In the world of heavy metal, there are a few bands that simply are who they are and won’t apologize for it. They thumb their noses at current trends and play the music the way they want without ever bowing down to the critics or the industry bigwigs. You’ve got to respect that level of commitment. One band that has stuck to its guns over the years is the Canadian heavy metal band Anvil. Believe it or not, Anvil has been going strong for over 35 years and has recently released their 16th studio album, “Anvil is Anvil.”
The new record kicks off with “Daggers and Rum,” a metal sea shanty if you will. The track is outstanding and tons of metal fun. Beginning and ending with sounds of the sea and a traditional “Yo,ho,ho!” the song is a true metal anthem. Vocalist and guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow proves early on that he is in top form and sounding better than ever. Add in the pounding drums of Robb Reiner and some fresh bass lines from new bassist Chris Robertson to the mix and Anvil is firing on all cylinders. The band has a real Motorhead vibe and it really shows on “It’s Your Move” where Kudlow channels his inner Lemmy. The music is heavy and so are the lyrics, touching on topics such as religion in “Die For a Lie” and taking a political stand on “Gun Control.” The riffs are brutal and adrenaline fueled on tracks like “Run Like Hell” and “Runaway Train” and the production by Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer is top notch.
“Anvil is Anvil” is an album that should not be overlooked. Every metalhead needs a copy of these balls to the wall metal tunes for their collection.
