Blazing through the slipstream of the Juggernaut Of Justice album and tour success, Canadian metal legends Anvil are back with a new line up and a new album.

Ever-present drummer Robb Reiner is confident that the band’s latest album, Hope In Hell, coming out in May this year, will build upon the success of their recent resurgence and deliver their best release for thirty years. “I can’t say much about it other than it’s fucking awesome!”

Robbo was very relaxed and happy to talk about new bass player Sal Italiano’s input, getting back out on the road, and stepping away from their breakthrough documentary Anvil! The Story Of Anvil.

Continue reading for the interview!

Anvil
Juggernaut of Justice
U.S.: CD | MP3
UK: CD
Produced by Bob Marlette
The End Records
Release date: May 10, 2011

The great thing about Anvil is that no matter what, they will keep on rockin’, keep on poundin’. Where some of their younger contemporaries have embarked on or completed farewell tours, insisting age has claimed another victim, Anvil will keep going.

For years now they have raised the bar for themselves with each new release. On their latest album, Juggernaut of Justice, they have raised that bar very high indeed; these are the best songs Anvil has ever written. After over 30 years together and in the form of their lives, they would be foolish to stop this juggernaut now.

Anvil previewed title and opening track “Juggernaut of Justice” on their Facebook page ahead of release. It’s a storming metal song with a typically catchy lead riff and unyielding rhythm that got me very excited and gave back-up to my argument that Lips is one of the most underrated lead guitarists in metal. The dildo-wielding, naked photo-posing Lips of old may not be around any more, but the most significant difference in him is that Lips is now an even better guitarist. His scintillating solos on the rampaging, Motorhead-esque “On Fire” will bring a smile (and an air guitar) out in all Anvil fans.

Things are going well for metal band Anvil right now. Since the documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil reintroduced the once-forgotten band to the world, fans (including those famous ones) have been eager to hear more from the Canadian metal heroes. May 10, 2011 will prove that since their initial fame in the early 80s, Anvil has continued to rock as they release album number 14: Juggernaut of Justice.

I couldn’t wait to talk with legendary Anvil drummer Robb Reiner and excitedly made the call from my house in England to his studio in Ontario, Canada. A very engaging and openly honest man, Reiner was happy and eager to talk about his beloved band and music that he has been devoted to for over 30 years. With the new album, a Canadian tour on the way, plans to tour Europe this summer, and having been part of “the biggest rock movie ever,” we had plenty to discuss. He also talked with great enthusiasm about the future of metal music, being on tour, starting a revolution, and something called “metal jazz.”

Everyone loves a great underdog story (Rudy! Rudy!); and the story of Canadian heavy metal band Anvil is one of the better ones we’ve seen as of late. Their documentary, Anvil! The Story of Anvil has received almost purely raving reviews (98% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), and has re-entered the band into the public eye, where they surely deserve to be.

In their re-acquired fame, the band — consisting of Steve Kudlow, Robb Reiner, and Glenn Five — have found themselves playing festivals and shows again, recording a new album, and appearing on many different popular talk shows. Better yet, they’ve apparently even netted themselves another movie gig: a cameo appearance in Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry‘s The Green Hornet adaptation. As it turns out, Gondry is one of the many fans of the band and brought them in to film a brief scene where they actually explode while playing a rock club — likely to be the work of a villain that the Hornet will have to pursue and apprehend.

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil
Directed by Sacha Gervasi
Starring Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow, Robb Reiner, Chris Tsangarides
Release date: October 6, 2009

In the big hair and spandex-filled summer of 1984, a huge music tour took Japan by storm. A collection of the world’s biggest metal bands like Twisted Sister, W.A.S.P., Scorpions, Whitesnake, and Bon Jovi were on the bill. Also sharing the stage was Anvil, a young band gaining notoriety and respect thanks to their incredible musicianship and a lead singer who enjoyed playing his guitar with a dildo. After this tour the bands involved continued their ascent to rock stardom each selling millions of records and playing sell-out tours. All, that is, except Anvil. For them it didn’t work out and never again would they reach those heights.

In Anvil! The Story of Anvil metal icons like Scott Ian (Anthrax), Slash (Guns n Roses), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), and Lemmy (Motorhead) talk about how highly they rated Anvil. In the early 80s, Anvil was the band they wanted to emulate, the band that made them perform better, and afterwards the band that they couldn’t believe didn’t make it. But, as Lemmy says here, “You’ve got to be in the right place at the right time.” Anvil never was. After Japan Anvil could have given up playing, content to live off their 15 minutes of fame, ready to tell the grandkids about that brief moment in time they were rock stars. But no: In the decades since, the band has continued to play live shows, record albums and attract new fans. Anvil! The Story Of Anvil documents the band as they continue to try and ‘make it’ and record their 13th studio album, This Is Thirteen.