Ravens Creed

Ravens Creed

Ravens Creed are an English extreme metal group formed in late 2006 by Steve Watson and Jay Graham. Watson previously plays in Iron Monkey, Cerebral Fix, Consumed, Helvis and Desecrator, while Graham has played in Undergroove, Skyclad and Return to the Sabbath, and also works as a former session drummer for Tony Iommi.

Formation and early recordings

The pair write and record a large amount of material in their own TENKO studios, eventually putting together more than 20 songs. Watson then brings in Ben Ward of Orange Goblin and Frazer Craske of Sabbat, and the line-up records the Militia of Blood Sacrifice 7-inch, which is issued worldwide by Land O’ Smiles Records in a limited run of 500 copies.

Live activity and releases

The band begins rehearsing and performing as a four-piece, and later plays the Albion Thunder tour and several festivals. Ravens Creed appear at Bloodstock in August 2008, then release their debut album Albion Thunder through Doomentia Records in spring 2009. The album receives favourable attention from the underground metal press as well as magazines including Kerrang! and Metal Hammer, which places it in its top 100 albums of 2009.

Line-up changes and later work

Ben Ward steps down from vocals in early 2010 because of other commitments. Hydrophonic Records then issues a split seven-inch with Sollubi in February 2010, featuring Ward on vocals on material recorded in 2007 at TENKO studios. The band recruits Al Osta on vocals in 2010 and releases the Nestless and Wild 7-inch EP in 2011. Festival appearances follow at High Voltage Festival and Fenriz-curated Live Evil Festival, and the group is also due to release a second album titled The Power.

Style and position

Ravens Creed are associated with death metal, thrash metal and black metal, and their early live and studio work is presented as part of the UK extreme metal scene.