Triumph: Live at Sweden Rock Festival

Frontiers/BAM

Canucks TRIUMPH had levels of success in their native country and in the States that was rather unheard of in Scandinavia. Formed in 1975, the power trio of Rik Emmett, guitar and lead vocals, Mike Levine, bass, and Gil Moore, drums and lead vocals, found success in only about three years time. They went from humble beginnings to filling giant arenas, not to mention their famed gig at the US Festival 1983. From the late seventies until the early nineties they secured gold and platinum sales of their releases, scoring hit singles like “A World of Fantasy”, “Magic Power” and “Somebody´s Out There” in the process. But there was tension in the ranks, with Rik on one side, and Mike and Gil on the other concerning the bands direction. Emmett left in 1988 for a solo career, while Levine and Moore continued to make the bands tenth studio album, with Phil X as their new guitar player, in 1993. That was the end of it all it seems for a very long time. But, after many, many efforts to bring the band back, the reunited in 2008 to play the Sweden Rock Festival…

The set list is in typical Sweden Rock Fashion very retro, with songs spanning 1976 through to 1983 only. They seem to have forgotten the many diamonds they produced betwixt 1984 and 1987, which is a bit surprising. I also wonder about the voice of Gil Moore, since it sounds a bit strained at times. But they do convince in the likes of “Lay It on the Line”, “Never Surrender”, “Rock´n´Roll Machine” and the keyboards added “Fight the Good Fight”. And Rik´s guitar work is spellbinding, albeit overdone as some tracks are in excess of the ten minute mark. I wished for a wider span of songs, and I wonder about the hysterical sound of the audience. TRIUMPH is one of my all time favorite bands, but I think I will dust of my “A Night of Triumph DVD” again instead of going back to this one after all.

Track List
When the Lights Go Down
Lay It on the Line
Allied Forces
Never Surrender
I Live for the Weekend
Blinding Light Show
Rocky Mountain Way
Magic Power
Rock´n´Roll Machine
Fight the Good Fight

www.frontiers.it www.triumphmusic.com