New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends Raven will be marking 50 years as a band next year. Their early albums like Rock Until You Drop and Wiped Out are considered genre classics. They not only inspired and influenced a generation of thrash bands, but also were a substantial influence on the power metal genre.
Raven was very prolific from the early ‘80s through the late ‘90s, releasing a new album every year or two. After a decade long gap, they have been issuing new material since 2010. Their latest album All Hell’s Breaking Loose is their fifteenth studio album.
The core of Raven from the beginning has been brothers John (vocals, bass) and Mark Gallagher (guitar). They have had several drummers over the years, with Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy) on board since 2018. All Hell’s Breaking Loose, Heller’s second album with Raven, was recorded in his L.A. studio.
The 2023 version of the band doesn’t stray far from the musical path they forged in the heyday of NWOBHM while utilizing their decades of experience along with modern production when crafting the songs on All Hell’s Breaking Loose.
John Gallagher explains the musical philosophy of the album: “You want a good structure. You want a good verse with hooks, a good pre-chorus with hooks, a great chorus, and then you want little left turns here and there to spice it up. Otherwise it can sound boring. And if you have too many left turns then it turns into jazz fusion, so it’s a funny line you gotta dance on to have structure but also the chaos part as well.”
Those hooks and choruses abound, as does ample heaviness and quality riffs from Mark Gallagher. While there are no out and out duds in this collection, some tracks do rise to the top. That includes the driving opener “Medieval” with an urgent pace and memorable chorus.
“Turn of the Screw” has some of the album’s best riffs, while “The Far Side” is anthemic with an excellent guitar solo. Heller shines on “Desperate Measures,” showcasing a lot of creativity on the drums. “Invasion” has big grooves and even bigger hooks.
Even though they’ve been around for almost a half century, the members were young when they started, so John Gallagher is probably younger than you think he is. At 64, he still has plenty of power and range, and he utilizes his trademark falsetto regularly throughout the album.
There are a couple of songs that I wouldn’t quite characterize as filler, but aren’t as memorable as the rest of the tracks. Raven keep the pedal to the metal for most of the album, which makes for an energetic listen, but not as varied as some of their previous records. Still, there is plenty for Raven and NWOBHM fans to enjoy on All Hell’s Breaking Loose. At this rate, they could keep going for another 50 years!
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