MÄRVEL - Bedlam at the Embassy
Released 2004-05-03
Tracks: Powers Of Attraction // Son Of A Gypsy // Since That Day // These Boots Are Made For Flying
Produced by Märvel and Otto Leary. Recorded and mixed by Jörgen Wärnström at Soulmine Recordings.
Illustration by Erik Quist.
The press release for "Bedlam at the Embassy" was not the usual corporate bullshit (see image below). Here's what was written for the release of the first new track from the EP - "Powers of Attraction" which was released as an animated video.
Marvel consists of the three super heroes Vocalo, Animalizer and The Ambassador. From their headquarters, located in Brooklyn, NYC, they struggle hard to put an end to organised crime and the evil organization SACO led by Dr Spats.
Behind this power trio we find three young guys from Linköping, Sweden; John Steen, Ulrik Bostedt and Tony Samuelsson who founded the band Marvel during their high school exchange year in Colorado, USA., 2002. A young bunch of untamed riff masters with a genuine feel for the groove. Being only 18 years old, the boys have already managed to manifest their world domination program. The new, hungry label New York Power Hitters (NYP) first heard Marvel through college radio airplay of their first demo ”Marvellous” and contacted the band. Legendary producer Otto Leary (Melvins, Blackouts, Danko Jones...) stepped in to produce their second EP ”Heroine Tracks” which was released in early 2003, and six months later in Sweden licensed by Black JuJu and Evergreen Terrace. A US tour followed in the footsteps of a massive underground hype.
The first track from ”Heroine Tracks”, ”Flame On”, got massive airplay on Swedish college radio and good rotation on national Swedish radio P3. "Heroine Tracks" came with collector cards of all members and was praised as the new hope of rock. High energy rock 'n' roll in a classic 70 ́s style, described in Aerial Magazine as “Melodic, energetic, tight, sweaty, virile, hard, fast... “. Kiss and MC5 are obvious influences, but Marvel added their own flavour, as Clark Ellroy stated in his Immortal Rock review: “This is a fresh sound to my ears, and I listen to a LOT of rock ́n ́ roll”. The EP also contained the track ”The Bigger The Harder They Fall” for which a video was filmed. However, the video never saw the light of day since the masters were stolen by another Swedish band (which we choose not to name) at a mutual gig last summer.
Now, in the spring of 2004 it’s time for Marvels highly anticipated third release! ‘Powers Of Attraction’ is the first track from Marvels new EP ‘Bedlam At The Embassy’, released in Sweden by Black JuJu 30/4-04. To promote the release is a completely animated cartoon style video that tells the story of how the superheroes got their powers. It also features action packed sequences with Marvel fighting their arch-enemy Dr Spats and his evil henchmen (that show some resemblance to other Swedish “rock” bands, can you guess who?).
What’s up ahead? Only Marvel knows...
Ps. If you need other information or press material, or if you wish to get in contact with the band, don’t hesitate to contact me or Pelle Gunnarsson at Black JuJu! (I will be touring with Marvel and doing promotion in USA and Spain during this spring so we might be hard to reach at certain periods. However I check my emails daily so I can always be reached through that.)
Keith Svenson
Check out what the CRITICS have to say about "Bedlam at the Embassy":
Dagens skiva, 7/10 (SE)
Buy the album:
Bandcamp
Freighttrain