Shane’s Rock Challenge: RAVEN – 1983 – Break The Chain 12” vinyl

Shane’s Rock Challenge: RAVEN – 1983 – Break The Chain 12” vinyl
8/10

That Break The Chain comes from Raven’s third – and quite possibly best – album is reason enough for me to have bought this vinyl 12” single back in 1983, and it’s a cracking song (as my mate Dave might say!)

Back in those days I usually spent my hard-earned on releases that had something special on the B-side – and this one certainly does!

Now, you should all know of Udo Dirkschneider, lead singer (at the time) of Accept, and co-producer of the All For One album with Michael Wagener. Well, here he jumps in to duet with Raven’s leather-tonsilled singer/bass player John Gallgher on a completely off-the-hook Born To Be Wild.

It’s no secret that there have been at least six hundred and sixty six cover versions of Mars Bonfire’s Steppenwolf biker classic Born To Be Wild – and that 99% of them have been pure shite. (Yes I’m looking at you The Cult, Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction, Ozzy Osbourne & Miss Piggy, and a long list of others)

Raven & Udo, therefore, pull off a major feat by performing perhaps THE best metal version of it EVER. Pulsing with raw damage and unconcealed aggro, it’s just great. Listen to it here:

There’s also one more tune – Inquisitor, which is a muscular rocker in the Mind Over Metal mold, though anything would be a let down after that killer take on Born To Be Wild.

By Shane Pinnegar

Category: Shane's Rock Challenge