ANVIL-Pounding The Pavement

Steamhammer/SPV

There is a lot more stability in the career of Toronto, Canada based trio Anvil. Guitarist/singer Lips, monster drummer Robb Reiner and most recent recruit Chris Robertson (bass) have found a steady home with German company Steamhammer, a label that is known for staying true to their artists. I mean, look at Axel Rudi Pell who has been with the firm since 1989! The thing with Anvil is that nobody can mould them into a different shape or form. The band has a certain style, do things their own way, write their own tunes and manages to survive with that method. That is a cool thing indeed. Anvil will never score a hit, will not play big stadiums on their own and will always stay a band that does their thing in the club circuit and specific festivals. I think Lips and Reiner have accepted their role in the metal word and they play that role from day one. As Lips says ’we have been pounding the pavement since day one, hoping to make money to keep on going.’ They have had some highs but also had to scrape the bottom of the barrel. Because of the one dimension singing style of Lips you do not have to expect vocal acrobatics of this veteran. It is possibly one of the reasons that Anvil never rose to fame and fortune (also some business mistakes were made of course) but the band has gained a following and a hell of a lot of respect from other musicians and fans. Admiration and respect do not pay the bills, money has to be earned these days by touring and selling your merchandise, so yet again Anvil is ready to travel the world the coming months spreading their uncomplicated heavy metal across the world this time armed with new song titles like ,,Bitch In The Box’’ (great riff), ,,Ego’’ (short but pounding), ,,Smash Your Face’’, ,,Doing What I Want’’, the instrumental title track of the album, ,,Let It Go’’ or ,,Black Smoke’’. All tracks that have the typical ingredients: thundering drums, Lips’ raw voice and his killer riffs and shredding solos. Anvil is turning on the style as they have always done, no surprises, taking no prisoners, just hoping that their honest yet predictable approach makes it possible for them to live and see another day. Nothing wrong with that approach at all folks!