Great Metal Albums of 1982: Anvil- Metal on Metal


The other night I was watching Anvil performing the title track to their 1982 album, “Metal on Metal” and it got me thinking about the now famous Anvil Documentary that came out a few years back. Many bands admitted that they were blown away by Anvil back in the day and seeing their performance on You tube, I now know why. They were just so full of energy and the way they played was just mind blowing. I wished I could have seen them back then. Fortunately, their first three studio albums were just as mind blowing, including this one.

While I can easily say that all the songs on “Metal on Metal” are mind blowing metal anthems, it is the title track that I like best. Seeing it performed live only makes it that much sweeter. It’s just metal as metal was intended. However, it is likewise for the rest of the album as well. I get the distinct impression that the band had a good time recording this one. “Mothra,” “Jackhammer” and “Heat Sink” all fall in line with the title track, all great head bangers. The instrumental “March of the Crabs” show that these guys can actually play. One thing I do find surprising is the closer “666.” I’m surprised that it hasn’t appeared on an American fundamentalist Christian hit list, just for the title alone. The other reason I’m surprised the album hasn’t appeared on the same list is that “Metal on Metal” is what metal was meant to be. If someone with no experience of metal, who wanted to hear it in its purest form, this would be one of the albums I would reach for.

Track Listing:

1. Metal on Metal

2. Mothra

3. Stop Me

4. March of the Crabs

5. Jackhammer

6. Heat Sink

7. Tag Team

8. Scenery

9. Tease Me Please Me

10. 666



Steve ‘Lips’ Kudrow- vocals, guitar

Dave Allison- guitar, vocals on “Stop Me”

Ian Dickson- bass

Rob Reiner- drums

One observation I’ve made about Anvil today and was probably true back in the early 1980s, was that people either loved them or hated them. No prizes for guessing which side I’m on. Even when they played Bloodstock in 2012, these things were said. All I know is that their first three albums were all killer ones and though I didn’t experience them until 1984, I was glad for the opportunity.

Next post: Girlschool- Screaming Blue Murder

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20 Responses to “Great Metal Albums of 1982: Anvil- Metal on Metal”

  1. Never knew them until the documentary but agree fully on this album’s glories. How the heck did I miss them back then? It would have been right up my alley.


  2. Solid review Metalman! Growing up in Canada in the early 80s Anvil with the first three records had a real good run. Metal On Metal blew my mind for the fact that a band came out Canada sounding that heavy! No AOR Fodder there! Ha!


  3. Just based on what I’ve seen from their early ’80s performances in the Anvil! movie, Rob Reiner seems to be a really influential drummer who has never really got his due. Lots of chops and super-fast double kick playing.


  4. I’m too young to have seen any of this stuff first hand but I have a soft spot for Anvil. I remember checking them out in like 2004/2005 when I was in a massive Thrash Metal mood and people kept saying how you can’t like Thrash without liking bands like Raven and Venom and Anvil who influenced it. They definitely gave off a good impression. Never actually bought any of their music until the documentary came out admittedly.

    They’ve got that Dragonforce curse that snobs will always say ‘oh they’re just a novelty because of why people now know about them’ instead of just enjoying the fact that theyre good in and of themselves.


  5. This popped in my mail box yesterday and I immediately started listening to some old Anvil. I first heard Anvil around 83-84 and fell for Metal on Metal! I followed their videos on TV but rarely had the chance to hear new Anvil because they weren’t popular.

    I hate when people say they suck. Listen to Lips’ shredding and Robb’s drums. YOU play that.


    • Exactly, I have heard people say they are shockingly bad and their live performance is amateurish and they don’t deserve to be on the same stage as the bands they get to play with. I say the same thing you do, “You Play That!”


  6. I remember when they first came out. Q107 was the hard rock station back then, and they got alot of airplay. Then they seemed to disappear.
    I can only assume that like most Canadian bands, they had the talent, but because our polpulation is much smaller, and the record companies never seem to promote them as much as American or British bands, they never seemed to make it.
    To bad, they could have morohed into.the next Metallica, Slayer or Megadeth if they would have been born elsewhere.


    • You hit the nail on the head. All of the bands you mention state that they drew inspiration from Anvil. Have you seen the documentary? It is a shame they never made it because they would have been just as important as all those bands.


  7. Hell to the yeah 80’s metal man Anvil was my first taste of hard heavy metal back in the 80’s! This was before I had listened to Motley Crüe. This is an excellent review now I’m off to search for the documentary now that you have my curiosity peaked. 😃🎶


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