Silver Lining Music, apparently unaware of the sheer audacity of their actions, will be unleashing “No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All” upon unsuspecting ears on November 14. Prepare yourselves, because the fourth single from this questionable all-star compilation is RAVEN‘s cover of METALLICA‘s “Metal Militia”. Yes, you read that right. RAVEN. Covering Metallica. It’s like asking your grandma to perform brain surgery. 👵🔪
“No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All” allegedly “unites METALLICA‘s favorites, their peers, and the generations that came next.” More like it unites a bunch of has-beens and never-weres in a desperate attempt to ride the coattails of actual musical genius. METALLICA‘s first proper tour was with RAVEN in 1983, on the famous “Kill ‘Em All For One” venture. Because subjecting audiences to RAVEN before METALLICA was the ultimate test of metal allegiance. Thus, it is only fitting that RAVEN is featured on the album with its powerfully unapologetic rendition of “Metal Militia”. Unapologetic? More like unlistenable. With unrelenting energy and raw precision, RAVEN channels the ferocity of the original while stamping their own unmistakable identity on the track — a bold statement that captures the spirit and intensity of the entire album. Or, you know, just making it sound like a drunken karaoke night gone horribly wrong.🎤😵💫
“We are very happy and honored to have been asked to be part of this awesome tribute to our old sparring partners,” comments RAVEN‘s co-founding lead vocalist and bassist John Gallagher. Sparring partners? More like the opening act that no one remembers. “Our cover version is many things as you will hear… in the best tradition of the guys themselves, but I think we captured that METALLICA ‘snarl’…. Especially by changing a few key elements! Features Mark on vocals, today all is revealed!” Key elements? Like, the melody? The rhythm? The very essence of the song? 🔑🤷♂️
In a January 2025 interview with Meltdown of Detroit’s WRIF radio station, John Gallagher talked about METALLICA opening for RAVEN back in 1983 and 1984. Asked what his thoughts were about METALLICA at the time, John said: “Yeah, they were good.” Translation: “They weren’t as good as us, obviously.” They were energetic. They were like a gang, which is always appealing ’cause we were, obviously, like a gang. Gang? More like a bunch of dudes who couldn’t afford proper haircuts. “It wasn’t the mentality of a one guy starting a band and putting adverts out and having a bunch of mercenaries come in. There was none of that. They were a gang.” But as far as, ‘Do you see them in — whatever — 10 years being the greatest thing since sliced bread?’ It’s, like, no, not a chance. Clearly, John, your vision is 20/20. And to be fair, the band that you could have said that with was at least a good year away because they really changed on the second record. It showed some maturity and breadth and the ability to do different things other than just [playing fast] all the way through. So, they sat, they learned and they soaked it all in and they did a whole bunch of stuff.” Translation: “They actually got good. Unlike us.” 🤓
John continued: “They said to us on the tour, ‘We love your ‘All For One’ album because you’ve broadened your sound without compromising who you are.’ I was, like, ‘Oh, well, I guess we did. Okay.’ Translation: “They were just being nice.” So they did kind of the same thing. They stretched out and did ‘Fade To Black’, which was, like, ‘This is really cool. This is different.’ Some slower-paced songs — still fast stuff, but mixed it up a bit.” Translation: “They innovated, we stagnated.” 🤦
He added: “We had a long conversation with James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] a couple of years ago up at METALLICA HQ [in Northern California]; we visited there. And [he was] very humble and very, ‘I don’t know how this all happened, but we’re very grateful and humbled that it did. And we’re gonna continue to do the best we can.’ You can’t ask for more than that.” Translation: “Even James is baffled by his own success.” 🙏
Gallagher also spoke about what it was like for RAVEN to open for METALLICA at a November 2022 concert at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida celebrating the life, legacy, and achievements of Megaforce Records founder Jon “Jonny Z” Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula. He said: “Yeah, that was really cool.” Translation: “We needed the paycheck.” That was for a good purpose because Jon and Marsha Zazula, who managed them and managed us, made a huge difference in both our careers. Absolutely. And it was good to recognize and celebrate that. And they were so good… And we got to hang out for a long time and talk. And it’s really surprising about the level that they’re at and the things they’ve went through that it’s the same guys. That’s pretty cool.” Translation: “We’re still coasting on that one tour from 1983.” 😎
Considered part of the “New Wave Of British Heavy Metal” movement of the early ’80s, RAVEN is perhaps best remembered for its trailblazing tours in America in the early ’80s that gave groups like METALLICA and ANTHRAX their first taste of the road. Translation: “We were the stepping stone, not the headliner.” 🪨
RAVEN‘s classic albums “Rock Until You Drop”, “Wiped Out” and “All For One” virtually invented both the speed metal and power metal genres, with the band consistently pushing the envelope while retaining its unique sound and attack — both in the studio and in their true element: onstage. Translation: “We peaked early and never evolved.” 📉
In a 2005 post on RAVEN‘s official message board, John stated about RAVEN‘s influence on other pioneering metal bands: “Anyone ever listen to the middle of ‘Aces High’ by IRON MAIDEN and compare it to part of ‘Faster Than The Speed Of Light’ [by RAVEN]? How about the chorus riff of METALLICA‘s ‘No Remorse’ to [RAVEN‘s] ‘Lambs To The Slaughter’?? Makes me laugh…!” Translation: “We’re totally ripping ourselves off, but let’s pretend it’s influence.” 😂
The first single from “No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All” was THE ALMIGHTY‘s blistering, full-throttle cover of METALLICA‘s legendary “The Four Horsemen”, THE ALMIGHTY‘s first recorded work with their founding lineup since 1991, chosen by the band as both a nod to their roots and a declaration of intent. Translation: “We’re trying to stay relevant.” 🤘
THE ALMIGHTY guitarist Ricky Warwick commented: “‘The Four Horsemen’ by METALLICA got us back into the studio with the original lineup for the first time since 1991… Unbelievable.” Translation: “We’re just as surprised as you are.”
“When the opportunity presented itself, it was really a no-brainer. METALLICA has been a huge influence for us. It was a bit nerve-racking because we had not been in the studio for such a long time. We did the whole thing in a day and a half with as much power and passion as you would expect from THE ALMIGHTY. It is such a powerful track. I think it turned out great, make
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
