This is Anvil

Allow me to show my age and express my unadulterated love for Anvil. This Toronto Heavy Metal band just reminds me of simpler metal times. One of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time is how this band didn’t make it big. Even the Big Four, Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica, and Anthrax list Anvil as one of their influences. With fifteen albums to date, a killer resume, and an undying passion for creating amazing metal music… what happened? Last night I re-watched one of THE greatest documentaries of all time: Anvil! The Story of Anvil which unleashed my pent up confusion and anger about how these awesome, influential metal dudes are stuck in Toronto working blue collar jobs, touring only rarely and barely making enough money to pay their mortgages. So let’s talk AVIL!

The documentary, interestingly enough, was created by a former Anvil roadie, Sacha Gervasi. Being so close and comfortable with the band clearly had its advantages because these guys are totally unguarded and brutally honest throughout the duration of the movie. He focuses on the lives of Steve “Lips” Kudlow (guitar and lead vocals) and Robb Reiner (drums), who are the two founding members of the band, forming it in 1978 as high school buddies. The beginning of the film features big name metal musicians reaffirming that Anvil was extremely popular and influential in the 1980’s and their quick decent into obscurity in the 1990’s baffled many.

Despite stardom bypassing these guys, they never stopped trying. They continued to make music, stuck it out, kept touring, and kept rocking. The release of the documentary in 2008 actually brought some well earned recognition to Anvil, landing them as opening acts with AC/DC and Saxon. They’ve even been performing again at notable independent music festivals like SXSW and metal festivals we’re all familiar with including Download, Loud Park, and Hellfest. Do yourself a favor, buy their newest album Hope in Hell, catch them on tour, and watch Anvil! The Story of Anvil.

TOUR! Mostly applicable to our readers across the pond. Or, hey, vacation excuse!

June 12 – O2 Academy 2 Islington – London, United Kingdom

July 13 – O2 Academy 3 Birmingham – Birmingham, United Kingdom

July 14 – O2 Academy 2 Sheffield – Sheffield, United Kingdom

July 15 – O2 ABC 2 Glasgow – Glasgow, United Kingdom

July 16 – Bang Your Head!!! 2015 – Balingen, Germany

July 19 – MetalDays 2015 – Tolmin, Slovenia