RAVEN are that rare thing in music,  true originals – cut these guys with a razor and they will BLEED true heavy metal – a more intense live band does not exist on this planet!

Hailing from Newcastle Upon Tyne in North East England back in 1974 (yes – 46 YEARS ago!!!) the brothers Gallagher cut their teeth playing the pubs & clubs until solidifying their line up in 1980 with drummer Rob Hunter.

The trio went on to release three of the most influential metal albums of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) inspiring every band of that era and beyond.  Basically,  without Raven you just would not have thrash/speed metal…. after all, the band did give Metallica & Anthrax their first tours!

Following a tumultuous move to the USA, deals with Atlantic Records, indentured servitude and commercialism,  Rob left the band in 1987 to be replaced by drummer extraordinaire Joe Hasselvander, who had made his name in cult doom band Pentagram, Savoy Brown and his own solo projects, adding a new dimension to the band.

In 2001,  guitarist Mark Gallagher was involved in a near fatal accident – but fought his way back from the brink and the band proved they were stronger than ever!  This renewed spirit and attitude was reflected in the title of their 2010 album “WALK THROUGH FIRE” and in the career overview DVD “ROCK UNTIL YOU DROP”.

2014 found the band opening for Metallica (the band that Raven took on their first tour back in 1983) in Sao Paulo in front of 70,000 fans, and completing their finest album to date – ExtermiNation” which was released to universal acclaim from fans & critics alike in 2015!

After a serious heart attack in May 2017 Joe Hasselvander has had to unfortunately relinquish the drum stool….taking over drum duties is the phenomenal  Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy) who has immediately injected high energy into the band!

Following an insane blur of world touring over the last 3 years including a 40th anniversary All for One tour; the lads are set to release the next RAVEN opus, “All Hell’s Break Loose” on June 30th, 2023…a scorcher of immense proportions!

In a cynical musical landscape these days, where bands are not “gangs “but faceless corporations, RAVEN are a band that are REAL not FAKE – and proud of it!

JOHN GALLAGHER: Lead Vocals, Bass, 12 String Bass

MIKE HELLER: Drums

MARK GALLAGHER: Guitar, Vocals

(Playing Riot “Fire Down Under” in full)

Riot Act features former Riot guitarist Rick Ventura, Don Chaffin-vocals, Paul Ranieri-bass, Claudio Galinski-drums. Riot Act is hard driving Rock-n-Roll! The band made their live debut January 2020 at the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame Gala. Their strong performance made a lasting impression on host Eddie Trunk. Catch it on Amazon Prime!

Riot Act tragically lost founding member Lou Kouvaris as the band was about to release an EP and embark on a European tour.After a few dark months and facing a world in quarantine, the band decided to go on, releasing a tribute video of the early Riot classic “Overdrive”. The band was ready to rock again!

Currently working on a new album and video, Riot Act ushers in a new era in hard driving rock! Stay tuned!

Acracy– n. In political philosophy, the negation of rule or “government.” A society with the absence of coercion; one of voluntary order.

This is the very idea behind the recently formed metal band to hail from the Chicagoland area: one that writes and performs music without boundaries, without the standard rules of order, and without the impetus to follow the stylistic trends of popular music.

Formed in late 2018 by co-lead guitarists Jason Schultz (Wraith, Mind’s Horizon) and Martin Bowman (Farwatch), Idol Throne is a band with a sonic mission and vision; the blending of elements from U.S. Power and Bay-Area Thrash Metal, combined with a progressive sense of songwriting, guitar-forward arrangements and a strong focus on melody. Joined by drummer/percussionist Aaron Grove (Axxios) in early 2019, and vocalist Jake Quintanilla (Mind’s Horizon) in 2020, the band made the most of the extended downtime caused by the global pandemic to record demo “Proof of Life” in the Fall of 2020, which was released on streaming platforms January 1st, 2021.

Bassist Trevor Kuta (Xenopredator) joined the band in early 2022, and solidified Idol Throne’s live lineup. The band’s debut LP “The Sibylline Age” was released in July of 2022 on Stormspell Records, to positive reception, and saw the band begin to define the eclectic mix of styles, genres, and influences that make up their sonic palette.

Now in 2023 the band is hard at work on the follow-up to “The Sibylline Age” and is focused on live performances around the U.S. Stay tuned for new music to come in 2024 and beyond.

Indiana Thrash/Power/Prog Since 2018