Interview

Raven Frontman John Gallagher: "A New Album's Coming And A Live One Too!"

The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal produced and shed light on some of the most beloved bands in British rock music, many of whom are still going today. While some were flash in the pan or found success short lived, others not only experienced longevity but have been cited by peers and younger generations as a strong influence. One shining example of the latter is the legendary Geordie trio, Raven. Since their debut album, "Rock Until You Drop" in 1981, they've been praised by the likes of Anthrax, covered by such bands as Kreator and even took Metallica out on their first tour.

This month, I sat down with the band's vocalist/bassist John Gallagher, who along with his brother Mark (guitars) has been the driving force behind the group for over four decades. In the interview, we discussed new material, the use of crowdfunding, the legacy of the band and more. You can watch the conversation in full below, while an excerpt regarding new music reads as follows:

"I've been writing like a fiend, Mark's been writing and we've got a lot of really cool music. We've been recording. It's not finished yet but it sounds phenomenal. Somebody pointed out it sounds like what the album after 'Wiped Out" would be like had we continued in that vein. It's very fast with a lot of parts and hooks but with some melodic elements. There's one called 'Top Of The Mountain' which we've played live, 'When Worlds Collide' which is very heavy, 'Metal City' which is about Newcastle, a tribute for Lemmy called, 'Motorheadin'' which is very fast. You'll soon get to hear it. You'll like it!"