Album review: ANVIL – Hope In Hell
The End Records – Out Now.
Canadian Speed/Heavy Metal trio Anvil are, to put it simply, on fire! Since the release of the highly acclaimed documentary/movie ‘The Story Of Anvil’ back in 2009, long time friends and colleagues Steve “Lips” Kudlow (guitars/vocals) and Robb Reiner (drums) have been recording new music and performing gigs all around the world with both lightning speed and youthful energy.
Only a year and a half after “Juggernaut Of Justice” saw the light of day, the Canadian trio, with bassist Sal Italiano as the most recent addition to the band’s line up, is about to unleash yet another collection of songs upon mankind, the fifteenth (!) in line, entitled “Hope In Hell”.
Kudlow and Reiner have been recorded as being fairly content with the status of Anvil in today’s music world and that is fine as “Hope In Hell” is highly unlikely to be the album that expands the band’s loyal fan base. I mean, if you compare, on a purely technical level, albums like “Forged In Fire”, you will not find many differences, other than a massive improvement in the sound quality, courtesy of one Bob Marlette (Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper).
Apart from that, it is business as usual: the drum beats are rhythmical and inviting, the guitar solos are old-school and flamboyant, and Kudlow’s lyrics contain the passion and perhaps naivety expected from a man more than half his age. Are these not the basic ingredients of what you would describe as an entertaining album?
And that is exactly what “Hope In Hell” is – a simple, yet quite entertaining album. The opening same-titled composition is a mean, slow & heavy riffed piece that provides a solid start for the album and it is followed by the much more dynamic and flamboyant “Eat Your Words”. Incorporating a groovy riff that even Cathedral would be envious of and a ‘decent’ use of cowbell, “Through With You” is the highlight of the album and its quality is perhaps only challenged by the more classic-sounding “Flying” which is positioned half way through the album.
So what about the remaining compositions? Well, with the exception of the Punk influenced “Shut The Fuck Up” and the weirdly structured “Mankind Machine”, what you get from the band is simply crafted and honest sounding 80s Metal with a modern sound. That means that, though not ground breaking (by any strength of the imagination), songs like “Bad Ass Rock ‘n’Roll” and “Hard Wired” (bonus track) ensure that those of you who like 80s Metal get good value for your hard-earned money.
So there you have it: another Anvil album that is not destined to change the course of Heavy Metal history nor to provide these two veterans with the fame and fortune that, according to some, were stolen from them back in the 80s. So what does “Hope In Hell” do for the Canadian trio?
Well, apart from keeping their name in the spotlight, it provides their hardcore base and all those who feel inclined to support them after having seen “The Story Of Anvil”, with an album worthy of the band’s name and legacy. Not bad for a band that’s been around for thirty five years, right?
John Stefanis
Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5.0)
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections