THUNDER BIRD

While the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal spawned plenty of globe-straddling rock superstars, some of its less high-profile names still made their mark, even if more in influence than record sales. Tyneside terrors Raven were one such pack of unsung heroes, but their reputation has been rightly rehabilitated since their reformation at the turn of the millennium, and as a new album is released they sound revitalised as they come off a triumphant anniversary tour. Murder of crows: Rich Davenport

Most headbangers would point to Birmingham as the place where Black Sabbath spawned heavy metal, at the close of the 60s. Vital stages in the genre’s development also took place in the Black Country, in the mid-70s, as Judas Priest put metal up on bricks outside Rob Halford’s Walsall council house, hotwired it, and drove it into the future. Pinpointing a hub for the genre’s late-70s rebirth as the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is trickier; London had Iron Maiden, Diamond Head continued metal’s Midlands lineage, Saxon put Yorkshire on the map, but there’s a strong argument to be made for Newcastle as the epicentre of the NWOBHM.

Home to Neat Records, synonymous with the movement, Newcastle boasted a remarkable quantity of bands. Alongside cult favourites like Fist, Avenger, Atomkraft, and Tysondog, the city also birthed the chart-storming Tygers Of Pan Tang, along with Venom and Raven, both central to the development of the US thrash scene, from which Metallica would emerge to become the biggest metal band on the planet.

Venom are widely credited as thrash progenitors, but Raven haven’t always received their due, although Metallica and Anthrax have been vocal in citing their influence. Both undertook crucial early US tours with Raven, all three bands having shared the management team of Jon and Marsha Zazula. In November 2022, Metallica played a tribute show for the Zazulas (both of whom recently passed away) with Raven as support, an indication of the high regard in which they still hold their former touring partners.