MARW are a blackened death metal who took the Merseyside M2TM title for 2019. Guitarist Andy Owen gave up his time to give us the lowdown on this brutal machine of a band.
Paul: Let’s start with a brief history of the band; how did you form, how long have you been around etc
Andy: MARW started out in 2015 as nothing more than bad intentions and disillusioned thoughts left floating on the internet. Fast forward a few years, those scraps were found in late 2017 by likeminded individuals and following contact, a full line up formed in early 2018. In 2019, Marw released a free self-titled demo digitally via marw.bandcamp.com.
Paul: Who is the current line up?
Andy: Current line-up is C. Phillip (vocals), A. Owen (guitar), M. Baker (guitar), R. Hale (bass), K. James (drums).
Paul: Describe the band’s sound and influences
Andy: For ourselves, the best description is 'blackened atmospheric metal' as it takes in from multiple sources. Influences are varied and will remain undisclosed.
Paul: Prior to Bloodstock, what are some of the highlights for the band so far?
Andy: There have only been four dates so far, but the obvious highlight is the unexpectedly good reception we have received so far.
Paul: Let’s move on to Bloodstock and your road to the festival. Please tell us about your journey
Andy: We were looking for our first gig and Andy Hughes (Deathwave Entertainment) was able to offer us a slot on the fourth heat of M2TM. Possibly not the most conventional way to debut, but despite it being the first time anyone had heard us, we were voted into the final round. Since that date, we have shared the decline with Blind Monarch, In Temple Abyss, Sathamel and Exhumation.
Paul: We know from our friends in bands that getting to the M2TM final is a great feeling. Tell us about the build up to your final and how you handled it
Andy: It is all about playing riffs and abusing ears as much as possible. When every opportunity to do so is a win, what else is needed?
Paul: What about when you were announced as winners? What were the emotions like?
Andy: Simply put, shock. It was very unexpected, but we were and are very grateful.
Paul: So, moving on to the festival itself, what can we expect from you?
Andy: Smashed riffs, harsh screams and blackened atmospheric metal.
Paul: Which bands are you looking forward to seeing there?
Andy: Some of us are looking forward to Rotting Christ, Death Angel, Grand Magus, Raging Speedhorn, Xentrix amongst others. There will be a lot of time spent in the SOPHIE and New Blood stages though for sure.
Paul: Have you been to Bloodstock before?
Andy: Yes. There are no BOA virgins in MARW.
Paul: Describe the three best things about the festival.
Andy: Metal, metal and metal.
Paul: And finally, tell us a guilty pleasure about each member of the band!
Andy: Need a lot more incentive before that happens.
A disappointing finish there but maybe a couple of beers at the festival will see us find out a bit more! MARW play on Friday 9th August on the New Blood Stage. It promises to be a dark and heavy 30 minutes. Check out more about the band at https://www.facebook.com/MARWUK/
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