MVRROW: Unraveling the Lore Behind Minnesota's Underground Metal Band
- Nik Baez
- Dec 21, 2025
- 3 min read
MVRROW is a Minnesota-based gothgaze band known for blending crushing metal instrumentation with ambient textures and emotionally fueled songwriting. Formed in 2019 out of the Brainerd Lakes Area, the four-piece creates music that balances heaviness and atmosphere, pairing explosive drums and distorted guitars with haunting, dreamy vocals.
The band is composed of Paige Rieger (vocals), James Dotzler (guitar), Drew Iverson (drums), and Bryan Winslade (bass). Together, they’ve built a sound that pulls from metal, post-hardcore, goth, and emo influences while remaining difficult to pin down to any single genre. I had the opportunity to sit down with the band and unravel the lore behind MVRROW, their creative process, how the band almost missed an opportunity to play at Wisconsin's biggest rock festival, and what 2026 will look like for them.
Guitarist James Dotzler and vocalist Paige Rieger first played together in an earlier project that leaned more pop-punk. As their sound began to change, so did their identity. The band name was originally inspired by Stone Marrow, a Twin Cities progressive stoner metal band.
They initially planned to use Marrow, but when Stone Marrow reunited during COVID, the band had to change their plans. Rather than abandon the name entirely, Dotzler had the idea to flip the “A” to a “V.”
“Our music is a melting pot. It’s a fusion of metal and ambient textures. A lot of people have pointed out a goth sound, post-hardcore, and a little emo sound from our music.”
The band eventually settled into a four-piece lineup, with drummer Drew Iverson joining around 2021–2022 and bassist Bryan Winslade coming on board in March 2025, his first time ever playing in a band.
MVRROW’s songwriting usually starts with Dotzler bringing in a guitar idea. Paige then builds vocal ideas and lyrics around that foundation, while the rest of the band shapes the song from there. The band released “Empty Entity,” in the summer of 2025. “The person in the song is unfulfilled. Just not living their best life, but there’s a person inside of them trying to give them any type of reason to keep going,” Rieger explains.
Living and playing music in a smaller region has had a major impact on MVRROW’s path. Iverson describes the reality bluntly, “That’s the interesting thing about living in a small town. You’re not competing with other bands. You’re literally competing with local events.”
Dotzler laughs, but confirms it’s true. “If you play a show the same day as an ice fishing competition, no one is going to be at your show.”
That lesson came firsthand. The band once booked a show during the opening weekend of ice fishing season. Three people showed up.
Despite that, MVRROW continues to push forward – driving long distances, paying high gas costs, and building momentum slowly but intentionally.
One of MVRROW’s biggest milestones came in 2023 with their appearance at Rockfest. A Rockfest stage manager added Dotzler on Facebook, and Dotzler quickly realized who he was. He reached out to ask how to submit the band for consideration and was told to email their information. The band did miss the deadline for artist submissions. While their submission was turned in late, they did receive an email confirming their spot for the festival.
The band actively advocates for mental health awareness and suicide prevention and is sponsored by the Pohl Children’s Foundation, which has supported them for years including helping them get to Rockfest.
As they look toward 2026, the band is focused on growth. They hope to build a stronger team alongside their label, Obsidian Cult Records, and focus on touring more beyond the Midwest.
