2011’s Juggernaut Of Justice was a mighty way for Anvil to re-establish their musical credentials after their heartwarming movie had introduced them to whole new audiences worldwide. Hope In Hell continues their bullish renaissance, albeit with no remotely new ideas.
It’s the same basic, good-natured old-school headbang metal with primally satisfying riffs and meathead choruses (‘Shut the fuck up! Shut your trap! Shut the fuck up! You’re full of crap!’), Lips even solemnly intoning ‘See you next Tuesdaaay!’ on Through With You. But if inadvertent megalolz are Anvil’s stock in trade, it’s a by-product of their admirable simplicity and lack of pretension.
So this is yet more meat’n’potatoes heavy metal, Anvil still finding infinitesimal variations on their craft after 32 years and 15 albums, solidly sustaining their recent form except for a few mediocre fillers like Mankind Machine. Special mention for the perpetually ace drumming of Robb Reiner, one of the guiding lights of 80s metal percussion.
