Whitesnake, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeath; Monumental names on the metal Scene, influencing anyone and everyone who has ever donned leather pants, popped a tin-foil wrapped cucumber down the front, strapped on a hideous angular guitar and screamed Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!!!.

It’s odd then that one of the first faces in Sacha Gervasi’s brilliant rockumentary is iconic guitar god Slash telling us that, of all those who rocked, nobody did it harder or better than the still universally un-acclaimed Canadian rockers, Anvil.

After thirty years and 12 albums why are the band still not packing out arenas or, at the very least, supporting some other off prime, non vital and bloated stalwarts of thrash. Lead singer and Drummer Lips and Robb, respectively, formed the band when they were fourteen and they promised that Anvil would last forever and here-in lies the beauty of the film. The sheer determination of spirit is beautiful and when misplaced, very funny.

The obvious cornerstone of rock-comedy film making, the indispensable ghost of Spinal Tap is always lingering. In some weird twist of fate, coinsidence or otherwise, the drummers name is actually Robb Reiner. Gervasi lingers on a shot of super producer Chris Tsangarides turning up the gain on a studio amp to eleven. Even the riff on Anvil’s Metal on Metal is uncannily similar to Tap’s own Big Bottom.

As much as you care for David St.Hubbins and Nigel Tuffnall et all, it really hurts all the more to watch these real life 50 year old people in a true carbon copy situation. Lips’ regular day job of delivering food to school canteens and his attempt at telephone sales are some of the sadest moments in the film. Robb’s tour of a collection of his own sombre paintings devoid of human life is a brilliant moment, especially when all sadness is lifted with one last explanation of a painting hung in the hallway out of sight.

Less focused on bloated ego’s than Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster and with a real heartfelt element at work here, the spirit of people in tough situations is what comes through after seeing Anvil. It’s a very warm and very funny look at exactly what happens if you aren’t in the right place at the right time. Consistently.