“Allied Forces” OFFICIAL LIVE VIDEO
TRIUMPH
A NIGHT OF TRIUMPH
METRO CENTRE ARENA – HALIFAX, NS

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“Magic Power” OFFICIAL LIVE VIDEO
TRIUMPH
A NIGHT OF TRIUMPH
METRO CENTRE ARENA – HALIFAX, NS

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When I was 13, my uncle had a music store in Tulsa, OK and he let me pick out any cassette I wanted — a cassette, mind you. As you may guess, I chose Triumph’s “Allied Forces.” Well, some may argue with my choice but it sparked a love for music that led me to keep that cassette free of nicks and scratches until the CD came out and I guard that closely as well. I primarily picked it because of the radio favorites that you can still hear today on any classic rock station. Listening to Triumph on my MP3 player destroys the memories I had when they released this guitar-flavored favorite, so I try to preserve what I can.

Rik Emmett and Gil Moore share vocal duties on this disc. They each take turns per the tracklist but it’s Emmett who shines on such classics as “Magic Power” and “Say Goodbye.” I’ve heard Triumph called by some as “the poor man’s Rush” but I give credit to both bands equally. I’ve always felt that Triumph had a slight amount of blues stirring in them and the song “Hot Time (In This City Tonight)” confirmed that to be true.

My only complaint is the song “Ordinary Man.” It’s kind of cheesy and long but, at 2:46, the song takes a gallop and keeps your interest for a few more bars. I know that they are a progressive band but this track just drags along. One that may have slipped by you is “Petite Etude” — it has some clean classical guitar picking and it leads into the final track that allows Triumph to close out their fifth disc with an oft-requested favorite.

There is a passionate sound that Triumph tried to translate in their music; I got it, and although some 80s music has been shelved for a while; it calls to those who liked Triumph to at least revisit their mark on history.

The best cuts are “Fool For Your Love,” “Magic Power,” “Fight The Good Fight,” and “Say Goodbye.”

Triumph: Rik Emmett – vocals, guitar; Gil Moore – drums, vocals; Mike Levine – bass, keyboards.

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Triumph – Allied Forces

1. “Fool for Your Love” (4:28)
2. “Magic Power” (4:48)
3. “Air Raid” (1:18)
4. “Allied Forces” (5:01)
5. “Hot Time (in this City Tonight)” (3:20)
6. “Fight the Good Fight” (6:20)
7. “Ordinary Man” (7:24)
8. “Petite Etude” [instrumental] (1:12)
9. “Say Goodbye” (4:27)

“Allied Forces” is without a doubt Triumph’s most popular album and for good reason, it’s a great album. It’s a fairly short album, with only eight real tracks clocking in at under forty minutes long. There is also short sound effects track called “Air Raid” that acts as an introduction to the screaming heavy metal title track. “Allied Forces” may be one of the band’s fastest and heaviest songs, and on of my personal favorites from the band’s catalog. Of course “Fight the Good Fight” is the band’s signature track and is still on regular rotation on classic rock stations across the globe. Rik Emmet’s vocals on this song are glass shatteringly high and still sends chills up my spine each time I hear it. “Magic Power” is another cut from this CD that became a hit for the band, and a standout track in the band’s catalog. “Petite Etude”is Emmett’s solo showcase and allowed him to flex his musical muscle and show his diverse talents. “Allied Forces” was Triumph at the top of their collective game. I can say without blinking an eye that it is one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time.

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“I’m young now, I’m wild now, I want to be free, I got the Magic Power of the music in me…”

Remember that FM Rock radio staple from 1981’s hit album Allied Forces by Canada’s Triumph? “Magic Power” seemingly brought the hard rock trio into the world of arena rock, and started a string of top selling albums, singles, and MTV videos that brought them worldwide acclaim throughout the 80’s. The Triumph catalog has recently been remastered, and their albums have never sounded better. Allied Forces, containing better songwriting, heavier riffs, and catchier melodies than their previous offerings, produced a slew of memorable and classic cuts.

Who can forget the intense title track, complete with muscular guitar riffs and a blazing solo from axe man Rik Emmett, as well as wailing vocals from drummer Gil Moore? More headbanging riffs can he heard on the album opener “Fool For Your Love”, again sung by Moore, while the party track “Hot Time(In This City Tonight) sees the band having fun with some heavy 50’s style rock, blues, and boogie. This tune is sung by Emmett, who also delivers some amazing and nimble solos that are like a cross between Chuck Berry and Ted Nugent.

The real highlights though (besides the catchy and enchanting “Magic Power” of course)are the final few tunes, all sung by Emmett. “Fight the Good Fight” is a wonderful tune that mixes prog and hard rock, led by bassist Mike Levine’s synths, Emmett’s 12-string electric and crunchy 6-string power chords. Rik’s vocals on this track are very much like fellow Canadian Geddy Lee, and his guitar solo is a work of wonder, fluid, flashy, and ultra melodic, the work of a real pro. More progressive tinged hard rock can be heard on “Ordinary Man”, which hints a little at early Foreigner as well as late 70’s Rush, with lush acoustic guitars, synths, and the emotional vocals of Emmett, before the mid section brings in crushing down-picked power chords and Moore’s bombastic drum fills. After the lovely acoustic guitar instrumental “Petite Etude” (Emmett is an amazing classical player) comes the bluesy hard rock & pop of “Say Goodbye”, a real catchy tune with Emmett hitting the high notes, Levine’s rootsy organ, and the great mixing of electric and acoustic guitar chords.

Allied Forces is perhaps the best place to start for any newbie who is looking to check out the band. There are plenty of classic tunes here, plus the remaster sounds great, and a full booklet with lyrics is included.

Track Listing
1) Fool For Your Love
2) Magic Power
3) Air Raid
4) Allied Forces
5) Hot Time (In This City Tonight)
6) Fight the Good Fight
7) Ordinary Man
8) Petite Etude
9) Say Goodbye

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