Ravagers pen a style of punk & roll that continues to resonate with supporters after every tour. Hailing from Baltimore and fronted by singer and guitarist Alex Hagen, the band delivers blistering tones and raw, uncompromising vocals that are the perfect backdrop for a city known for its intensity and grit.
“This place has always felt like a lawless city where I could run wild and use the space to practice my art while not going bankrupt,” said Hagen. He added that the city has influenced his character and songwriting, but he remains proud. “I have lived here for 20 years and have a lot of amazing memories. A lot of the band’s lyrics paint a pretty gruesome picture of the city, but it’s a really nice place with a strong community and some great bands.”
Ravagers grew their punk & roll fanbase thanks to their strong connection with Atlanta’s DIY punk community, going back to The Heart Attacks and singer Tuk Smith’s follow-up band, Biters. Guitar slinger Matt Gabs perfectly complemented Smith’s hallmark melodies, and both guitarists quickly earned a reputation for creating a more melodic punk sound, distinguishing themselves from their peers. Biters grew a widespread support of fans that gravitated to their punk foundation but craved more hooks. But despite earning great reviews and consistently touring, management and labels were unable to help elevate the group, and Biters disbanded in 2018, after Smith said the band became “logistically crippled and frustrated.” Hagen did time in RMBLR, ex-Heart Attacks singer Chase Noles’ newest outfit of raucous rockers, and further solidified the Baltimore-Atlanta connection.
“There was a great Baltimore-Atlanta rock connection through our friends’ bands,” recalled Hagen. “Around the time I started doing graphic design, Tuk and I would work on album covers and shirt designs, and we would talk about music and songwriting. I learned a lot from him.” Perhaps the catalyst for growing Hagen’s songwriting was moving in with Gabs in 2011. “I had the whole creepy basement to myself, and that’s where I started working on my first batch of tunes. I would always run upstairs to show off parts to Matt, and he would be like, “Yo! That would sound better if you tuned and played that chord right”, laughed Hagen.
The breakup of Biters enabled Gabs to create a path as a rock & roll mercenary, a punk & roll guitar slinger for hire. He reflected on the Biters breakup. “We all put a lot of work into it, but if you don’t have the right team behind you, it fucks up all momentum,” he sighed. “Tuk was beginning to move in a more singer/songwriter direction and toward the end, I was already living with Alex and playing a little with Ravagers, so it made sense that after Biters I was able to play with Alex full time.”
With undeniable resolve, Gabs worked to create a style of more memorable and powerful melodies to enhance Hagen’s songwriting within Ravagers. Gabs’ stint with iconic NYC guitarist Sonny Vincent of Testors and countless solo projects reinforced his guitar slinger rep. “That was in 2013 during a Biters break. I had two weeks to learn 26 songs, and I did struggle a bit, but I like to put myself through a challenge because I am not going to embarrass myself or anyone I play with,” stated Gabs.
He completed a successful European tour and then transitioned to Ravagers full-time. “The songwriting process was a bit different. I was excited to be playing with my best friend, and under the guise of helping him grow as a guitarist, I was sneaking in my songwriting,” laughed Gabs. Hagen doesn’t minimize the importance of Gabs joining Ravagers full-time. “When we recorded the first two Eps he would be in the studio making me sing things over and over again. I think him just motivating me gave me a lot of confidence,” he stated.
Gabs complements the Ravagers hallmarks of aggressive punk & roll themes with clear instances of memorable hooks and a sense of newly found melodic power for Hagen, most evident with 2025’s On The Loose (Spaghetty Town Records). Gabs has transformed his acumen for vintage guitar gear into a Brooklyn-based repair business, and pushed himself to create custom guitar designs. His studio presence has propelled Ravagers forward with a more focused approach to production.
“We actually use the smallest, vintage amps in the studio and I use a Tele to help some leads cut through the mixes. We put a lot of time into the gear we play because we wanna capture the warmth and note separation without sacrificing the overall, powerful sound,” said Gabs. “Black Cat Guitar sent me Filtertron pickups, and they’re a great combination of P90 bite but with a more unique sound.”
Ravagers continue earning a reputation for bringing their raucous sounds across every DIY venue willing to book ‘em, but as a proven road dog, Gabs shared they earn the best receptions across Europe. “They really appreciate us out there; there’s a special energy. Touring in the States feels harder because the drives between shows are a lot longer. Believe it or not, the cities are not as spread out. In the States, there can be a lot of Midwest shows that aren’t that great for whatever reason, and combined with really long drives, it can be hard to keep morale up,” said Gabs. He added he tries to catch himself from feeling a bit jaded about the challenges of extensive touring. “I’ve found myself playing the same cities multiple times, and that can impact me a bit. The expenses of touring in the states have gotten very high, and there’s just not as many markets for us across the map. We can’t do five weeks in the states.”
Hagen echoed Gabs about the ongoing challenges of U.S. touring. “The reality of touring in the U.S. is pretty brutal. By the time the venue pays the doorman, the sound engineer, the bar staff, there’s usually not much left for the bands. If you’re lucky, you get a couple hundred bucks, two drink tickets for some shitty beer, and you’re on your way.” Hagen said touring in Europe remains in marked contrast to the U.S., with Ravagers continuing to earn strong support with every tour. “A lot of venues have rooms for bands to sleep in. They’ll feed you dinner, pay you fairly, and the shows are usually packed with people who actually come out to support live music. They buy records and merch, which makes a huge difference.”
The explosion of social media’s popularity can expand a band’s reach and enable unprecedented ability to book tours more efficiently, but Hagen isn’t fully buying its premise of ‘connecting people’. “I think it’s done just as much to fuel jealousy, insecurity, and delusion as giving people a place to air out their dirty laundry. If you really want to connect with someone, join a club, go to a bar, go to a show, and learn how to have a conversation face-to-face while actually making contact.”
Despite his condemnation of social media and its permanent presence within today’s generation, Hagen remains positive about the subculture’s future. “One thing that gives me hope is seeing more young people starting bands for fun, setting up shows in random places like skate parks and basements. They don’t care about the gatekeepers or pay-to-play promoters that seem to keep running things. If you’re at a show, enjoy the damn show. If you want to film something, film your favorite song and throw it up on YouTube.”
Ravagers are working on heading back to Europe in 2027 and writing a new record. For Hagen, he feels the band writes its best material when they’re restless. “I’ve always worked well under pressure and with a deadline hanging over my head. The challenge is to keep pushing myself to become a better songwriter and never settle for mediocrity. As long as we’re still hungry to outdo ourselves instead of chasing what’s popular, I think that’ll keep the fire burning,” stated Hagen.
For Gabs, he notes the DIY subculture is very strong, and his guitar repair business further reinforces his commitment to all things music. “I’ve been doing this for so long I can be a bit jaded, but I’m inspired by music gear, enjoying a great new song we just wrote, and when everything is firing on all cylinders, it’s a great feeling because everything else doesn’t matter once you’re locked in for that first song,” he said.
Gabs added he remains driven by the unique experiences that only music can bring him. “That’s why I am still here and keep showing up. I don’t have anything else to replace these positive experiences.”
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Photo: Courtesy of Spaghetty Town Records
