Where creativity meets connection
The British Pioneers of down-tuned epic sludge rock, Raging Speedhorn, are back with an incendiary new album, Night Wolf. Set for release on Thurs 6 March, via Spinefarm, it marks the band’s first full length offerings since the massive Hard to Kill in 2020.
An album perfectly capturing the magic Raging Speedhorn have been concocting over their 25+ year career, Night Wolf flits between sludge, crushing doom and high-energy dirt-fuelled rock‘n’roll hooks. The sextet have matured like a fine wine and honed their craft to a new level.
Featuring ten tracks of ferocious, riff-centred metal that’s packed with strength, power, and, ultimately, song-driven groove, Raging Speedhorn are once again ready to provide an antidote to mediocrity and pedestrian radio-rock.
It’s the first album to feature new guitarist Daf Williams who joins founding members Frank Regan (vocals), Gordon Morison (drums) and mainstays Jim Palmer (guitar), Andy Gilmour (bass – who also plays with UK post-hardcore legends Hundred Reasons) and second vocalist Dan Cook.
This reinvigorated line-up sees Raging Speedhorn not only capture the spirit of the band’s DNA but push their own musical boundaries and swagger into new uncharted territories.
Accompanying all this activity is a UK tour and a brand new single, Every Night’s Alright For Fighting; the latter supported with a raucous video evoking the golden age of British wrestling.
With another banger of an album in the bag and some UK dates fast approaching, we spoke to bassist Andy Gilmour, to find out more about being at the leading edge of UK heavy metal.
Congratulations on Night Wolf. Obviously, every album is special in its own way, but this might be your best yet... What was the writing process like? Was it case of jamming something out in a couple of weeks, or has everything been finely tuned since the release of 2020’s Hard To Kill?
Thank you! We all like to get in a room to work through ideas that people bring in. Or sometimes an idea just appears when we have a jam through. We like to be spontaneous which shows in the songs.
How much work goes into getting such a dense sound, without the finished product sounding muddy? Is it clever arrangements, or studio production wizardry?
Our producer (unofficial seventh member) Russ Russell knows how to get the best from us when recording.
There’s inarguably echoes of Teen Wolf on the cover art. Is this possibly a concept album based around the exuberance of Michael J Fox’s finest work?
The cover is more of a nod to our fondness for the 80’s and 80’s films. Michael J Fox is a total legend though.
The band has been together for over quarter of a contrary (admittedly with a 6-year break along the way), but remain a potent force, constantly pushing the genre forward. How do you all retain this sense of urgency and ambition?
The drive to never get complacent and to keep pushing ourselves is always there. We still strive to be the best band we can be.
Your new single, Every Night’s Alright For Fighting, has a brilliant video. It took me right back to being a tiny child watching bouts on Saturday morning TV. What was the inspiration for it? Where you all big British wrestling fans?
Some of us more than others... It was Dan’s idea to do a wrestling video as he loves all the old stuff (WWF etc) and we were up for it.
Was the video as much fun to make as it looks, or was it physically demanding?
We had a great time doing the video (apart from setting off the fire alarm with the smoke machine! ) I think Dan and Frank were pretty knackered by the end of filming.
You’ve booked loads of live dates to support the album. What’s touring like these days; are there loads of exuberant high jinks, or is everything a lot more professional?
We used to get quite rowdy on the road but now we just want to have fun and put on the best show we can.
Fast forward to 2040. It’s Raging Speehorn’s final ever shows, with four sold-out nights at Sixfields Stadium. Who are the special guests on the line-up?
Hahaha! No Idea! Maybe some bingo or a raffle….
Raging Speedhorn play Southampton’s The Joiners on Tues 18, Herne Bay’s Kings Hall on Thurs 20 and The Underworld in London on Fri 21 March 2025. Their new album, Night Wolf, is released on Thurs 6 March 2025.
All images by Andy Ford
Mark O'Donnell
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