NWOBHM metallers Raven have announced drummer Joe Hasselvander will miss upcoming dates due a “serious health issue.”

The band says in a statement: “So...life can (and does) throw the occasional ‘mother’ of a curveball.... Due to a sudden serious health issue, our drummer Joe ‘The Baron’ Hasselvander will unfortunately be unable to play with us on our current and upcoming dates.

“As you can imagine, the health and well-being of our good mate & partner in mayhem is paramount in importance.

“However in order to meet our obligations to our fans, we will still be playing all upcoming shows with the assistance of some amazing fill-in drummers who have stepped up to the plate to help the show go on. Thursday in Chicago, Jimmy Mess from Tattooed Millionaires will do the honors, and the shows this weekend on the East Coast we are extremely honored to have Fear Factory drummer, and all around Metal legend Mike Heller behind the kit. And for the European tour, Kill Ritual drummer Dave Chedrick will do the honors.”

Tour dates:

May
18 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Rock Club
19 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
20 – Halethorpe, MD – Fish Head Cantina
21 – Wilmington, DE – XIII

June
7 - Roeselare, Belgium - De Verlichte Geest
8 - Essen, Germany - Turock
9 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore
10 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Baroeg
11 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Little Devil
12 - Osnabruck, Germany - Bastard Club
13 - Dresden, Germany - Chemiefabrik
14 - Dornbirn, Austria - Schlactaus
15 - Florence, Italy - Circus Club
16 - Milan, Italy - Blue Rose Club
17 - Montbeliard, France - Atelier des Môles