Triumph
Progressions Of Power (1980)
Allied Forces (1981)
Never Surrender (1983)
Thunder Seven (1984)
Stages (1985)
The Sport of Kings (1986)
Surveillance (1987)

Review By Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
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  So where do I start with seven solid albums from one of Canada's most successful rock bands Triumph. The 80's were very good to this band and fittingly they decided to remaster their entire output of that period, a whopping seven year span in which the band established themselves as one of the premier rock trios in the world. Rik Emmett (guitars and vocals), Mike Levine (bass), and Gil Moore (drums and vocals), formed an incredibly dynamic and powerful trio. Emmet and Moore both had tremendous voices, perfectly suited for their high-energy guitar oriented rock. Moore had the stronger voice of the two vocalists however Emmet had a more distinct sound that you could immediately identify with the group. He sang the lead on big hits like "Never Surrender" and "Magic Power." Bass Mike Levin player was on hand to remaster every album in this series. He was thrilled to be part of this process and stated that he relived all the great times the band went through during the recordings.

I must say the results are jaw dropping; the remastered sound is incredibly good on all seven discs. What is more impressive is the band released all the music on their label TML. They do not include any bonus tracks, which is nearly a given when something is remastered and repackaged. This is such solid music that they do not need bonus tracks to entice the true fan to repurchase the albums. Each album stands on its own merit entirely with incredible sound and sonics, breathing new life into each track.

I think most ardent fans of Triumph will agree that their strongest and most popular releases were Allied Forces and Never Surrender. Both are solid rock classics that still hold up very well to this day, more so now because of the renewed sound, it pops and crackles with the true spirit of the band when they originally recorded all of this music. Stages is an excellent compliment to all of the studio albums, highlighting the band's live show with superior sound and production.

The artwork for each album is superb as well. In regards to color and effect, many of the covers reminded me of the early Alan Parsons Project albums (especially The Sport of Kings). Everything about this remastered series is positive. It most certainly adds credence to the Triumph legacy, and more than likely will reawaken old fans and create new ones. I always enjoyed their music, I just never realized how much until I experienced all seven releases in their entirety. I was presented a great opportunity to hear an immense rock band at their peak, do not miss your opportunity to do the same. This set is well worth your hard-earned dollars.

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