While it didn't quite measure up to their classic debut,
Raven's
All for One is a marked improvement over second album,
Wiped Out. Largely credited with sowing the seeds of thrash metal along with fellow New Wave of British Heavy Metal trio
Venom,
Raven's over-the-top riffing, cheesy lyrics, and, especially, the ear-splitting falsetto of singer John Gallagher have not aged very well. But for those more familiar with the N.W.O.B.H.M., standout cuts such as "Break the Chain," "Take It Away," and "Mind Over Metal" help make this disc quite a treat. Recently reissued with bonus tracks (including the spectacularly named "Ballad of Marshall Stack"), some featuring
Accept screecher Udo Dirkschneider, the disc is now even more collectible. [The Navarre reissue adds two bonus tracks: the live version of "Mind Over Metal" and a different take of "The Power and the Glory."] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia