The band was formed in 2002 when John Steen (The King), Ulrik Bostedt ( Speedo) and Tony Samuelsson (The Vicar) spent a high school exchange year in Colorado, USA. Ditching classes, drinking beer and playing rock n roll in the garage worked out pretty fine for the three young fellas. The first vinyl ep “Marvellous” was released through the small NY based label “New York Powerhitters” and the band got airtime on several college radio stations before they left USA and returned to Sweden with lousy grades, but high spirits. Two other vinyl eps (Heroine Tracks, Bedlam at the embassy)were released the following years through Swedish indie labels.

five smell cityThe first album, titled “Five Smell City” after their hometown Linköping (known locally as the city of five smells ) was followed by a ep with cover tracks (Unleashed) ranging from Bon Jovi, Parliament, KISS and Robyn.thunderblood heart

Constant touring and airplay has helped the band building a very loyal fanbase in Europe. And the second album “Thunderblood Heart” took the band to a new level in 2007.

In the last three years Märvel has gone through some changes. The earlier records shows a band in superhero costumes, and the members called themselves “Vocalo, The Ambassador and Animalizer”. These alter egos have been abandoned in favor of “The King, The Vicar and Speedo”. New times sometimes need new personas.

warhawks of warSince the bassist Ulrik Bostedt (Speedo) isn’t allowed to cross the Swedish borders another character, The Aviator, has taken his place on tour abroad and recently Märvel has reached 3rd bass with their latest member, the Burgher. Märvel don´t believe in replacing members, they add members. So for those who are counting, Märvel is a power trio with five members.

In 2009 Märvel released a single sided one track vinyl 7″ titled “A Pyrrhic Victory”. The singel was followed by a tour that was filmed and later released as a 20 minute road movie.

In 2011, the swedish barons of high energy rock and roll came back with Warhawks of War. Twelve new tracks from the King, the Vicar and Speedo. Warhawks of War was all about gigantic guitars, bombastic bass, dynamite drums and vaporizing vocals and featured guests stars Strings (Dundertåget, Hellacopters) and Dregen (Backyard Babies, Hellacopters, Michael Monroe). In january, the Aviator (Ulrik Bostedt) hang up his goggles and in through the back door came the Burgher (Ulrik Bostedt). In the autumn of 2011, the band toured Germany, France and Spain to support the album. The band celebrated the end of a great year by supporting Michael Monroe for two nights in a row in Helsinki.
metalhead
In 2012, Märvel recorded and released the single Metalhead which was the first recording to feature the Burgher on bass. The 7″ also included the song Ambassador of Fantastic. Both songs were released as videos, produced by Papa Bear.

In 2013, the band began working on their fourth album. It was a busy year with the band launching a pledge campaign to get help from the fans to finance the new album. Also, Märvel was hand picked by Dregen to join his scandinavian tour in support of his first solo album. The tour began in November and lasted for 10 gigs in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Märvel travelled in style, with their 1976 Neoplan bus.

The band returned to White Light Studios in Five Smell City with Joakim Kärling at the helm to record what would became Hadal Zone Express. The album was released 28th of March to a neverending stream of praise. The cover features a marvellous drawing by Daniel Ljunggren of an underwater train crushing towards the bottom of the ocean.
hadal zone expressIn May, the single Danish Rush was released as a video. It was filmed by Peder Carlsson (Backyard Babies), directed by Johan Bååth (the Doits) and produced by Papa Bear. The video features Olle Hedenström (Kongh, Dead Lord, Sordid Flesh) as the hero, hunted by angry danes. Throughout the video, several celebrities from the swedish rock elite can be spotted. The song was released as a digital single with a commodore 64 SID-remix as a bonus.

the hills have eyesIn the fall of 2014, the band once again had itching clits and began writing and rehearsing new songs. In february 2015 the band teamed up with Fred Estby in his Stockholm studio to record a minialbum that was released in september 2015. The Hills Have Eyes was released as a first single the 29th of May and people haven’t stopped whistling (or playing flute) ever since. Papa Bear and Alfred Lindahl produced a video for the band’s cover of the W.A.S.P. classic “L.O.V.E. Machine” which won the Honolulu International Film Award for best music video.

film award2016 saw the band doing their first trip to the UK to play the Hard Rock Hell festival in Pwllheli. Due to various reasons, the lineup for this mini tour featured The King, Aviator (Bass) and new family member The Charlatan (drums). Märvel also returned to Åland to play the Fishbait Festival, this time doing an acoustic set featuring The King, The Burgher, Aviator and The Charlatan.

This year, Märvel’s long time manager and label president “Papa Bear” decided to quit music and put his Killer Cobra Records to rest.

This meant that Märvel needed a new home which was found one in The Sign Records. Under the name of Gaphals, the guys behind the label has put out over 100 releases and are know for their dedication and commitment which resulted in them reciving Lars Winnerbäck’s cultural award “Nyponet”.

The deal between Sign Records and Märvel was signed early 2017 as the band started working on their seventh album in the studio Solskensfabriken. The band produced and recorded the album on their own this time using their own studio. The new album is called “Märvel at the Sunshine Factory” and will be released the 6th of October 2017. Meanwhile, The Sign Records started off the co-operation by releasing “The Hills Have Eyes” on CD as well as giving it a US release.

sunshine factoryIn june 2017, Märvel returned to the Fishbait Festival for the third time to play and host an exclusive set featuring rock celebrities Nicke Borg (Backyard Babies), Robert Pehrsson (Robert Pehrsson’s Humbucker, Dundertåget, Death Breath), Kent Norberg (Sator, The Boys), Chips Kiesby (Sator, The Boys) and the festival founder Nicke Söderström.

MÄRVEL DISCOGRAPHY
2017 – At the Sunshine Factory (LP, CD) (The Sign Records)
2017 – Warhawks of War (LP) (The Sign Records)
2017 – The Hills Have Eyes (CD, minialbum) (The Sign Records)
2015 – The Hills Have Eyes (LP, mini­album) (Killer Cobra Records)
2015 – Everything Belongs to You / Motherfucker (7″ The Chuck Norris Experiment / Märvel) (Ghost Highway)
2014 – Hadal Zone Express (LP, CD) (Killer Cobra Records)
2012 – Metalhead / Ambassador of Fantastic (7″ vinyl) (Killer Cobra Records)
2011 – Warhawks Of War (CD) (Killer Cobra Records)
2009 – A Pyrrhic Victory (7″ vinyl) (Killer Cobra Records)
2007 – Thunderblood Heart (LP, CD, digipak) (Killer Cobra Records)
2006 – Unleashed (CD, mini­album) (Black JuJu)
2005 – Five Smell City (CD) (Black JuJu)
2004 – Bedlam At The Embassy (7″ vinyl) (Black JuJu)
2003 – Heroine Tracks (7″ vinyl) (Black JuJu)
2002 – Marvellous (7″ vinyl) (New York Powerhitters)