Despite being dubbed “athletic rock”, Newcastle’s Raven were slow off the starting blocks. Their 1980 single Don’t Need Your Money was well-received but there was a big wait for their debut album to finally appear in October 1981. Not sure what took so long because Rock Until You Drop sounds like the power trio just rocked up to the studio and banged out their live set in one go. This is just one corker after another, crackling with raw energy and infectious enthusiasm (just check out John Gallagher’s crazed yelp at the end of Hell Patrol). And it’s loaded with classics too: from gonzo hard rockers Hard Ride, Over The Top and Don’t Need Your Money to superb Priest slashers like For The Future. I could do without the pair of Sweet covers though. They’re fun and add to the live gig vibe but I’d rather have had another Raven original or two. But it’s a minor gripe as Raven then proceed to wreck the place with the proto-thrash Lambs To The Slaughter and the mighty epic Tyrant Of The Airways. Raven might not need your money but you should fling some their way because you need this over-the-top NWOBHM madness in your life.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Nice to have you back. What the hell is athletic rock?
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Fuck knows! I guess someone thought it sounded like a good description until speed and thrash cane along.
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Ha!
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After I bought All For One back in high school I bought this one lent it out and never got it back on vinyl. From what I recall I liked it if we are going back to 1983!
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Well, I hope the person you loaned it to liked it as well!
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They must have done if they never gave you it back.
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Well that was back in 1983-84 ish lol so who knows lol 😂
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Nice post. The album is 12 bar blues on cocaine and I like it.
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Great choice fella. I love this one. they made some very good stuff later on too. I love their energy.
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I’ve only got the first few. What later stuff would you recommend?
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ExtermiNation is pretty good – track called Thunder from down under, about Bon Scott is just brilliant. The Party Killers (covers) LP is good too, excellent cover art.
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Excellent, I’ll keep an eye out for those.
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Got it second-hand not long after it came out – a superb couple of Sweet covers, too. Recently treated myself to the Raven CD box set.
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That’s a great set (if it’s the one I’m thinking of…). There’s a box set of this album coming out soon now. I think it’s going to have extra discs of live stuff from the era.
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Yeah – the one with the first four albums. All the Neat stuff.
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