Metal On Metal

Ahead of it's time Metal release from veteran Canadian rockers.
"Metal on Metal" is one of the defining Metallic statements of the early 80s. A loud, brash and completley infectious mixture of traditional Hard Rock melded with OTT theatrics and speed riffery that predates what will follow in Thrash by a year. This album blew away most of the competition at the time and few could truly compare to such a princely Metal feast. After a mediocre first album("Hard and Heavy") the band really found themselves on this second release. Several of the band's all-time classics are available on this album including the ferocious anthem of a title track that ranks among the true gems about celebrating the Metal lifestyle. Simple as hell it would become a genre classic. "Mothra" with it's speed riff and melodic passages stomped all over Blue Oyster Cult's predecessor in Monster mayhem with "Godzilla" by taking the sound out of the seventies and Hard Rock and into a fully Metal realm. The sound recalls in many ways the progresive side of later Power Metal releases. "666" is about one of the most delightfully evil Metal anthems of the pre-Black Metal days and was a decided improvement over the far more poppier directions of the classic "Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden as Anvil's sound predates a much more brutal take that reminds one of early Slayer crossed with a NWOBHM acid trip. It's the heaviest track on the album. Other gems include frantic instrumental, "March of the Crabs". The silly pornographic nature of both "Jackhammer" and "Tag Team" which are both delights as well as the Van Halen like nature of "Stop Me". The album is a great retro classic that still can crack a head or two while still remaining highly original and fun. It's a pity that this band remained in such obscurity for so long for they really were original and certainly paved a way for much Metal to follow. Recognition is due and all serious Metal scholars need this one in his/her collection.

How we missed this great band?
I recently watched the film about Anvil, which is a great story about metal and friendship, and right after that purchased 'Metal on Metal'. How can somebody who has enjoyed heavy metal since 1980 miss this? This is pure, raw heavy metal at its best. If you are into 80's Metallica, Judas Priest and other great metal bands you'll love this album. Anvil rocks. No doubt about it.

anvil
I bought this for my 11 year old son who is going to be a rock god in the future . He says it is amazing and he loves it alot. So that is my review

Extremely underlooked band
While it was only suggested that on Anvil's first album the cringe inducing titled Hard 'N Heavy, that the band could cut it with major (at the time) metal acts like Priest, Maiden, Motorhead, Venom, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Diamond Head etc. Their 1982 follow up MOM certainly proved Anvil's stance. While there is a definte cheese factor to songs like Tag Team, Tease Me Please Me, and the obvious leap into satanic metal lore, 666, and the obvious anthemic title track. These songs are really good and they do rock. Especially the title track, which may be one of the most underlooked metal songs of all time, and easily is Anvil's best song. It all comes together on this album though some agree that their next album Forged In Fire reached the ultimate level of metal musicianship for Anvil. It's possible to hear a lot of influence in this record, like on March Of The Crabs seems to at times to have inspired Metallica's The Four Horsemen. While some of the above mentioned songs recal a lot of the simple big dumb but very fun lyrics and attitude a lot of the NWOBHM bands enployed, years later it adds on to the genuine metal feel. That is, of course if you support the theory that metal bands dont need to be evil, brutal or oozing with corpse make up to be "metal". While tracks like Heat Sink, Scenary, or the Godzilla/BOC send up Mothra would be construte as filler, they all have surprising hooks that will tell you otherwise. The most interesting track here though is Stop Me, which has a some surprising melodic edge to it and kinda reminds you of another 'lost' ballad from the early 80's metal heyday, Quiet Riot's Don't Wanna Let You Go (despite Anvil being a much better band than QR). This turned out to be my fav song off this album as the opening riff has something more laid back and musical than most metal bands (or at least the limited ones in the vein of Anvil) could pull off. So in the end, it's good to see this band finally getting some attention, and hopefully these early era Anvil albums will see some reissues or perhaps better availiability in the near future. Indeed, 666, the title track, and March Of The Crabs have gone on to be lost thrash nuggets and it is very possible that Metal On Metal is in fact the proto type speed metal record. How other pre Metallica speed and/or Canadian outfits like Exciter's albums stay in print over Anvil's is a lame mystery.

A "true" metal classic
Metal On Metal rocks from start to finish! A must have for anyone trying to round out their classic metal collection. Yeah, sure it sounds a bit dated, doesn't everything from the eighties? I actually dig that classic Gibson/Marshall sound that Lips achieved on this rager. Rob Reiner's drum work is exceptional,not because he's fast, but because he was all over his kit. He would throw tripletts and quads where most guys would just keep a steady beat, Stop Me would be a weak song if it weren't for his killer drumming. I was fortunate enough to see these guys in a small club on the Forged In Fire tour and they blew me away! Most of you reading this probably already owned this on vynal, but for the few who are trying to get to the "roots" of thrash/speed metal, this is a must have!!! Up go the hammers!