[2] The band currently consists of founding members guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner, along with bassist Chris Robertson who joined in 2014.

As of 2024, the band has released twenty studio albums; they have been cited as having influenced many notable heavy metal groups including Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica.

[3] Reviewers described Anvil as a pioneering heavy metal band which was popular in the 1980s but then faded into obscurity in the 1990s, while refusing to stop playing, recording, and gigging.

[12] In 1987 the band was signed with American label Metal Blade Records by William Howell, a fan who became a DJ with KNAC radio.

Hypnotic and Massacre released the albums, Plugged in Permanent (1996),[15] Absolutely No Alternative (1997), Speed of Sound (1999), Plenty of Power (2001) and Still Going Strong (2002).

Guitarist Ivan Hurd left the band at this point to settle down with his new wife, Anvil's former tour manager Tiziana Arrigoni.

The film garnered critical acclaim from many major publications; Rolling Stone called it "the year's most praised rock doc.

The high praise for the movie[20] put Anvil back into the public consciousness,[21] and brought the band opening slots with AC/DC[22] and Saxon, as well as appearances at major festivals, including the Download,[23][24] Hellfest,[25] Bumbershoot[26] and SXSW.

Anvil played the Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, in 2009 and opened for AC/DC at their first few summer Black Ice World Tour shows (North American leg II).

[33][34] After the release of the album the band completed yet more tours in Europe and North America, often playing alongside artists such as Alice Cooper[35] and Saxon.

Kudlow said that in some songs he was inspired by his love of heavy rock'n'roll, which made him feel he "found his way home",[16] to the time when they did their first record.

[44] 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.