Search - Anvil :: This Is Thirteen

Thirteen times lucky for ANVIL!

Sampson Simpson | Canada | 10/17/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Keep on rockin, keep on rockin', to this metal tonight!"



I won't go into the whole Anvil story -- see the movie, and then get this album if you haven't already. Don't get this album because you feel sorry for Anvil and want to help them on their quest for stardom, buy this album because it is one seriously heavy piece of metal brilliance. It's amazing that thirty years on, a band can come up with something as strong or stronger than their classics.



Surely some of the credit must go to veteran knob-twister Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Bruce Dickinson) who produced This Is Thirteen. Tsangarides, if you've heard his past productions, gets a simply great sound and performance out of bands. In particular, heavy bands like Anvil. Everything here sounds great -- the drums are pounding, clear and heavy and the guitars are shredding and crisp. Excellent sounding record!



The songs? Well, originally there were 13 songs...this is Anvil's 13th album, get it? However, some extras were added to this vinyl edition (more on that later). The core 13 songs are pretty damn strong. I would say heavier than the "classic three" Anvil records, but every bit as catchy and memorable. The riffs are the kind that bore their way through the skull into your brain. And Lips plays almost all the guitars here -- clearly, he is not only a talented frontman, but also an underrated shredder.



Bordering on thrash metal at times, and sinking to Sabbathy lows at others, This Is Thirteen gives you a variety of metal to sink your teeth into. Check out the title track "This is Thirteen" for some seriously heavy doom. Sounds like something on Sabbath's Dehumanizer CD, even lyrically. I'm sure Dio would approve. Then skip ahead to something fast and heavy like "Shoulda Woulda Coulda". This Is Thirteen has a little of everything!



Highlights for this listener included the title track, the apocalyptic "Bombs Away", "Burning Bridges", "Feed The Greed", "Room #9" and the three bonus tracks.



I love when bands put bonus tracks on vinyl. It makes the metal geek in me scream in joy. Here there are three:



"Thumb Hang" - a song Lips & Robb wrote in highschool about the Spanish Inquisition. Finally recorded 30 years later, it's actually a pretty decent song!



"Metal On Metal" - re-recorded for that heavier sound, but don't worry, it's not modernized at all. It's a straight remake, just better sounding.



"666" - same deal. The great thing about these re-records is that it allows new Anvil fans to get their two best known songs along with the new album. Pretty genius if you asked me!



My only gripe? Occassionally Lips' voice can be a little grating. I have the same issue when I listen to Megadeth for a couple hours on end. I just can't listen to Mustaine's voice for too long in a row. Lips' voice isn't as grating to me, but too much Anvil and I need to play something else.



Here's the full tracklist for the vinyl version of This Is Thirteen:



SIDE 1

This Is Thirteen

Bombs Away

Burning Bridges

Ready To Fight



SIDE 2

Flying Blind

Room #9

Axe To Grind

Feed The Greed



SIDE 3

Big Business

Should' A Would' A Could' A

Worry

Game Over

American Refugee



SIDE 4

Thumb Hang

Metal On Metal [2009 re-recording]

666 [2009 re-recording]





Four stars"