Raven Can't Take Away The Fire CD Review

Earlier this year I started doing flashback reviews here and there to bring awareness to my favorite albums. If you know me well, you know I’m never short on babbling about music/bands that I love. The first album I chose for this year was Raven’s Life’s a Bitch – I still can’t talk enough about that album and there aren’t enough people local to me that know much about it. I thought it would be fun to scream my love for it into the void one more time. I also chose it because Raven was on the cusp of releasing a new EP in honor of the band’s 50^th anniversary!
 
Raven’s newest EP has now been unleashed, and it’s entitled “Can’t Take Away the Fire” - it features 5 new tracks and 3 live tunes. Given that the band is celebrating their 50^th anniversary with this release, the band shows no signs of slowing down – this EP is every bit as fast and heavy as the band’s previous releases. Someone coined the term “Athletic Rock” way back when and it still fits the band to this day. “Black and Blue” gets the EP off to a blazing start with breakneck drum fills and cutthroat riffs. Vocalist/bassist John Gallagher doesn’t let us down or show ANY sign of age with his insanely high-pitched vocals/shrieks. Will he ever age or lose a step, all signs point to NO! Overall, I get vibes from the “Wiped Out” era which makes me love it even more! Next up, “Power Hungry” sees the band continue to brutalize and lay waste to everything in sight! Drummer Mike Heller is perfect for the band, his chops and drum licks add a great deal of flavor to the Gallagher brother’s music. If I’m honest, I believe Heller is the best drummer the band has had since Wacko left, he’s a drumming machine which is necessary for Raven – drumming for this band isn’t for the weak. Title track “Can’t Take Away the Fire” is a mid-tempo tune with an incredible melody and a great hook backed with another magnificent Mark Gallagher lead break. In the land of Metal, I’ve always considered Mark to be grossly underrated, he’s never gotten the accolades he’s deserved for his guitar work IMO. I could say this about Raven in general – this band isn’t talked about and loved enough by anyone in the USA. The wow moment on this EP is the Doom-tinged track “The Wreckage”, it’s covered in Sabbath flavored riffs with the rhythm section of John and Mike keeping the pocket of the song rock steady. John’s vocals are also powerful and heartfelt here – despite what others have said the man has a great voice, custom built for Metal. The 3 live tracks are pretty cool, depends on how much you get off on live stuff – I love Raven, Live, I’ve seen them a few times and I’ve also had “Live at the Inferno” since the 80’s.
 
I strongly urge all of the older Metalheads that are still kicking to pick up this EP, it’s limited and it’s a smoke show! It doesn’t get much better than Raven and what’s cooler than celebrating a Metal band that’s been around 50 years and is still making great music!

~Black Angel