Only Heavy Metal

Canadian cult metal act, Anvil, will release their new album, Anvil Is Anvil, on February 26th worldwide (excluding Japan) via SPV/Steamhammer. The album will be available on digipak CD, LP, and digital download.

Striving to bypass the labels that have stood between the band and fans for years, Anvil created their new record Anvil Is Anvil with a direct-to-fan approach in mind. Recently, the band teamed up with PledgeMusic to assure that fan connection, but unlike other crowdsourcing campaigns put forth by bands in the hopes of amassing a recording budget, Anvil’s campaign strives to do so while truly providing fans with unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and personal, one-on-one opportunities that they will never forget.

SPV News
Press Release Friday November 20th, 2015

Anvil is Anvil! A self-confident statement. A band philosophy. And what’s more: a life motto. Anvil is Anvil, that’s the title of their latest album. And the name says it all: an unambiguous, uncompromising recording, typical of this band. At the same time it’s fresh, occasionally surprising and generally exciting through and through. A stalwart metal manifesto by a band who stand for authenticity and credibility like few others in this fast-lived business. “We’re sometimes criticised for never changing,” guitarist and vocalist Lips explains. “But why should we change something we’re renowned for? Isn’t it much more important to stay faithful to yourself? To do what you do best? The idea behind our latest album is: we are what we are, and that’s how it’s going to stay!” For all Anvil fans, this is the best news of the year. And the all-important date for 2016 has already been scheduled: Anvil is Anvil will be released by Steamhammer/SPV on 26 February 2016. So be sure to mark the day in your diary!

Because Anvil is Anvil presents Lips, drummer Robb Reiner and their new bassist Chris Robertson in a thoroughly magic metal moment. Lips: “Time will tell whether this album is the absolute pinnacle of our career. But I would already refer to it as ´gaining the momentum`. The year 2013 was a perfect new start for Anvil. We were touring, went on to write the new material, toured again and returned to compose some more. During that time, the new line-up gelled into a real unit. The arrival of Chris was just as significant for us as the film back in 2008. He helped me enormously with my vocal lines, which is why my voice sounds better than ever on stage and also in the studio.”

The same could be said of the new material. Anvil is Anvil sounds all of one piece and presents the band’s amazing diversity, combined with their conscious loyalty to the compositional DNA of their own classics. ´Die For A Lie` for example sounds like a contemporary version of ´Jackhammer` and the stomping ´Runaway Train` features the same directives as ´Smoking Green`, only based on Kudlow’s present-day maturity. “I practically graduated from the Bob Marlette University,” the Anvil frontman praises the American producer with whom the band recorded their 2011 release, Juggernaut Of Justice and Hope In Hell (2013). “Bob showed me how to write songs which really mean something. So when I started to compose this time around, I was perfectly groomed.”

Talking of which: Anvil is Anvil was produced by Martin ´Mattes` Pfeiffer (U.D.O.) at the Redhead 4 Studios in Pulheim near Cologne, Germany. For Lips, whose family is Jewish, as is drummer Robb Reiner’s, it was a special moment to work with a German producer in a German studio. “There’s a song on Anvil is Anvil that’s called ´Forgive Don´t Forget`, which says everything about our attitude. Nobody is guilty of anything that happened before their time, especially since Germany has critically examined and come to terms with its own past. Anvil have always been welcome in Germany, even during difficult phases. When we think of Germany, we think of friends, not war criminals.” Lips calls himself an idealist who takes a clear political stance with songs such as ´Gun Control` and ´Die For A Lie` and also denounces the ambiguous role of the church. He says: “Religion is frequently used to involve people in military conflict. Hate in the name of God – that’s just wrong!”

Yet Anvil is Anvil not only touches on sensitive issues but also documents the band’s lust for life, their dynamic musical style and their absolute down-to-earthiness. When Lips delivers the line “Ace of Spades and the joker is wild” on ´It´s Your Move` with a surprisingly realistic Motörhead timbre, it proves his sense of humour and is an homage at the same time (“close friends with Lemmy since 1981, he is definitely part of the family”). And when Anvil invite their fans to the studio to join the choir on ´Daggers And Rum`, it only shows the closeness between the musicians and their fans. “We’ve never recorded a pirate metal shanty such as ´Daggers & Rum` before. I’m sure this number will go down well on the upcoming tour.”

Regarding the cover Robb Reiner ads: "This time around,it was suggested I paint the cover art for the release by brother Lips, after I had come up with the concept and showing him study sketches drawn out. The simple straight to the point composition was much fun to render on canvas in oil. I spent about 6 weeks to complete it"

The new album "Anvil Is Anvil" will be released on February 26th, 2016 (worldwide ex Japan) as a digipak version (+1 bonus track and poster), 2LP gatefold clear version and download.

Hi everyone,

We’re very excited to announce that we are about to begin the recording of our new CD entitled Pounding The Pavement.

We had a very successful PledgeMusic campaign for the last recording and are once again happy to announce we are opening a new campaign. We will offer some of the same items as well as some new and exciting options and opportunities.

The recording will begin in Germany on August 1st, 2017 and will be done by September. The release is set for early 2018. We hope you get involved and take part in what is our 17th studio recording and 40 years of Pounding The Pavement!

Canadian cult metal act ANVIL has completed recording its new album, "Pounding The Pavement". Drummer Robb Reiner states: "The birth of the tracks has yielded much classic ANVIL gold!! Without doubt, all pounders will find songs emerge as their favorites. Mixes of tracks to flow soon for us. [We're] very excited to hear the polished rawness encased in smashing metal!! Big, big thanks to the pledge campaign pounders in supporting the project!"

OCTOBER 22, 2019 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :

Introducing the Anvil BONG...

AFM Records are more than excited to announce “Legal At Last” the new insane album from
Canadians Metal heroes Anvil!

“Legal At Last will be available as digipak, digital, black vinyl and some limited colored vinyl

“Legal At Last” will be out 14th February 2020 via AFM-Records

When it comes to virtues such as endurance, unconditional commitment and a thoroughly down-to-earth attitude, Anvil are the measure of all things. Like few other metal acts, the band surrounding founding members Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow (vocals, guitars) and Robb Reiner (drums), plus bassist Chris Robertson have earned their laurels of blood, sweat and tears. Since their 2009 documentary film The Story Of Anvil, which reveals the unvarnished truth about the music industry, the world has been aware that the day-to-day life of most musicians doesn’t consist of MTV Awards, Grammy ceremonies, red carpets, champagne and caviar but mainly of energy-sapping tours de force with little sleep, junk food and meagre earnings. Yet these difficult conditions have made Anvil what they are today: a band that stands solid as a rock in the turbulent waters of a musical genre that produces like no other music by fans for fans.

Yet their new album is very special to Anvil: “Legal At Last is mainly about two things,” Reiner explains, pointing to the cover artwork with a grin. “We celebrate the legalisation of the Anvil bong because Canada changed its marihuana laws last year, which means we no longer sail close to the wind all the time. That’s why the album title announces that Anvil are legal at last.

Our fans have always known that, but the public at large treated us like criminals for a long time.” Kudlow adds: “Legal At Last is our way of telling the public: ‘It’s okay, Anvil are okay, you’re allowed to like us at last!’”

ANVIL are about to enter the studio to begin recording their new LP. Earlier today (Monday, August 9), the band's guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow tweeted: "Starting our recording of our 19th studio album in Germany tomorrow!! Nice to be back in Europe!!"