Raven – Faster Than the Speed of Light 2023, Box-Set 3 CD Cherry Red Records, MP3+FLAC

FOR FANS OF: Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Metallica. • 3CD collection spanning the decades of athletic rock supremos Raven. • Featuring two live albums, recorded a decade apart. • Plus a fine collection of covers of the acts who inspired them.

The fledgling Raven were formed by brothers Mark and John Gallagher, playing their first gig in 1975 while building up a loyal following across the North East of England. Coming to the attention of NWOBHM pioneers Neat Records, a power-trio were formed when John Gallagher on bass and vocals and Mark Gallagher on lead guitar, joined forces with drummer Rob “Wacko” Hunter, releasing debut 45 ‘Don’t Need Your Money’ in 1980, followed by debut LP ‘Rock Until You Drop’ in 1981. Successfully capturing the energy of their live shows, the album picked up instant champions across the influential UK rock press, rewarding them with key features in Kerrang! and Sounds.
These would lead to tours with Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake and Motörhead.

These self-styled “athletic rockers” were a huge influence on future thrash and speed metal bands, such as Slayer, Megadeth and early touring partners Metallica. Becoming a big crowd draw, Raven did what they do best, and hit the road, exemplified by their live album, ‘Live At The Inferno’, released in 1984. Their last album for Neat Records before signing a major deal with Atlantic Records in the States, ‘Live At The Inferno’ cherry picks their biggest hitters from their early 45s and first three Neat albums.

Jumping forwards by more than a decade, ‘Destroy All Monsters: Live In Japan’ (CD2) was recorded in 1995 at Tokyo’s famed rock venue, Club Citta. Though the set does have a concentration of their early New Wave Of British Heavy Metal days, latter rockers such as ‘For The Future’, ‘Architect Of Fear’ and ‘White Hot Anger’ get a well-deserved airing.

As much as Raven had been a huge influence on the metal and thrash of the 1980s, the roots of the band lay in the classic hard rock and even the heavier end of glam of the 1970s. Raven were able to pay homage to their heroes across eleven cover versions on ‘Party Killers’ (CD3), including the rock classics ‘Fireball’ (by Deep Purple), ‘Bad Reputation’ (by Thin Lizzy) and finishing off with the ‘Ziggy Stardust ‘classic, ‘Hang On To Yourself’ (by David Bowie).

Track Listing:

DISC ONE:
LIVE AT THE INFERNO (1984)
1 I Don’t Need Your Money
2 Break the Chain / Hell Patrol
3 Live at The Inferno / Crazy World
4 Let It Rip
5 I.G.A.R.B.O.
6 Wiped Out
7 Fire Power
8 All for One
9 Forbidden Planet
10 Star Wars
11 Tyrant of The Airways
12 Run Silent Run Deep
13 Intro
14 Live at The Inferno
15 Take Control
16 Mind Over Metal
17 Crash Bang Wallop
18 Rock Until You Drop
19 Faster Than Speed of Light

DISC TWO:
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS LIVE IN JAPAN (1995)
1 Victim
2 Live at the Inferno
3 Crash! Bang! Wallop!
4 True Believe
5 Medley: Into the Jaws of Death – Hard as Nails – Die for Allah
6 Guitar Solo
7 Medley: Speed of The Reflex
– Run Silent, Run Deep – Mind Over Metal
8 Gimme A Reason
9 Inquisitor
10 For the Future
11 Bass Solo
12 Architect of Fear
13 White Hot Anger
14 Drum Solo
15 Break the Chain

DISC THREE:
PARTY KILLERS: THE COVERS ALBUM (2021)
1 Fireball (Deep Purple)
2 Bad Reputation (Thin Lizzy)
3 He’s a Whore (Cheap Trick)
4 In for the Kill (Budgie)
5 Is There a Better Way (Status Quo)
6 Ogre Battle (Queen)
7 Queen of My Dreams (Edgar Winter Group)
8 Too Bad So Sad (Nazareth)
9 Cockroach (Sweet)
10 Tak Me Bak ome (Slade)
11 Hang On To Yourself (David Bowie)

MP3 FLAC