Anvil are planning to release their 13th album

Canadian rockers Anvil, who spent years in obscurity before a film about their struggle became a hit, have been chosen as the support act for AC/DC.

The band will be the sole secondary act for the rock giants at two stadium concerts in the US next month.

Their dogged determination to succeed was captured in rockumentary The Story of Anvil, a film festival hit.

The band has played a series of concerts across the US, and will play at the Download Festival this weekend.

Commercial failure

Anvil is due to return to the US after its visit to the UK with performances at the three-day Rocklahoma Festival next month.

The band is due to share the bill with rock acts including Anthrax and Twisted Sister.

AC/DC scored a UK number album with Black Ice in November

The DVD release of the Anvil documentary has been brought forward three months, while their next album - the 13th in their career - is set to come out later in the summer.

The band, who formed in Toronto some 30 years ago, failed to gain commercial success.

But bands including Metallica and Motorhead cite them as an influence, and famous faces including actor Keanu Reeves and Coldplay's Chris Martin count themselves as fans.

The two concerts supporting AC/DC will take place at the Gillette Stadium in Boston on 28 July and New Jersey's Giants Stadium three days later.