ANVIL – Metal on Metal 12" Vinyl LP Album

- The thunderous 1982 Attic Records classic that forged the future of heavy metal

Album Front Cover Photo of ANVIL - Metal On Metal Visit: https://vinyl-records.nl/

Released in 1982, "Metal on Metal" by Anvil isn’t just another slab of molten Canadian steel—it’s the sound of four guys pounding their souls into analog grooves while the rest of the world was still figuring out what heavy metal really meant. This album roars like a busted chainsaw in a blizzard, full of sweaty riffs, sledgehammer drums, and unfiltered passion. Before Metallica or Slayer sharpened their axes, Anvil was already forging the blueprint—loud, fearless, and gloriously rough around the edges. Pure, unrefined, glorious chaos on vinyl.

Table of Contents

"Metal on Metal" Album Description:

"Metal on Metal" is ANVIL's was released in 1982. The album is considered one of the band's best works and a classic in the heavy metal genre. The album features ten tracks that showcase ANVIL's signature sound, with heavy guitar riffs and powerful drumming.

The album's title track, "Metal on Metal," is perhaps the most iconic song on the album. The track features an instantly recognizable riff and a chorus that is easy to sing along to. The song's lyrics are a celebration of heavy metal, with lines like "Metal on metal, it's what I crave / The louder the better, I'll turn in my grave."

Another standout track on the album is "Mothra." The song starts with a slow, ominous guitar riff before building up to a fast-paced, headbanging section. The song's lyrics are inspired by the Godzilla film franchise and feature references to the giant moth creature of the same name.

"March of the Crabs" is another track on the album that has become a fan favorite. The song starts with a catchy guitar riff that is reminiscent of crabs scurrying across the sand. The track's fast-paced drumming and guitar solos make it a perfect song for headbanging.

"Metal on Metal" was released during a time when heavy metal was becoming more mainstream. The album's high-energy, heavy sound helped to solidify ANVIL's place in the genre and influenced many other heavy metal bands. The album's title track, "Metal on Metal," has become an anthem for heavy metal fans and is often played at metal concerts and festivals.

ANVIL's influence on heavy metal can be seen in the work of many other bands that came after them. Bands like Metallica and Slayer have cited ANVIL as an influence, and Metallica's Lars Ulrich has called ANVIL "the godfathers of thrash metal."

New ANVIL - Metal On Metal feature article on thrash metal origins vinyl-records.nl
How Anvil’s “Metal on Metal” Forged the Sound of Thrash Metal

Dive into the untold story of how Anvil’s 1982 masterpiece "Metal on Metal" inspired the birth of thrash metal and lit the fuse for Metallica’s rise. Explore the album’s raw power, underground legacy, and the enduring spirit that shaped a generation of heavy metal.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

Canadian Heavy Metal Rock

Canadian Heavy Metal in the early 1980s fused the raw energy of traditional heavy metal with fast-paced, riff-driven guitar work and powerful vocals. Bands like Anvil helped pioneer a sound that influenced the development of thrash and speed metal scenes worldwide.

Label & Catalognr:

ATTIC Records – Cat#: LAT 1130

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" LP Vinyl Stereo
Total Weight: 230g

Year & Country:

