Customer Reviews

Life's a Bitch

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Unlike the earlier releases on Atlantic (Stay Hard and The Pack is Back), Raven had complete control over the production of Life's a Bitch. There were no record execs pressuring them to sound commercial and "sell, sell, sell". No heavy-handed producer was brought in to take over the project and make them use synthesizers and horn sections (ala The Pack is Back). In fact, Atlantic had all but given up on Raven and pretty much let them do whatever they wanted on their final Atlantic release. The result was quite possibly the best Raven album of their career.

Start to finish, Life's a Bitch shows Raven in peak form. The songs are loud, insane, and catchy. The guitar solos are larger than life. The arrangements are fresh and varied. You have 2-and-half minute slam-fests like "You're a Liar" and epic prog-like rockers like "On the Wings of an Eagle". Of course the usual Raven lunacy is on proud display in "Overload", "Pick Your Window", "Life's a Bitch", and "Playing with the Razor". There honestly is not a weak track on here. No filler, no shortcuts, no disposable over-produced yawners. This is Raven doing penance for the earlier Atlantic releases, which quite frankly really weren't their fault.

You can imagine being young starving musicians, coming to a new country, with a new record deal, and your bosses telling you what to do. Raven was at the mercy of Atlantic and did what they were told and recorded The Pack is Back. But for that, the band was summarily dismissed as sell-outs by the fans and dumped by Atlantic. It's unfortunate, because since then all Raven has done has put out one stellar release after another.

Life's a Bitch is the meaner, wiser, hungrier re-birth of Raven. No fan of NWOBHM metal should miss this. It truly was a landmark recording for this British trio.

Other "hard core" fans have panned this album as a sell-out, but I find it to have their strongest and catchiest song writing. Did they sell-out? You can't sell out if you don't make any money. I'd say it's their best. The bonus track "Speed of The Reflex" is a different side of Raven with flip-flop tempos and an ambitious arrangement.

I love this disc, it rocks the only thing is that when they rereleased it they left off "FINGER ON THE TRIGGER" -My favorite from this disc.It was a bonus track in the first place"on cassette" I wish they would have kept it on but the rest of the tracks rock-A must have-enjoy!

Like many people I was a fan of early Raven,more specificaly the first three albums.The major label debuts ''stay hard''and''the pack is back''were major label dissapointments.I thought that was it for Raven,and of course,I lost sight of them even though I was aware they were still releasing albums.By the time ''life's a bitch''came out a friend of mine who owned a copy informed me that it was a very good album,but I wouldn't listen,having been let down by two albums in a row.H ow wrong I was as''L.A.B''is actually one of their best albums.It has the wild frantic energy of the first three albums but a tad bit heavier and more technical.In hindsight it's easy to see that the sound and look the band cultivated on the major label albums was forced upon them by management in a lame attempt to make them more american/commercial and probably why''L.A.B''sounds so angry.I'm now definately going to check out more of Raven's later catalogue as they are truly one of the most original and energetic heavy metal bands of all time.Don't do what I and many people did,give up on Raven because of two weak albums.Clearly half of Metallica's recorded output is crap yet they always sell millions of copies.Comeon people,give Raven a chance,they deserve it.

Let's cut to the quick here folks - after the major record deal, Raven lost its rawness. There were still great songs, but they were lost amongst the unsuccessful attempts at radio fodder. But this album came & took them back to their prime. Unfortunately, the metal scene had passed them by. If you loved One For All, then believe me, this is their other classic, with Rock til you Drop close behind.

I get tired of reading reviews that call RAVEN sellouts. I love just about every album that they have ever released ( with the exception of THE PACK IS BACK). Sure, the first three releases are prime N.W.O.B.M. classics. Raven may not have been musical virtuosos but they had this infectious raw heavy energy.

When the band signed on to Atlantic records, and released STAY HARD, everyone lost their minds. I can only speculate here but I am sure that the record execs put the pressure on the band for a more accessable, "american", rock style. Up until the Atlantic years, Raven`s music wasnt too widespread in the United States. I dont think that they sold out per say but instead did what the label wanted in order to get their name out in the public eye. I for one actually liked STAY HARD, and I still do.

Now on the other hand, THE PACK IS BACK was pure crap. I can see how the fan base ( epecially the longtime ones) got annoyed at this new Americanized RAVEN. But then the music scene changed and up to the surface came the thrash and speed and the power metal bands. And with this heavier scene came the fans who discovered the band`s earlier works. And RAVEN got a bit closer to their roots, as was evidenced on their MAD e.p.

The faster tempos and heavier sound returned. RAVEN was about to unleash some fury, but many fans who could not get past THE PACK IS BACK denied themselves some great albums. MAD was awesome but it was only five songs. Soon after came the LIFE`S A BITCH album. In my opinion RAVEN was back. This wasnt radio friendly MTV RAVEN but those crazy British lunatics that they always were but this time, unleashed.

There are those who try to argue that RAVEN just jumped on the thrash metal bandwagon, but I disagree. I believe that RAVEN were one of the "pioneers" of the thrash/speed genre. Only now, they had good prodution and with this album they gained many new fans.

The Savage and The Hungry is an excellent opener and other highlights include Never Forgive, Iron League, Pick Your Window and the title track, Lifes a Bitch. This release is so good and it bothers me that it is so underated. All I can say is if you gave up on RAVEN after T.P.I.B. then do yourself a favor and check out this album. And check out all of them that came out after this one. You see while many people whine about two albums in the mid 80`s, RAVEN is still churning out great metal. And if it aint the same as their first three albums, then get over it. At least They`re still around twenty years after one bad album. The Metal Historian hath spoken.

Magic is hard to express, you a can listen to this CD, while driving in rush hour, while you meditate, clean the docile, or lay on the couch and dream. You will never be sorry you own this CD. Take care to listen, slow down and enjoy.

I can't believe some people rated this CD 5 stars! They must not be real Raven fans! Let's make a short resume: RAVEN recorded 3 fantastic albuns: "Wiped Out", "Rock Until You Drop" and "All for One" (all three of them are not available for selling! incredible!). These records were united in their ultimate masterpiece, the live albun "Live at The Inferno". AFter that, forget about Raven! They completely sold out in order to survive.