Until the release of their documentary film Anvil: The Story Of Anvil in 2009...which is a great movie, by the way...this Canadian band had remained heavy metal's best kept secret. Their story begins in the early Eighties, when high school buddies Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner decide to form a band. They went on to spend the next thirty years toiling in relative obscurity, making albums for small independent labels on a shoestring budget which often caused the production quality of their music to suffer, and playing live to anyone that would listen. Through the years, they have acquired many famous fans among better-known metal artists, and their records have had their share of critical praise, but in spite of all that, mainstream success continues to elude them. The exposure gained by the movie has even given them a boost, but has not been enough to push them over that wall to stardom.
I just picked up their latest release Juggernaut Of Justice, and I have to say that, while it didn't set me on fire, it was somewhat better than I expected. I must confess that although I had heard of this band before, I had never paid much attention to them. I had heard a song or two by them in the past, and wasn't very impressed. However, after seeing their film and being impressed with the tenacity and perseverance that they displayed in pursuit of their musical dreams, I was moved to give them another shot. Until I bought Juggernaut Of Justice, I had never sat down and seriously listened to Anvil. So here's my take on what I heard.
Starting with the good points, I noticed right off the bat that they had a great drummer! Robb Reiner is thunderous! Since the band's sound is completely Retro-Eighties heavy metal, he employs a great deal of double bass technique, which I feel has become a lost art. His rock-solid timing keeps the band effortlessly chugging forward. He definitely deserves more recognition for these skills than he gets!
Musically, the band is tight and they perform well together. These guys do play their instruments well, but unfortunately, that's where their strengths end. The energy and the technical ability are there, but I'm sorry to say that the songs just aren't! When it comes to creating the kind of memorable melodies that stick in a person's mind, they fall woefully short; it's just that simple! For the most part, the songs are enjoyable, but any band who has decent players in it could have written this run-of-the-mill type of generic-sounding heavy metal. To me, there was just nothing to get terribly excited about here.
I think that this has been Anvil's problem up to this point; they just don't have anything that makes them unique. They are completely lacking that extra spark of special creativity that would make them stand out among other bands of the genre. To me, they sounded like a garage band who makes and markets their own homemade recordings! They are also sadly deficient in the lyric writing department. Lyrically, most of their songs are just plain drivel! The words here are simply amateurish and filled with all the old heavy-metal cliches that died out with the stone age!
In the end, this album will provide a pleasant way to pass the time if you have nothing better to listen to, but I don't think you will find it impressive enough to play it over and over. I know I didn't. After listening to this record, I have begun to understand why Anvil has not attained greater success. As I said earlier, I gave them a chance, because I saw how dedicated they are to their craft, but I think it's time to consider another line of work, guys! After seeing the commitment that you have shown for over 30 years, it truly pains me to have to say this, but if you haven't hit the big time after all these years of trying, there has to be a reason!
No comments:
Post a Comment