Metal on Metal

The exceptional 2008 documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil poses the question of why Canadian blacksmiths Anvil never got as big as their Me Decade metal contemporaries, and the answer is a simple one: they weren’t as good. Still, this second flurry of hammer blows makes the best case for their inclusion in at least the lower tiers of the metal god pantheon. “Metal on Metal” is, of course, their anthem for the ages, a clanging post-Priest piece of pro-rock propaganda that sounds like Dee Snider looks with the make-up off. Kaiju clash “Mothra” is the other standout, the second-best ode to a giant rubber monster in hard rock history. The unnecessary instrumental rocks unnecessarily, there’s an enjoyable ode to the devil’s area code, and all the expected tropes fit snugly in place. The cover art won a Juno, proving Canadians do have a sense of humor.