Anvil
Metal On Metal

THE REVIEW

Since there is only one review of a live album by Anvil and none of their studio albums, I wanted to pay tribute and do justice to one of their most beautiful works. "METAL ON METAL"!! The Canadian band, after the explosive debut of "Hard'N'Heavy," released one of the most important pillars in the history of metal in general in 1982.

Anvil, together with the furious Exciter, are defined as the fathers of speed metal, which later evolved into thrash, offering 100% metallic riffs, wild shouted vocals, and powerful doses of drums and double bass, the latter becoming even more prominent in later albums like "Pound For Pound." The original line-up consists of Steve Kudlow on vocals and guitar, Dave Allison on guitar, Robb Reiner on drums, and Ian Dickson on bass. "Metal On Metal" consists of ten songs, including the hits "Mothra," the title track, the anthemic "666" and "Jackhammer", further accentuating their metallic and fast sound compared to the hard rock-metal orientation of the previous one. The beginning is entrusted to the title track which starts with the grand guitar riff, accompanied by Reiner's powerful drum rolls, and Kudlow's excellent performance behind the microphone, ready to shout anthemic choruses, like "Keep On Rockin, Keep On Rockin…," eliciting great emotions. The track continues with its excellent rhythm, with good solos by Allison and with time variations, becoming one of the most representative songs of the Canadian combo. The following "Mothra" is another classic of the band, featuring its famous refrain, usually loudly sung by fans during live performances, and the usual preparation of the group. The track is an unstoppable crescendo of pure power, with excellent irresistible vocal parts and small influences from early Judas Priest. The rest of the song is full of solos, many rhythm variations, and a surprising dose of epicness that makes the composition even more powerful.

The third track is the semi-ballad "Stop Me", which proves to be very pleasant and enjoyable from the start after the assault of the first two songs. "March Of The Crabs" is a very powerful and elaborate instrumental, often played live, becoming one of their showpieces. After a bit of "tranquility," it returns to the attack with "Jackhammer", another famous Anvil piece, where the band presents very complicated and fast riffs, with Kudlow's good vocal performance, proving himself a suitable vocalist for the band. The pace continues with the powerful and robust "Heatsink", the lighthearted "Tag Team", and the joyful "Scenery", a very good trilogy that keeps the album on consistently high levels. The famous "Tease Me Please Me" presents the band's breezier and more humorous side, managing to deliver a decent American hard rock-metal piece.

The last song is the dark "666", or a terrifying storm of metallic riffs and insane double bass that will torment your poor and innocent ears (...I especially mean to say this to the POSERS or the "fans" of Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazzotti... oh what a delight)!! The track features a "Mothra"-type sound, that is, with sudden outbursts of pure speed metal, embellished with blistering guitar solos, a very dark lyric, and a chorus now famous among metalheads. After "Metal On Metal," Anvil will gloriously continue their career with albums like "Forged In Fire," "Pound For Pound," "Strength Of Steel," or the latest "This Is Thirteen," becoming one of the most appreciated bands by critics and fans.