RAVEN: Studio Update

Legendary British/American heavy metal trio RAVEN has returned to Assembly Line Studios with engineer/mixer Kevin 131 (PROJECT: FAILING FLESH, DECEASED, DYSRYTHMIA, GARDEN OF SHADOWS) to resume recording its new album, tentatively titled "Walk through Fire".

Commented Kevin 131: "We have been working round the clock and everyone is fried. Thank goodness I started drinking coffee last year, overpriced Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have been saving us all.

"The guys all decided to keep the previous four songs that were tracked here the way they are. I imagine we may revisit the mix a bit, but something nice was captured. To be honest, I am not sure what the hell we all did — so it was more of the same this time — set up and go! Don't overthink it... that's how RAVEN is best, no click track, no over doing it — capture their energy and don't look to make it happen later. If it don't happen on the way down, it ain't there. Of course, I don't really have to do anything- they have it all worked out.

"Seeing John [Gallagher, RAVEN bassist/vocalist] play that 12-string bass with his fingers is insane... then he bends the notes to boot. And Mark's [Gallagher, guitar] memory is crazy. We'll figure our way through a take, then next time, he pretty much has it.

"From what they tell me, some of these songs are brand new, so they are still sorting parts as we go. No micro-managing parts — the rawness and edge and punch are all there in the tones.

"Once again going for the 'All for One' vibe, but with the teeth of 'Life's a Bitch'. The songs are great and the guys are funny. I wish people could hear the outtakes of solos bass runs, and general stupidity. These guys have their chops, but also good senses of humor. Mark has his strings so high up with (bad) action I am not sure how he plays them... but it makes the tones killer, even if he has to brutalize the guitar — and all hail the 9 thousand dollar Veleno guitar... back to back on tracks with about three 150 dollar basses and guitars, it's all about the tone...

"I like this record, hopefully the people who have loved RAVEN all along will see it's good old RAVEN here! Dammit, everyone says it, but as a fan, this record is cool."

RAVEN's last studio album, "One for All", was released in 1999 via Massacre Records.

RAVEN has been confirmed for The Monsters Ball, set to take place Friday, October 12 at The Rock Room of the Sterling hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania and Saturday, October 13 at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey. Also scheduled to appear are HALLOWS EVE, SEVENTH CALLING and fellow British metallers OVERDRIVE (performing their first U.S. shows ever). RAVEN will also perform at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio on September 15 as part of the "Metal On Metal 25th Anniversary Concert", also featuring ANVIL, PILEDRIVER and DESTRUCTOR.

RAVEN is one of the confirmed bands for the Hard Rock Hell festival, set to take place from November 9-11 at Butlins in Minehead, UK (Somerset).