Raven are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1974 by the Gallagher brothers, bassist and vocalist John and guitarist Mark. They have released fifteen studio albums to date, and had a hit with the single "On and On". Often referred to as "athletic rock" due to their tendency to wearing sports equipment during live sets, the band gained notoriety as part of the early-to-mid 1980s new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) scene and is considered to be an influence and inspiration on the development of the thrash metal genre, including "the big four" (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax), as well as other bands such as Testament, Exodus, Overkill, Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, Onslaught, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Coroner, Annihilator, and Razor. Raven are also notable for headlining Metallica's first-ever national tour in 1983.

Raven was formed in 1974 in Newcastle, England, by brothers John and Mark Gallagher, and Paul Bowden.

The band began creating a sound which was rooted in British hard rock, with progressive rock tendencies and a willingness to take musical chances. Raven's highly energized live show and interaction between band members developed a unique image and style of play, described as "athletic". They began wearing guards, helmets, and plates from various sports (hockey, baseball, etc.), and incorporating them into the playing of their instruments (for instance, elbow pads and hockey masks were used to strike cymbals). Their music began to develop into a unique amalgam of speed and power – heavily influencing the genres of speed/thrash metal and power metal.

They started by playing local pubs and working men's clubs in the North East of England – occasionally opening shows for punk bands such as the Stranglers and the Motors.

Eventually, the band signed with Neat Records, a low-budget metal label based in Newcastle, England. They released their first single, "Don't Need Your Money", in 1980 and embarked on a number of UK shows opening for bands such as Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of Ozz, Motörhead, Whitesnake, and Iron Maiden. Raven's first album, Rock Until You Drop, was released to critical acclaim in 1981, leading the band to tour Italy and the Netherlands. Their second album, Wiped Out, was released in 1982, and was influential on creating the burgeoning thrash and speed metal genres, making their only appearance in the UK Albums Chart, with the collection peaking at No. 63.

Sufficient noise was made for the American market to take notice and New Jersey's Megaforce Records signed them, issuing their next recording in the States as All for One in 1983. The band came stateside in 1983, and toured extensively on the "Kill 'em All for One" tour with young thrashers Metallica (on their first tour) as their opening act.

The manager and founder of Megaforce Jon Zazula believed that Raven was major-label material, and kept them touring constantly until the big labels noticed. The Live at the Inferno recording, released in 1984, was a product of one of those tours. Raven contributed songs Hot Moves and Ladykiller to the soundtrack for the 1984 movie Hot Moves. Atlantic Records signed Raven to a worldwide contract after a minor bidding war (major label contracts would follow for Metallica and Anthrax in the following year). The band moved its permanent base from Newcastle to New York City.

Stay Hard was released in 1985, and proved a minor hit on the strength of single and video "On and On". The Atlantic years proved to be less than stellar for the band. A drastic shift in a more commercial direction came at the label's behest, with many die-hard fans being alienated by the slick, lightweight production of The Pack Is Back. However, the band redeemed themselves with a return to form on the Mad EP in 1986 and the Life's a Bitch album in 1987, before arranging their departure from Atlantic.