Illinois Entertainer January 2018 | Page 34

By Kelley Simms MORE ANVIL! Photo by Rudy DeDoncker Anvil E veryone’s favorite Canadian heavy metal band is back. Anvil has been churning out the same riveting proto-metal since 1981 and on the band's 17th full-length album, Pounding the Pavement (out January 19 via SPV/Steamhammer), Anvil does what it has always done best. The 12 new tracks are loaded with sharp, straightforward riffs with recognizable grooves, signature gang- chanted choruses, and fiery guitar solos in true Anvil fashion. Childhood buddies Steve “Lips” Kudlow (guitar/vocals) and Robb Reiner (drums), joined by new bassist Chris Robertson, have been through plenty of hardships throughout their storied career. With a slew of bad record label deals, poor management and a changing musical climate in the ’90s, Anvil wallowed in obscurity. However, after longtime friend and fan, director Sasha Gervasi, made a documentary (Anvil! The Story of Anvil) about the band in 2008, Anvil gained 34 illinoisentertainer.com january 2018 a renewed resurgence and broke through to the mainstream audience. Mosh chatted with Kudlow about the new album, the documentary, his dedication to Anvil and much more. Mosh: Pounding the Pavement is Anvil all the way. What were you trying to achieve with these new tracks? Lips: More Anvil! What else would it be? If you can’t be yourself, who are you going to be? When I look at myself in the m