According to the pages of the various metal media, the labels "LEGENDARY,"
"INNOVATIVE," "TRUE ORIGINALS," as well as "LUNATICS!” have been rightfully
pinned upon RAVEN over the years. In a music scene filled by clones nurtured with a
cookie-cutter mentality, the unique personality, power and humor of the three band
members has always shone through. The crazed vocals & bass playing of John Gallagher,
the full frontal guitar assault of brother, Mark Gallagher, and the punishing polyrhythmic
pounding of drummer, Joe Hasselvander, all combine to form a sonic battering ram
unique in rock!
From the well documented early days as NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal)
frontrunners, RAVEN’s albums ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP, WIPED OUT and ALL
FOR ONE virtually invented both the speed metal and power metal genres - during the
trailblazing USA tours of the 80's introducing the States to “Athletic rock” as well as
giving opening acts like Metallica and Anthrax their first tours, through the doldrums of
the late 80's/early 90's when a grunge obsessed media wrote off so many acts - RAVEN
has consistently proved to be both survivors par excellence and in a genre of grim
imitation - shown that they are "the real thing". Where so many of their contemporaries
have either faded creatively or become parodies of themselves, RAVEN have
consistently pushed the envelope while retaining their unique sound and attack – both in
the studio & in their true element, onstage!
Following a forced layoff through half of the last decade due to Mark Gallagher’s long
recuperation from a serious accident where Mark’s legs were crushed after a wall
collapsed on the musician, the band have fought back with a number of European festival
appearances, a UK tour in 2008 and a triumphant jaunt to Japan in 2009.
In 2010, the band unleashed the best album they’ve done in many years, “Walk Through
Fire” – quite simply, was the real deal – the right songs, the right sound and the right feel
– that was guaranteed to rip yer head off! Raven are here to finally set to reclaim the title
that is rightfully theirs – “the wildest band in the f**kin’ world!”
JOHN GALLAGHER – LEAD VOCALS / BASS MARK GALLAGHER – GUITAR / VOCALS JOE HASSELVANDER – DRUMS
