by Vincent Jeffries
Originally released on the tiny Maximum Records imprint, Worth the Weight introduced Anvil fans to new guitarist Sebastian Marino, the replacement for departed axeman Dave Allison. Considering that this is the only collection of new material that Anvil delivered in the years between 1987 and 1997, it stands to reason that the Toronto outfit took extra care while crafting Worth the Weight, and it shows. Old-school fans might prefer Anvil's earliest releases, but there is no question that this disc is of a higher standard than its predecessors Pound for Pound and Strength of Steel. More focused and explosive than these lesser offerings, Worth the Weight comes close to recapturing Anvil's original Canadian metal magic. From the double-kick-laden &Bushpig& to the tasteful Black Sabbath influence that can be detected throughout, (especially on &Pow Wow& and &Love Me When I'm Dead&) Anvil make a genuine musical comeback on the surprising and hard to find Worth the Weight.