NWOBHM legends RAVEN are deep into the songwriting phase of their next studio album — and the outlook is encouraging. Bassist and vocalist John Gallagher has revealed that the band currently possesses "a very, very large cache of songs," many of which were written before his emergency brain surgery in August 2025.
Gallagher's recovery has been remarkable. He notes that revisiting pre-surgery material with fresh ears has actually enhanced the creative process, bringing new perspective to compositions he couldn't initially recall. The band intends to curate the collection down to approximately 10–13 tracks spanning roughly 40 minutes — a tight, driving runtime in the classic NWOBHM tradition.
In discussing the album's approach, Gallagher cited classic records like MONTROSE's debut and VAN HALEN's first album as sequencing inspirations. "You need those peaks and valleys," he explained — a philosophy that speaks to RAVEN's deep appreciation of heavy metal's foundational craft. The new album will follow last year's Can't Take Away The Fire EP.
Gallagher also reflected on the changed music industry landscape. Unlike the Atlantic Records era of the 1980s, physical retail distribution has largely vanished — RAVEN now sells most of their music directly at live shows and through collectors, partnering with Silver Lining Music. Brother and guitarist Mark Gallagher also had a difficult 2025, recovering from ankle and knee replacement surgeries, but both brothers are back in full fighting form.