By now I think everyone is familiar with the story of Canadian rockers
Anvil. One time brightest hopes of the Canadian metal scene cast into bleak obscurity for no discernable reason only to be brought screaming back into the lime light with the help of the documentary
Anvil! The Story Of
Anvil.
It's heartening to see
Anvil get the kind of success they have deserved after so long in the game. It's not like they are touring stadiums or anything but when you see them play their hearts out in a packed club in front of 300 or so ravenous fans you realise that they are enjoying every second of the resurgence.
In saying this however, I will admit that I thought that This Is Thirteen (the album that featured heavily in the film) was a very average release. There were some great songs on it but overall it didn't stand up to repeated listens. Still, I had high hopes for the follow up as perhaps an increased recording budget and less external pressure was exactly what the band needed.
On listening to the bands 14
th effort
Juggernaught Of Justice, there definitely seems to be a renewed sense of confidence and purpose about the band. The vast majority of songs on the record are short, punchy and clock in at less than four minutes.
Take for example the title track that opens the album. It's a condensed slice of traditional heavy metal that manages to pack plenty of riff and lead guitar action into its short running time. Lips vocals sound more powerful than on the bands more recent releases, which is without doubt a good thing. No one will ever proclaim him to be one of the metal vocal greats but he does a solid job on this record.
When
Hell Breaks Loose picks up the tempo with some excellent drumming from Rob Reiner. It's still a little sad that Rob doesn't get more recognition for his efforts behind the kit, as he really is a talented individual. He is one of the main beneficiaries of the production talents of the in-demand Bob Marlette as the drums pack some wallop. Just one listen to the thumping
New Orleans Voodoo will convince you of that. In fact it's the strong musical performance that helps this song overcome the strong whiff of cheese in the lyrics, they do seem almost a little too silly at points.
The album then shoots into overdrive for the next few songs as
On Fire (who's riff is perhaps a little too similar to
Burn by
Deep Purple for comfort), the fun
Fucken Eh! and in particular the thrashing, guitar harmonic filled
Turn It Up show that there is still a great wealth of song writing talent stored in this group.
This Ride brings with it some classic Where Eagles Dare-esque drumming and also some subtle keyboards in the background of the chorus that enhance the song no end. The song also showcases more of Lips economical but no less impressive soloing capabilities.
Just like most
Anvil album, there are a few tracks that don't measure up. But this time round even the average tracks like
Not Afraid and
Conspiracy have their moments. There is never any need to reach for that skip button, mostly due to the compressed, taut feel of the material not giving your mind much time to wander.
In saying that, it's almost ironic that my favourite song on the album and indeed its showstopper is the sprawling seven-minute doom extravaganza that is
Paranormal.
Anvil have always had a gift for sludgy, doom-filled moments and this is on of their best. The song feels like it was concocted in an ancient cauldron containing some foul smelling, tar-like black liquid with copies of Master Of Reality and Paranoid just visible on it's surface. Its slow, evil riffs will overwhelm you and demand that you listen to it again and again. In fact I haven't heard the spirit of Iommi, Butler and Ward channelled so effectively since the last
Candlemass album.
It's a bit of a shame that the atmospheric overload of Paranormal doesn't close the album on a high. Instead there is a bit of a throwaway instrumental in
Swing Thing to negotiate first. It's no March Of The Crabs or
White Rhino but may not have seemed to superfluous if it was tucked away in the middle of the album rather than being it's end point.
All in all Juggernaught Of Justice is a storming release for a band that has been on the go for 30 years. It displays a great mix of song writing maturity matched by a youthful vigour that would shame some newer bands. Hopefully it will prove to anyone who would dismiss the bands revival as a trendy fad that there is plenty of life left in these old rockers yet.
Written by
Stuart Wednesday, August 3, 2011
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