with just a chorus to wrap around it crooning “Ohh Amaze O” before it’s set aflame with some Ace Frehley soloing, but man if Ace had only been allowed to solo this long! And it’s that which transforms a nice opener into a great song.
‘Marvellous’ that follows is by contrast all stomping and finery with the real 70’s rock and roller vibe that’s part Glam and part Radio Rock, and like the opener bloody good and nicely different. Next up ‘Public School’ again for me has that early Kiss feel to the riffing, like a mash of a number of early songs, it really nails that feel and is a nice slab of good time rock and roll.
And before you know it we’re done: ‘A Taste of Platinum’ the EP closer is probably the rawest in flavour here but is definitely in a similar vein, maybe a little Glammier and more esoteric but another solid tune. Man if you love early Kiss you’ll love these guys. Let’s hope for some new material soon!
Märvel is: The King (vocals and guitars), the Burgher (Bass) and the Vicar (drums and percussion).
