Any discussion of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal that excludes Raven is hopelessly incomplete. The Newcastle trio played a major part in the back-to-basics movement that re-tooled metal for the 80s.
In place of the ponderous concept albums and overblown stadium spectacles that ruled the 70s came hard-hitting, street-level realism. The success of contemporaries such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard eluded Raven, but that’s done nothing to dim their exuberance and enthusiasm.
This exhaustive double DVD is an eye-opening account of the triumphs and tribulations of their long career. Featuring four-and-a-half hours of interviews, performances and testimonials from luminaries such as Lars Ulrich, Dee Snider, Dave Ellefson and Chuck Billy, it’s a reminder of just how many great songs Raven have to their name and how influential their music has been. It’s also notable how the manic energy of their early performances has scarcely faded more than three decades later.
