Anvil

Raven – All Hell’s Breaking Loose Review

By Steel Druhm on June 29, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 48 comments

“Raven, like Saxon, Satan, and Iron Maiden, were part of the NWoBHM that conquered the world in the early 80s. Prime platters like Rock Until You Drop, Wiped Out, and All for One were fast, furious, and goddamn rowdy doses of attitude, balls, and poor behavior, and they were always the undisputed bad boys of their scene. Some 42 years on and they’re still functioning and releasing new albums on a regular basis, making them part of an increasingly exclusive NWoBHM Survivor Series.” Quoth the Raven “Taste the floor!”

Razor – Cycle of Contempt Review

By Steel Druhm on September 22, 2022 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 53 comments

“As a drunken teen in the 80s, it was easy to root for Razor. The fiesty Canadian speed/thrash outfit was full of piss, cheap beer, and rabid underdog enthusiasm. When I first heard their timeless cut “Evil Invaders” courtesy of a public access cable station’s metal video hour, it was love at first sound. They were rough, raw, unrefined, and pugnacious – all the things a Long Island teen aspires to be. And so a love affair was born.” Old blades and broken cycles.

Anvil – Impact Is Imminent Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on May 24, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 32 comments

“O’ Canada, guess who’s back? Good ol’ Anvil, with their ninety-eighth full-length album. And look at this: another writer penning an Anvil review. Once you’ve reviewed Anvil, you can’t get yourself to do it again. It’s only been two years since their last release (which is about the same as all their albums), and there’s no sign of stopping this Canadian threesome—even if you want them to stop. But, no, they keep coming with a sound they helped to cement 40 years ago. But, while you all might think their sound is irrelevant, Anvil sure as hell doesn’t care.” Danger: Falling Anvil.

Raven – Metal City Review

By Huck N Roll on September 16, 2020 in 2020, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 40 comments

“Ah, Raven. Lovable goofballs from the dawn of the NWoBHM, perhaps best known for having a drummer who wore hockey equipment and their rather exuberant brand of “athletic rock.” Having been a teen during the dawn of this bygone era, I ate up most of Raven’s discography through the eighties, and played my All for One cassette to the point of it being worn out. Sadly, the band’s attempt to join the ranks of the hair metal bands with 1986’s The Pack is Back was a bad move that alienated the band’s fanbase, and they never really recovered.” Metal City. The city by the bay.

Anvil – Legal at Last Review

By GardensTale on February 12, 2020 in 2020, AFM Records, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 38 comments

“Not to say Anvil has no semi-classic records to their names, but those were over a dozen albums ago. By now they’ve recorded more than AC/DC, in a shorter time span, yet their sound also shows as much growth as their Australian counterparts. Is the new pro-weed romp another carbon copy or have the fumes brought some inspiration to the geezers?” Anvil is Anvil.

The Rods – Brotherhood of Metal Review

By Steel Druhm on June 5, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Steamhammer, Heavy Metal, 48 comments

“The Rods have been kicking rocks around the metal scene’s parking lot forever. Formed in upstate New York by Dio’s first cousin, David “Rock” Feinstein, they’ve been playing a simplistic, Neanderthal version of proto-metal since 1980 with a sound that’s approximately 45% Manowar, 35% Anvil and 20% KISS. I recall always seeing their albums like Let Them Eat Metaland Heavier Than Thou in record stores as a kid, but I never bought them and none of my friends seemed to either.” Rods and sods.

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

By Mark Z. on June 16, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Live Reviews, 41 comments

“Anyone who’s seen The Wire knows Baltimore can be a rough place, but on Memorial Day weekend every year, things get especially brutal. Hundreds of rabid metal fans from all over the world descend on ‘Charm City’ to participate in Maryland Deathfest, and the result is four days of moshing, headbanging, and partying like it’s 1989.” Death to all.

Anvil – Pounding the Pavement Review

By Steel Druhm on January 17, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Steamhammer, Heavy Metal, 35 comments

“Anvil persists. That’s become an enduring truism and the mantra of this Canadian act since they first broke ground way back in 1981. You probably know their story – once poised to be the next big thing on the strength of classic albums like Metal on Metal and Forged in Fire, the call to greatness never came and the band watched younger acts like Metallica and Anthrax pass them by on the road to legend. But did they fold up shop and cry about it? Fook no! When the going gets tough, Anvil gets going, and that brings us to their 17th goddamn album, Pounding the Pavement.” Metal has no retirement plan.

Urn – The Burning Review

By Mark Z. on July 28, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 13 comments

“From Beethoven to Brian Eno, mankind has toiled for centuries to compose the greatest music human minds can fathom. Alas it was not until the mid-90s that music finally attained its supreme form, when two metal genres miraculously fused in the unholy union known as ‘blackened thrash.’” It was the best of times, it was the the blast of times.

Terrifier – Weapons of Thrash Destruction Review

By Huck N Roll on January 19, 2017 in 2017, Canadian Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Test Your Metal, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 35 comments

“Old-school thrash metal warms the cockles of my olde, sinewy heart. Canadian thrash warms them even more. Having grown up on a Canadian thrash diet of Exciter, Annihilator, Anvil, and others, a solitary tear comes to my eye when some young upstarts attempt to bring the glorious past back to life. When Vancouver thrashers Terrifier’s second album, Weapons of Thrash Destruction, landed in my promo bin, I donned my denim vest, my studded leather wristbands, and my kamikaze headband, and I sat back in my lawn chair with the stereo volume beyond acceptable, hoping to be taken back to a simpler time in life.” WTD’s do exist!