Allied Forces: The 40th Anniversary

With 1981's suitably named Allied Forces -- their fourth worldwide release and fifth overall -- the three members of Triumph put aside their differences and collaborated more seamlessly than ever before, fittingly delivering what is arguably the best album of their long career. Like the previous year's particularly intense Progressions of Power, and with the possible exception of a rather forgettable new track, "Ordinary Man," the pedestrian mid-paced rockers that had sometimes derailed previous Triumph albums were conspicuously absent here, replaced by snaggletoothed heavy metal carnivores courtesy of singing drummer Gil Moore, such as the opening "Fool for Your Love" and the unrelenting title track -- both of them as thrilling as they were catchy. Not to be outdone, vocalist/guitarist Rik Emmett recovered the top melodic hard rock form that had abandoned him on Progressions, and countered Moore's best serves with several winning volleys of his own, including the instantly classic single "Magic Power," the amped-up blues-rocker "Hot Time (In This City Tonight)," the commanding semi-progger "Fight the Good Fight," and the summery acoustic strum-along "Say Goodbye." Meanwhile, bassist Mike Levine enacted his usual role as producer and dependable middleman, while simultaneously experimenting with discreet keyboard backdrops that never threatened to corrupt the music's hard rock heart. Even a pair of interludes -- the special effect intro "Air Raid" and the mandatory Emmett solo showcase "Petite Etude" -- managed to aid, instead of interrupt, the album's creatively inspired flow, proving that Triumph really were at the top of their game on Allied Forces. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia