There is more than one artist using the name Anvil:
1) Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band who has influenced many musical groups including Slayer and Metallica. The band's history is chronicled in the 2009 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil.
2) Anvil is a1970s German heavy prog psych band.
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1) - The roots of Anvil began in April 1973 in Toronto, when high school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner began playing music together. They met through friend, guitarist and neighbour Marty Hoffman, but "musical differences" caused his departure after their first show. It was not until 1978 that the first lineup that was to become Anvil was formed: Steve "Lips" Kudlow (lead vocals, lead guitar), Robb Reiner (drums), Dave Allison (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Ian Dickson (bass).
In 1981, the band released an independent album called Hard 'N Heavy. Shortly after they were signed by Attic Records they changed their name to Anvil and the independent album was released by Attic as their debut album. In 1987 they were approached by American label Metal Blade Records. They released three records with Metal Blade Records starting with Strength Of Steel. Strength of Steel was the group's most commercially successful record in the United States, peaking at #191 on the Billboard 200. Anvil were then picked up by Maximum Records, an independent Canadian label that was formed by Helix's manager-at-the-time William Seip. From 1996 they were signed by Hypnotic Records in Canada and Massacre Records in Germany. In 2001, the band recorded "Plenty of Power" and continued touring in which Kudlow remarked "We'll play gigs sometimes where there's no one there".
In 2006, the band recorded with Chris Tsangarides, who previously produced their 1982 album Metal on Metal. The CD was released as This is Thirteen in 2007. The album is available exclusively from the band's official website. KNAC reviewed the album saying that "despite its good intentions, is lacking something solid," and concluded it was a "shame because half of the album rocked solid balls of awesomeness when performed live."
The band's history has been documented in the film Anvil! The Story of Anvil released in 2009. The film has received high praise which has put Anvil back into the public consciousness, propelling them to playing several festivals including the Download Festival in 2009. Rolling Stone called the movie "the year’s most praised rock doc." The band played “Cat Scratch Fever” with Slash and Anthrax’s Scott Ian at the Sundance Film Festival where the movie premiered.
In 2009, Bantam Press released the book Anvil: The Story of Anvil authored by Kudlow and Reiner with a foreword by Slash. On March 28, 2009 Kudlow and Reiner were the featured guests on VH1 Classic's That Metal Show. From June to July 2010, Anvil went on a tour of Europe, selling out venues in the UK, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, as well as festivals in Finland, Sweden, France, Italy and Germany.
The band released 'Juggernaut of Justice', their 14th studio album, on May 10, 2011, care of The End Records. Following the release of the album the band completed yet more tours in Europe and North America, often playing alongside artists such as Alice Cooper and Saxon. The band released a new greatest hits album Monument of Metal: The Very Best of Anvil. Anvil also started re-releasing their old material, starting with Strength of Steel, Pound For Pound, and Worth the Weight later that same year.
In January 2012, bassist Glenn Gyorffy quit Anvil, citing creative differences. He was replaced by Sal Italiano, late of Iron Maiden tribute band Live After Death. Anvil embarked on a 2012 Winter Tour of the US and, in May 2013, released 'Hope in Hell', a studio recording produced by Bob Marlette. At this point, the band had signed with Steamhammer, which would release its next two albums. Anvil toured to promote the new album; they opened for Metallica in Singapore, played Wacken Open Air in Germany, swung through Australia and, in 2014, went on an extensive US tour. In 2014, Raven Banner Entertainment released Louder Than Hell: Wacken, The Movie, a collector's edition DVD of the Wacken concert, featuring Alice Cooper, Anthrax, Anvil, Annihilator, Deep Purple, Henry Rollins, Lamb of God, Motörhead, Rammstein and Trivium. Also in 2014, Anvil parted ways with Sal Italiano and replaced him with Chris Robertson, who was already acting as the band's rehearsal bassist and a member of their road crew.
The album 'Anvil Is Anvil' was released on February 26, 2016; the band toured Europe and Japan in support of it. Anvil continued touring as its seventeenth album, 'Pounding the Pavement', was released on January 19, 2018. Anvil's 18th album, 'Legal at Last', was released on February 14, 2020 by AFM Records. Anvil will be releasing their 19th studio album 'Impact Is Imminent' in May 2022.
2) - Anvil is a1970s German heavy prog psych band, including:
Winfried Borchardt (drums)
Jürgen Ceynowa (bass)
Udo Kamps (rhythm guitar)
Wolfgang Müllers (lead guitar, vocals)
Winfried Zastrau (keyboards, vocals)
Their Mr. Music Man released in 1979, must be one of the last forgotten Krautrock obscurities from the '70.
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