1982 – Canada

Producers:
  • Chris Tsangarides – Producer (Pondwater Music)
    Chris Tsangarides was a Grammy-nominated producer and sound engineer whose fingerprints are all over heavy metal’s golden age. From Judas Priest to Thin Lizzy, his studio wizardry shaped iconic albums with raw power and clarity. Discover the man behind the metal in this full biography .
    Known for his sharp ear for heavy guitar tones, Tsangarides worked with leading artists such as Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, and Tygers of Pan Tang. His production style became synonymous with the classic metal sound of the 1980s.
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Joe Primeau – Sound Engineer
    Canadian studio engineer who contributed to several Attic Records productions, recognized for maintaining clarity in high-energy metal mixes.
  • Andrew Warwick – Sound Engineer
    Known for his work with Canadian hard rock and emerging metal acts in the early 1980s, Warwick also contributed to the album’s visual presentation as cover designer.
Mastering Engineer:
  • Ian Cooper – Mastering Engineer
    British mastering expert with a prolific career spanning multiple genres. Cooper worked on recordings for artists including David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, ensuring sonic precision and commercial sound balance.
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Andrew Warwick – Album Cover Design
    His visual layout for “Metal on Metal” captures the band’s raw power through stark metallic imagery and bold typography.
  • Dean Motter – Artwork
    A well-known Canadian designer and illustrator, Motter is celebrated for his work in album art and comic book design. His collaborations include projects with Rush and CBS Records.
Photography:
  • Craig Stephen – Photography
    Canadian rock photographer active in the 1980s, capturing defining images of bands in Toronto’s rising metal scene.
  • Roberta Terzolo – Photography
    Known for her candid and energetic portraits of live performances, Terzolo’s photos helped document the early heavy metal movement in Canada.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up (Part 1):
  • Lips (Steven Barry "Lips" Kudlow) – Lead Vocals, Guitars
    Founder and creative force behind Anvil, Kudlow’s energetic riffs and gravel-edged vocals defined the band’s sound. Despite early commercial struggles, his perseverance made Anvil a cult favorite, later celebrated in the 2008 documentary "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", which revitalized their international recognition.
  • Dave Allison – Guitars
    Co-founding guitarist known for his tight rhythm playing and melodic solos. Allison contributed to the band’s first three albums before departing in the late 1980s. His songwriting helped shape Anvil’s early sound on tracks like “Stop Me” and “School Love.”
Band Line-up (Part 2):
  • Ian Dickson – Bass
    Bassist providing the low-end backbone of Anvil’s first era, Dickson’s driving tone and precision anchored the heavy twin-guitar attack. After leaving Anvil in the late 1980s, he remained involved in local Canadian music circles.
  • Robb Reiner – Drums
    Often praised for his speed and technical skill, Reiner is regarded as one of early heavy metal’s most underrated drummers. His powerful double-bass drumming influenced future thrash metal legends like Lars Ulrich of Metallica. Reiner continues to tour and record with Anvil, solidifying his status as the band’s rhythmic cornerstone.

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Metal on Metal (3:56) Anthem/Single
    Released as a single and became one of Anvil’s defining anthems — a raw, pounding celebration of heavy metal itself.
  2. Mothra (5:08)
    Inspired by the Japanese monster movie, this track showcases Anvil’s humor and larger-than-life metal storytelling.
  3. Stop Me (5:29)
    A mid-tempo rocker featuring a lead vocal performance by guitarist Dave Allison.
  4. March of the Crabs (2:32)
    An instrumental highlight emphasizing Robb Reiner’s drumming power and the tight coordination between guitars and rhythm. A proto-thrash favorite.
  5. Jackhammer (3:32)
    A fierce, relentless track that delivers one of the album’s heaviest and most enduring performances.
Video: Anvil - Metal On Metal (Live)
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Heat Sink (3:58)
    Fast-paced and technically driven, a fan favorite showcasing the band’s speed-metal instincts.
  2. Tag Team (4:11)
    A heavy metal brawler with riffs that feel like wrestling holds set to music. Featured on the *Brütal Legend* soundtrack.
  3. Scenery (4:45)
    An original track with strong riffs and a powerful rhythm section.
  4. Tease Me, Please Me (4:57)
    A gritty hard rock anthem that became a crowd favorite during live shows.
  5. 666 (4:46)
    The powerful closing track, cited as one of Anvil's earliest ventures into a darker, more aggressive, proto-thrash style.
Video: Anvil - 666
Album Front Cover Photo
The front cover of Anvil’s 1982 album Metal on Metal shows a dynamic close-up of a circular power saw slicing into a gleaming steel anvil, releasing a burst of golden-orange sparks and misty blue vapor. The band’s bold red angular logo appears above the scene, contrasted against the dark background. The composition conveys raw metallic energy, sound, and power, perfectly symbolizing the spirit of heavy metal.

The front cover of the 1982 Attic Records release "Metal on Metal" by Anvil captures pure industrial energy frozen in motion. A close-up image depicts a heavy-duty circular saw grinding into a solid steel anvil, sending an explosion of bright golden sparks flying across a dark background.

The saw’s metallic surface glows under blue lighting, while mist and vapor rise dramatically from the impact point, evoking the heat and ferocity of the band’s sound. The scene conveys both violence and artistry—mechanical precision meeting raw, untamed force.

Above the sparks, the word “Metal on Metal” appears in cold blue lettering, balanced by the bold red Anvil logo rendered in sharp, angular typography that resembles forged steel. Together, these visual elements perfectly symbolize the band’s identity—uncompromising, powerful, and unapologetically heavy.

Album Back Cover Photo
The back cover of Anvil’s 1982 album Metal on Metal shows the four band members standing against a dark background, lit by cool blue stage lighting. From left to right: Lips in black leather with his signature chain belt, Robb Reiner in leather jacket and jeans, Ian Dickson in dark gear with a stoic look, and Dave Allison in a denim vest covered in metal badges and a confident pose. Above them, the album’s track list glows in yellow-orange text, and production credits are printed below, completing a classic early-’80s heavy metal aesthetic.

