Allied Forces (Vinyl LP) (muzikreviews.com)
It has been 30 years since Triumph, Rik Emmett (guitarist/singer), Gil Moore (drums, vocals) and Mike Levine (bass, keyboards), released their classic and best album Allied Forces. I had the opportunity to review their entire catalog of remastered releases several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This time I get to do it again in vinyl LP format. The LP also includes a code for a digital download of the album on the band’s website for all of you that like to have it on your PC or iTunes.
Triumph was more than your everyday power trio. Their big sound led you to believe there were more than three guys making all of that great music. With two double threats in Emmett and Moore manning their instruments and fully capable of delivering the powerful vocals that each song demanded, this lineup always provided the goods. Emmett had the high pitched delivery while Moore had the more traditional rock band voice.
In this digital/download age we live in it is always a treat to step back in time and have a vinyl LP in your hand. The reissue has the inner sleeve covered with pictures on one side and the lyrics for every track on the other. Although you will not find it necessary to follow along with the lyrics because the vocals are very clear and they always were easy to pick up when you heard one of their songs.
If you are too young to remember “Magic Power,” hearing it now in this format will blow you away. Whether you remember listening to it on the radio constantly back in 1981 or you are new to the music of Triumph, this will be a treat. The 9 tracks the make up the album are very strong and any group would be hard pressed to duplicate the consistency of such a landmark release. At the time they were and still are referred to as prog-metal however they sound like a good rock band to me with nothing too complicated going on. I can see where there are some prog influences but there is not enough to tag them as prog-metal. Maybe there was back in 1981 but that no longer applies in 2011, as the genre has changed and advanced dramatically.
30 years later the music has not lost its appeal, in fact in has weathered the test of time very well thank you. Celebrating the release of this album 30 years ago is not the only reason to offer it in a package with an LP and other goodies like the band has on their site, it deserves to get all of this attention and give people another chance to relive the magic or begin another era of fans altogether.
The three men that were Triumph have plenty to celebrate and be proud of. There are not a lot of bands around today making rock ‘n’ roll this timeless. Get your hands on a copy of the vinyl LP version of Allied Forces before it becomes another sought after collector’s item with an outrageous price tag on it. You can get just the album for around $25.00 or order a package that includes the LP, signed poster, letter from the band, keychain, and a T-Shirt for $49.99.
Key Tracks: Magic Power, Allied Forces, Fight The Good Fight