by Ed RivadaviaRaven were considered one of the brightest hopes in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, but bad decisions and musical inconsistency would de-rail their once-promising career, turning the trio into just another small — albeit important — footnote for this important genre. Raven formed in late 70s Newcastle, England by brothers Mark (guitar) and John Gallagher (bass/vocals) along with drummer Rob Wacko Hunter. Signing with independent Neat Records, the trio joined labelmates Venom in laying the groundwork for what would become known as thrash metal by picking up where 70s noisemongers Motorhead had left off. Not as satanically-inclined or downright silly as Venom, Raven were much better musicians and played with the raw energy and reckless power that epitomized the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. As the movement approached its peak in 1981, Raven rode its crest with the self-labeled athletic rock of their album, Roc...