Of course there are bands that have garnered higher chart positions, sold more albums and filled bigger venues than Anvil. Yet there are few metal acts that have earned as much respect from their colleagues as the Canadian act surrounding vocalist/guitarist Steve ´Lips` Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner.
The most renowned Anvil aficionados include, among others, international stars such as Metallica and the late Lemmy of Motorhead, who have expressed their unreserved admiration time and again. The reasons for this evident respect are obvious: since 1978, Anvil have been the epitome of a passionate heavy metal band that refuses to be thrown off course by setbacks, adverse conditions and inconsistencies on the business side of things. Their latest album Pounding The Pavement proves their impressive stamina: never before have Anvil sounded as diverse, determined and inspiring.
Why hasPounding The Pavement turned into such an awesome offering? Kudlow's explanation is simple: 'The songwriting process started immediately after the work on our previous album, Anvil Is Anvil, had been completed,' he says. 'So our thoughts instantly turned to the future again. After Anvil Is Anvil had been cut, everybody knew what we had just delivered and what Anvil's future should sound like.' Despite the diverse range of their ideas, Kudlow, Reiner and their bassist Chris Robertson have succeeded in filling the typical trademarks of this unusual band with life once again – which is an important aspect for every Annvil release, after all tradition and reliability play an essential role in this group. Kudlow: 'Of course we always allow inspirations from earlier recordings to seep in, but always with an emphasis on evolving the characteristic Anvil sound. Lots of fans keep asking us to play the way we did in the so-called good old days. That's why I try from time to time to pick up on that exciting feel of our older material. Mind you, it's always exclusively about the basic atmosphere of that time, never about copying an older song.'
Pounding The Pavement was produced at the Soundlodge studios in Rhauderfehn in the northwest of Germany, where Anvil found not only the necessary peace and seclusion to concentrate on their recordings, but also met in studio owner Jorg Uken the ideal producer for their ambitioned work. Talking of which: the programmatic album title Pounding The Pavement is a synonym for the consistently serious challenge of ensuring Anvil's financial survival. Kudlow: 'I feel nothing could describe the way we've been working for the past forty years better than Pounding The Pavement: Anvil have tried for four decades to earn enough money to survive and continue to make music.'
The new album "Pounding The Pavement" will be released on January 19, 2018 through SPV/Steamhammer as a digipak version (+1 bonus track and poster), 2LP gatefold coloured version, download and stream.
Tracklisting:
1. Bitch In The Box 4:29
2. Ego 2:57
3. Doing What I Want 3:17
4. Smash Your Face 4:20
5. Pounding The Pavement 3:05
6. Rock That Shit 3:21
7. Let It Go 3:00
8. Nanook Of The North 5:57
9. Black Smoke 3:26
10. World Of Tomorrow 4:37
11. Warming Up 3:03
Riot Documentary Part 1-Streaming Video, Watch Online Now
'Fight or Fall' is a multi part documentary, it tells the complex tale of the Riot story and follows Riot V as they tour, the USA, Canada with festivals Japan and Europe.
Part 1 covers the formation of Riot, 'Rock City', 'Narita' eras and the demise and resurrection of the band for their most popular album 'Fire down under Album'
The first installment also covers Riot V on tour on their US dates and their trek into Chicago and Detroit.
A film by Jimmy Kay, produced by Jimmy Kay and Giles Lavery for The Metal Voice
Guests included in Part 1
Steve 'Lips' Kudrow- Anvil
Martin Popoff- Rock Author
Anthony Reale- Mark Reale's Father
Brian Thomas -Halloween
Mike Flyntz- Riot V and Riot guitarist
Donnie Van Stavern- Riot V and Riot Bassist
Frank Gilchriest- Riot V and Riot Drummer
Todd Michael Hall- Riot V Vocalist
Nick Lee-Guitar- Riot V
Lou A Kouvaris- Riot Guitarist (1976-1978)
Rick Ventura- Riot Guitarist (1978-1983)
Phil Feit- Riot Bassist (1974-1976) (1979-1980), Billy Idol, Joan Jett
Peter Bitelli- Riot Drums (1972-1980)
Filmmaker Jimmy Kay had this to say about the project," In this documentary, the viewer gets to watch the band travel in the first person from city to city, playing club and festivals shows. It captures the brotherhood, the continuation of Riot and bridges the two entities together (Riot and Riot V). The documentary also aims to explain the Riot story and legacy. "
Giles Lavery co-producer concluded,"The story of Riot is one of the most unique and inspiring in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, the story has many twists and turns along the way, but the songs were and are always at forefront as some of the best in hard rock and heavy metal."
RIOT V's debut "Unleash The Fire", was released in October 2014 . The CD marked the first release from RIOT without the late, great founding guitarist Mark Reale, who passed away in 2012 due to complications of Crohn's disease . Riot V was encouraged by father of Mark Reale to forge ahead in his honor.
RIOT V is working on the follow-up to "Unleash The Fire" and preparing for live dates later in 2017.
