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You know those times when you’re at a city day festival gig and there’s a bit of gap to bridge between those bands you already know and want to see? 

You end up strolling into a dark dank cavernous space to take a quick look at an unfamiliar band with a quirky name. You find the hall filled with the smell of sweat and the kinetic energy of strangers. The band, which is the one before the one you came to see is midway through their set. You don’t know anything about this band, but you are diverted from going straight to the bar because of the frantic Burundi style beat of the drums, the sheer shredding of the guitar, and that voice. It’s the kind of voice that if you were transported back to the 1300s, you would want firmly at your side on the battlefield rather than it be a voice opposing you. A voice that truly can primal scream.

In a few sentences, this is Nottingham based Marvin’s Revenge and their latest single St Alban. The band are Luke Eaton on bass and vocals, Oliver Sammels-Moore on guitar and Job Gregory on drums. The band knew each other as they lived in the same Derbyshire sticks and are now based in Nottingham. 

The track St Alban starts full flow and give the veins a much-needed flush through with that vital hard vocal and frantic beat, before the crash of soaring guitar and bass kick in. St Alban really reminds me of a battle cry tune, designed both to spread cheer and confidence amongst allies and fear into the hearts of their enemies. I’ll be honest, I don’t dare write a bad review; that power and menace shines through. 

The lyrics from Luke are dark and as corrosive as tar. There’s a boy clearly isolated from others and in thrall and totally dependent on just one. St Alban was an early British Roman Martyr and was killed (at what is now St Albans) for his total devotion to Christianity, and that reference and type of assured devotion shines through. There’s a distinct power vibe going on, and Luke’s strong and defiant tone in the vocal gives an air of unbridled loyalty. Whether it’s a dangerous or delicious state to be, the lyrics are clever and distinctively deep.  

I have yet to enjoy Marvin’s Revenge live but their live You Tube video Live at Dubrek gives a further flavour of the power and energy of the band. I have to say with the deep loud vocals of Luke Eaton I get something of raw energy of those masters of the Danish punk scene Ice Age, and to my ear there is something lurking from the Nirvana family tree in the roots of Marvin’s Revenge. People into the rebellion of Idles would also enjoy the energy here. There’s something about this band that moves them far above the standard boys who just like to make noise.

Chris R

* images have been snaffled from the band’s social media