Comment if you'd heard of Anvil BEFORE you heard about this movie
Tilte says it all. Just wanting to see how well known thwy actually were. I was only aware of them by name.
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Their image and profile of the time was described pretty accurately in the film. I saw them at the Reading Rock Festival and they pretty high up on the bill. They can be seen as a bridge between the New wave of British Heavy metal and the increasingly ludicrous American big hair cock rock stadium bands of the late 80s.
shareThey can be seen as a bridge between the New wave of British Heavy metal and the increasingly ludicrous American big hair cock rock stadium bands of the late 80s.
I'd go one further and say they were pioneers of thrash/speed metal. I mean, they were around before any of the Big Four, and that one critic said that Anvil and Metal on Metal pretty much kick-started the whole Thrash movement
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Well, Motorhead & Venom predate Anvil and were more influential in that vein. Exodus also predate the so-called "Big Four" (speaking of which, it's a disgrace to consider Megadeth one of the Four in lieu of Exodus), and also were more influential in the thrash scene. One should probably include Overkill in that category, as well. Anvil was a true heavy metal band, but lost their way a bit when, as youngian correctly points out, they began to drift towards the awful American glam rock (refuse to call them metal) scene, which alienated some of their fans who, perhaps, drifted towards the aforementioned thrash scene along with Slayer, Metallica, Exodus, etc.
shareHave you heard some of Anvil's late 90s stuff? (i.e. Plugged in Permanent, Plenty of Power, Speed of Sound etc.) Some of that is really heavy, definitely thrash metal.
To the rational mind, nothing is inexplicable - only unexplained.
No, I have not. I was one of those who, beginning in the early 80's, was continually drawn to heavier music. I hadn't listened to Anvil since those early years. Once death metal really got going in the late 80's I've not listened to much else since. Having been into heavy music for about 30 years now, though, I certainly have a lot of respect for the forefathers, Anvil among them. Hell, few things make me happier than breaking out some old Judas Priest. I was really impressed with this Anvil doc, good stuff.
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