Review : ANVIL – “Juggernaut of Justice”

May 022011

Anvil – Juggernaut of Justice
Release: 2011May10 (US)
Label: The End Records
Rating: 3.5/5

I write about this new Anvil album the day after Osama bin Laden was reportedly killed. With all the years of confusion, missteps, and eventual successes, it’s a perfect parallel for the Canadian trio’s fourteenth full-length whose name, Juggernaut of Justice, even sounds like how the United States imagines itself when policing the world.

Anyway, this is all coincidence, I assure you. It seems like every little thing happens to Anvil by chance, despite their best intentions. Their surprise-hit documentary chronicling their career of plague and promise helped catapult the veterans back into the spotlight, and they’ve been been doling out their traditionally-minded proto-thrash to massive, fresh audiences for a couple years now. They hit multiple European metal fests, including the ever-growing Wacken Open Air, but I actually caught them at the second annual Heavy MTL concert. A photo album with 147 pics can be seen here, but not a one commemorates Anvil—we rested instead.

And that’s really the size of it: the band just doesn’t get me on my feet. True, Juggernaut sounds as huge as its name, and is among their better recordings in terms of sonic quality. So if you’re reflexively into the old school, start getting psyched—the mighty leading title track, as well as “Turn It Up” and “This Ride” are all about kicking ass forever, regardless of age… fukeneh!

But damn, dudes—there’s a lot of points that need to be acknowledged. First and foremost, “On Fire” is fucking literally “Burn” by Deep Purple, in more ways than one. I’m not sure if this is a sly jab or Lips’ unconscious working overtime, but yeah, that happens. “Paranormal” is admittedly “Sabbathian” (by drummer Robb Reiner himself) and good for them to experiment with different sounds, but I didn’t think it felt right and it drags on for seven long minutes. I was actually more okay with their jazzy instrumental conclusion “Swing Thing”—complete with horns—that sounds like three missing minutes from a King Crimson “21st Century Schizoid Man” jam session. And a tune like “Conspiracy” is just half-researched political talk that could be omitted, but “New Orleans Voodoo” actually works, and must have been a Wikipedia workout.

I feel pretty much the same as I did about the last album by Raven—another resurrected trio who overcame a mountain of adversity: it’s well-produced, raucous fun that’s somewhat overlong, but you wish them the best, always. This is one of many albums being released on my birthday this year. Regardless of its sometimes ruthless nature, the longer I stay in this Metal business, the more faith I have in justice… you know, in the long run.

FCC: 5
Try: 1, 3, 6, 7

01. Juggernaut Of Justice
02. When Hell Breaks Loose
03. New Orleans Voodoo
04. On Fire
05. Fukeneh
06. Turn It Up
07. The Ride
08. Not Afraid
09. Conspiracy
10. Running
11. Paranormal
12. Swing Thing

~MetalMattLongo

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Anjohl

I heard them live last night, they played New Orleans, On Fire, Juggernaut of Justice, and the Title Track. The latter was the weakest, the other 3 were great. On Fire is a fantastic tune.