Raging Speedhorn prepare for release of seventh album Night Wolf

The 10-track album is the sextet’s seventh record and follow’s 2020’s Hard To Kill.

This week, the band released the second single from the album, Every Night’s Alright For Fighting which follows the album’s title track which was released last year.

Night Wolf, which is released via Spinefarm Records, sees Speedhorn meld ferocious, riff-centred metal that’s packed with strength, power, and, ultimately, song-driven groove.

The album captures the magic Raging Speedhorn have been concocting over their 25-year plus career – flitting between sludge, crushing doom and high-energy dirt-fuelled rock ‘n’ roll riffs

Night Wolf is 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) and second vocalist Dan Cook.

Talking about the record Morison said: “I think it's more of a progression of the last record.

“That's what we've gone for really. When we first got back together after our hiatus, we didn't really know what we wanted to do.

“Lost Ritual came quite quickly, because we didn't have enough time to write it.

“With Hard To Kill we took more time to do it and with Night Wolf we've taken a lot of time to do it really, we just wanted to make sure it was right this time.

“It's probably the longest we've ever taken to write a record.

“We wanted to make sure it was just right and we were happy with it before we went in to record.”

The album saw all members of the band get involved in the song-writing process, reflecting the tight gang-like mentality that cements Raging Speedhorn together as a creative entity.

“When it comes to writing we all come up with ideas and then we bring them all together in one room,” explains Morison.

“Everyone is writing to their strengths so when we get in a room we have all sorts of riffs and then we sort of go from there really.”

Additionally, album number seven has given co-vocalist Dan the opportunity to fully add his own stamp on the sextet.

While Hard To Kill saw Dan replace long-standing co-vocalist John Loughlin, who stood down after 21 years during the recording process, the album had already been partially recorded during Loughlin’s departure.

This time around Dan, who is no stranger to the band and its fans – he has stood in for both Frank and John over the years when needed – was involved from the get-go.

“Dan and Frank just worked really well together and this time all the lyrics had been written by the time we were ready to record, which usually never ever happens to Speedhorn,” laughs Morison.

“It feels a lot better with Dan because he's more involved in the writing process and in everything to do with the band, which makes it a lot easier.

“He's definitely put his stamp on this record, I'd say a more aggressive tone too.”

Night Wolf was again recorded with Russ Russell at Parlour Studios in Kettering.

“Russ really captures what we want to achieve and understands the band,” says Morison.

“We always work well together and, frankly, I wouldn’t want to record with anyone else at this stage.”

The end result is described as an album demonstrating a finely tuned song-writing finesse throughout.

Talking about the new album, Morison describes the opening track Blood Red Sky – one of two songs penned by Williams - as the album’s “most brutal” song which sets the tone of the album’s intent.

He said: “When Daf played this song to Frank and the boys we knew instantly it had to be on the album, it gives the band an updated edge.

“We didn’t change it at all, we just recorded how it was written and it sounds immense.”

The up-tempo bounce of second track Buzz Killa, which Morison says is one of his personal favourites, is swiftly followed by The Blood Code which invokes a more traditional dirty and slower old-school RSH vibe.

“I don't want to go back down that route of that doomy stuff completely, because the last record was quite upbeat and we wanted to keep on that track as we have really found that path works, but ‘The Blood Code’ does fit the sound of the record and I think fans of the older material will dig this,” he adds.

Elsewhere new single Every Night’s Alright For Fighting packs a hardcore punch while the thunderous Comin’ In Hard features a Jerry Lee Lewis-esque piano boogie, composed and played by Andy.

“It's got a Queens of the Stone Age kind of vibe to that one, I would say,” adds Morison.

“We came up with the idea on the spot in the studio and we were like ‘Should we do it?’, and Andy was like, ‘Let me’.

“He just went in and did it in one take. It’s nice to be able to change things up and add to our sound. I love it.”

Night Wolf’s artwork was created by Dominic Sohor, who worked on both Lost Ritual and Hard To Kill and realised by Daf, who works as a graphic artist.

It pays homage to an era of 80s Hollywood blockbuster movies while the video to the title track is a pastiche of the Michael J. Fox movie and features a cameo by Morison’s daughter Daisy.

“Teen Wolf and Back To The Future were some of my favourite all time movies as a kid, I loved them,” laughs Morison.

“We were going for that whole Teen Wolf vibe, like the 80s kind of thing.

“We didn't want it to look like a metal album, we've done all that, and we thought it’d be nice to just do something a little bit different.

“Again, it carries on from the vibe of the last record and its 80s horror movie vibe.

“It’s important to have a record which stands out as much as you possibly can and it definitely does.”

Since the release of their eponymous debut in 2000, Raging Speedhorn have enjoyed a career built on unhinged and raucous live shows and albums to boot.

They’ve played countless worldwide shows and festivals, sharing stages with Slipknot, Clutch, Biohazard, Enter Shikari, Skindred, earthtone9 and many more.

They opened the infamous 2001 UK Ozzfest at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, playing in front of 50,000 metalheads, received Kerrang! Award nominations, spent a night behind bars in Spain while on tour with Biohazard and caused havoc during the 2002 Kerrang! Awards resulting in Placebo’s Brian Molko joining in on the action and flipping over the band’s alcohol-laden table.

Having started in their original hometown of Corby, members are now spread across the Midlands and South Wales.

They last played a ‘home county’ gig at The Black Prince in Northampton in November last year.

Talking about playing in Raging Speedhorn, Morison says: “I love being in this band, it's the only thing I've done for this long and I love playing music with these guys.

“Why would I want to stop? It's in your blood, you can't stop.

“We were kids when we started and it seems like I blinked and I'm still here doing this. “We have a new album, a new deal, and if you think about it, there's not many bands from when we first started that are still going like we are.

“It's about chemistry and not giving a f*** and just believing in what you want to do.

“Honestly, it's been the best being in a band with these guys, it's just so easy.

“Every now and then there's a bit of a bicker, but there's never ever any arguments between us anymore, which I think is good.

“We all just get on really well, we love writing, we love hanging out, it just feels great.

“I wouldn't want to be in a band with anyone else, and that's half the battle there, isn't it?”

Night Wolf is available to pre-order now via https://ragingspeedhorn.lnk.to/nightwolfalbum

Raging Speedhorn will play the following dates in March:

Mar 7th - Waterfront Studio - Norwich

Mar 8th - Rebellion - Manchester

Mar 9th - Cluny - Newcastle

Mar 10th - Cathouse - Glasgow

Mar 12th - Voodoo - Belfast

Mar 13th - Grand Social - Dublin

Mar 14th - Clwb Ifor Bach

Mar 15th - The Old Cold Store - Nottingham

Mar 16th - The Fleece - Bristol

Mar 17th - The Cavern - Exeter

Mar 18th - The Joiners - Southampton

Mar 20th - Kings Hall - Herne Bay

Mar 21st - The Underworld - London

Mar 22nd - O2 Institute 2 - Birmingham

Mar 23rd - Corporation – Sheffield