Recent Reviews

February 2025

January 2025

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Anvil: Impact Is Imminent
Anvil - Impact Is Imminent Album Art

Anvil: Impact Is Imminent

Heavy/Power/Thrash Metal
4.0/5.0

Facebook
AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.05.2022 | Released: 20.05.2022

Anvil is Anvil. Anvil is Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Steiner. Has been since 1981. Yup. That's better than 40 years. Both founders are pushing their late Sixties. So, I guess, the days of Kudlow sporting a cod piece and sawing his guitar with a vibrator are gone. Perhaps not the latter. Anvil returns with their latest and nineteenth(!) studio album Impact Is Imminent, also continuing their tradition of (mostly) alliterated titles.

Anvil Click For Larger Image

Anvil

I won't bore my readers with a lengthy elaboration of Anvil's metal style. We all know it. Traditional heavy metal infused with thrash and power metal and undergirded by rock groove. The latter element seems to be heightened across this album. Of course, Kudlow gets to show off his fine guitar skills. He's perhaps one of the most underrated axe man in the genre. (And shows no chance of slowing down.)

Impact Is Imminent is a long album: 14 songs over about 50 minutes. While this makes me wish for the 40 minute vinyl recording of yesteryear, the album moves along rather quickly. Anvil being Anvil, you'll find many songs to be their classic heavy, speed metal: Ghost Shadow, Someone To Hate, or The Rabbit Hole. Conversely, Lockdown and Fire Rain may dial things down a tad, but not by much. But, by far, the most entertaining, and perhaps unique songs are seabag and Gomez. Mostly instrumental, the songs remind of a blend of metal and big band groove with some jazzy moments. The bass work from Robb Steiner is particularly creative and exciting. Are the songs some kind of new direction for Anvil? If you're thinking that silly moment within Spinal Tap were the band attempts free-form jazz, the answer is a hearty, no. But you could buy the album just for these two songs.

All said, Anvil's Impact Is Imminent is another consistent studio album of their traditional heavy, thrashy, power metal, with a twist or two. If your a fan, definitely get this album. Recommended.

BTW: For American fans: A US Tour begins June 1, running through the end of July,2020. Check the link for more info.




CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Take Away

Anvil's Impact Is Imminent is another consistent studio album of their traditional heavy, thrashy, power metal, with a twist or two. If your a fan, definitely get this album. Recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Wildness: Avenger Album Review

Now entering their second decade in music biz, Sweden's Wildness returns with latest and fourth studio album, Avenger. Band personnel has remained consistent for the last four years with the addition of Erik ... [ Read More ]

Final 2024 Stats
  • Views: 183,179
  • Active Users: 42,647
  • New Users: 41,384K
  • Event Count: 539,663

    • Source: Google Analytics