ALBUM: POUNDING THE PAVEMENT
RELEASED: 2018
REVIEWED BY – JOHN ERIGO
http://www.anvil-metal-
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- Steve “Lips” Kudlow – lead vocals, guitars (1978–present)
- Robb “Robbo” Reiner — drums (1978–present)
- Chris Robertson – bass, backing vocals (2014–present)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doNDXL6tiBs
- ICONIC – a word that has been thrown around way too much lately. In the World of music to become Iconic is not an easy task, longevity in the modern music biz seems quite impossible. Standing the test of time is quite a challenge. So I present to you my views on the latest album by a really ICONIC heavy metal band – ANVIL. I’ve written many reviews of ANVIL albums over the years and well, their new album POUNDING THE PAVEMENT is about to come out and further cement their already iconic career.
Before you even get to the music of this new album, the cover artwork should give you a tell tale sign of what is to come – your brain and senses being pile driven into submission! The first thing that jumped out at me as the opening song BITCH IN THE BOX is the ultra stellar production. Someone in Germany needs to go see Joerg Uken and give him a high five and buy him a drink on me! WOW! This is ANVIL’s first album with Joerg at the helm and he has given the band an incredible sound. Lips’ guitars crunch, Christ’s bass ever pounding, and Robb Reiner’s drum just annihilate!!!!! As the album goes on I couldn’t help but notice the use of background vox like I have never heard before on an ANVIL album. Not over powering or so layered they sound fake, but just right, and different moods and pitches. A great touch.
So OK, the sound of the album is just great, now how about the songs? Holy shit this album just flat out kicks ass from start to finish!!! There are subtle nods to old school ANVIL songs – EGO has that Reiner double bass blasting away, the title track POUNDING THE PAVEMENT which is an instrumental, has some MARCH OF THE CRAB type riffs in the background. LET IT GO sounds like it could’ve been on any older ANVIL album. BLACK SMOKE has a great old school vibe to it too. I also caught a few tips of the cap to the influences – DOING WHAT I WANT has a very cool opening riff that sounds like the KISS song PARASITE, SMASH YOUR FACE has a very BLACK SABBATH feel to it, as does WORLD OF TOMORROW(SWEET LEAF-ish guitar riff!!). There’s also the song ROCK THAT SHIT which features a pure rock n roll riff that would make Chuck Berry proud! Quick note – I had a talk with Lips a few years ago about the song BAD ASS ROCK N ROLL which was on the HOPE IN HELL album. I explained my feeling about how ANVIL was always at their best when they incorporated old school, straight up, rock n roll riffs a la Ted Nugent. Well, Lips must’ve liked what I said! LOL! Again, the song writing, production and use of backing vocals really makes this album sound like ANVIL, but not like any other ANVIL album. Let that sink in…….because for all the riffs and styles that remind me of ANVIL’s classic sound, these songs are not re-treads of older songs. It’s a fresh ANVIL, but ANVIL IS ANVIL!
The last thing I’d like to point out about this album is the overall musicianship. This is some of the best musical playing the band has ever presented. All 3 guys just sounding World Class as Robb and Lips are really playing as good, or better than ever, and the addition of Christ on bass has been a brilliant addition to the band. After all these years it is hard to blow me away with an album, but ANVIL has done it again. I look forward to hearing some of these tunes live. Do what you have to do to get this album and of course, see the band live!!!! It might be January, but we might already have the album of the year here!!!!
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