This is Triumph’s 7th studio outing, and you could say the last before their popularity started to drift off. Recorded at the legendary Metalworks Studio in Mississauga Ontario, which drummer Gil Moore now owns. Although still a studio, it’s now also a music college. Triumph were renowned for their live show and being a kick ass live act, even though when drummer Moore was taking lead vocal, it felt a bit strange as there was no focal point. Anyway, this album doesn’t disappoint as this does exactly what says on the tin and rocks hard.
Opening track, Spellbound, is a typical Triumph rockin’ track, but with more keyboards than previous efforts. Rock Out Roll On sees Rick Emmett take lead vocals with his higher range, and again is a typical Triumph rocker. Third track in Cool Down, has a very Zepplin driven heavy groove and is a killer tune. Side closer, Follow Your Heart was a single, and at the time, the band’s highest charting and was typical syrupy rock radio fodder of the time.
Over to Side 2 we go and Time Goes By, the album’s longest track, and the epic track that the band would always throw in on each album. Two throwaway short pieces are next before Killing Time, the power ballad you’ve all been waiting for rolls on by. Stranger On A Strange Land is very Van Halen-esque, and is my choice for best track on the album. Things come to a close with Little Boy Blues, and is a subdued close out track – not a bad tune as there is some nice playing by Emmett. I just think a more rocky track would have been better to end with.
Other than Rush, Triumph at the time were Canada’s biggest rock band.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