The back cover of Anvil’s 1982 Metal on Metal album captures the raw defiance and unity of the band at their creative peak. The four musicians stand shoulder to shoulder in striking blue-toned lighting, framed against a nearly black backdrop that accentuates their leather-and-denim attire.

From left to right: Lips (Steven “Lips” Kudlow) wears black leather and a chain belt, holding his signature confident stance; Robb Reiner appears focused, arms crossed, exuding cool precision; Ian Dickson stands calm but intense in dark clothing; and Dave Allison adds contrast in a light denim vest adorned with patches and chains, embodying early heavy metal’s rebellious fashion.

Above the group, the track list glows in bold yellow-orange type, while detailed production credits line the bottom — acknowledging producer Chris Tsangarides, mastering engineer Ian Cooper, and photographer Craig Stephen. It’s a portrait not just of a band, but of a movement — gritty, unfiltered, and proudly loud.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
The custom inner sleeve of Anvil’s 1982 album Metal on Metal is a vivid collage of live concert photos, candid backstage shots, and personal snapshots from the band’s early days. Spread across the sleeve are overlapping color and black-and-white images—guitarists mid-solo, sweat-drenched drummers, screaming fans, and playful portraits pinned like a wall of memories. It radiates youthful chaos, humor, and the gritty camaraderie that defined Anvil’s rise from Toronto’s underground heavy metal scene.

The custom printed inner sleeve for Anvil’s 1982 album Metal on Metal explodes with life and movement — a visual scrapbook of the band’s wild journey. A dense collage of photographs and contact sheets is scattered across the surface, mixing live stage shots, recording sessions, and candid moments.

Images overlap chaotically: guitars blazing under stage lights, sweat-soaked faces caught mid-scream, and snapshots of laughter, exhaustion, and youthful rebellion. Some photos are in vivid color, others in gritty black and white, pinned and layered as if on a studio bulletin board, forming a tactile memory map of early 1980s heavy metal.

The sleeve captures Anvil’s essence — unpolished, energetic, and authentic. It’s more than packaging; it’s a photographic love letter to their beginnings, immortalizing the chaos and camaraderie that powered Metal on Metal.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of Side One label for Anvil's 1982 album Metal on Metal on Attic Records LAT 1130, showing the Attic logo resembling a half-moon attic window with stylized red text, printed on a cream background with black rim text. The tracklist includes 'Metal on Metal,' 'Mothra,' 'Stop Me,' 'March of the Crabs,' and 'Jackhammer.' The label states Produced & Engineered by Chris Tsangarides, and bears ℗ 1982 Attic Records Ltd with all rights reserved around the perimeter.

The Side One label of Anvil’s Metal on Metal album features a clean cream-colored background with bold black text and the distinctive Attic Records logo at the top. The logo is a stylized red wordmark set inside a semi-circular frame resembling an attic window, symbolizing the label’s name.

Below, the album title, tracklist, and technical credits are centered neatly. The track listing includes “Metal on Metal,” “Mothra,” “Stop Me,” “March of the Crabs,” and “Jackhammer.” The catalog number LAT 1130 is printed clearly on the left, with Side One on the right.

Around the outer rim appears the standard copyright warning text in red: “All rights of the manufacturer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved – unauthorised public performance, broadcasting, and copying of this record prohibited.” The label indicates ℗ 1982 Attic Records Ltd and includes production credit to Chris Tsangarides for Bucket Music Ltd.

This pressing was manufactured in Canada, typical of Attic’s early 1980s issues, known for their high-quality vinyl and minimalistic yet precise label typography.

Canadian Label
Colours
Cream background with black and red print
Design & Layout
Minimalistic central layout; track list and credits aligned center with symmetrical side headers
Record company logo
Stylized red “attic” text within a grey semi-circular window frame resembling an attic window arch
Band/Performer logo
Not shown on the label; only printed on the album cover
Unique features
Distinctive attic window logo; red perimeter copyright text; catalog number and side printed in bold capitals
Side designation
“SIDE ONE” printed in uppercase on right-hand side
Rights society
Not indicated
Catalogue number
LAT 1130
Rim text language
English
Track list layout
Five tracks listed vertically in block text, each with duration in parentheses
Rights info placement
Printed in red text along the outer edge
Pressing info
Manufactured in Canada by Attic Records Ltd
Background image
Plain cream surface with no background imagery

Index of ANVIL Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

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