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TRIUMPH - Progressions Of Power [Millennium Remastered Series] |
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Posted: 3/12/05Reviewed by: Lynn Phillips Category: Hard Rock/Classic Rock Original Release: 1980 Remastered: 4/12/05 Label URL: www.triumphmusic.com Artist URL: www.triumphmusic.com | |||||||||||||
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I can remember listening to Progressions Of Power for the first time back in the late 80s. My friend 'Ratt' had exposed me to the band and I instantly fell in love with them. Back then, Progressions Of Power didn't do much for me though. I classified it as their 'odd' album and ignored it whenever I decided to play Triumph material. In recent years, I've played it more often and I've realized that my original assessment was very off base. I'm not sure if it was where my ears were at the time or where Triumph was at the time (Sport Of Kings), but all these years later I realize that Progressions Of Power is one of the band's most rockin' and consistent efforts.
Heavier than their 1979 album, Just A Game, Progressions Of Power has the guitar intensity that was found on Rock & Roll Machine. Vocally, the album is dominated by drummer Gil Moore, who sings five of the eight vocal tracks. Guitarist Rik Emmett handles the bluesy "Into The Night" and the annoyingly-light "Take My Heart." He turns it up on the scorching "Hard Road," a song that is a real gem that I overlooked until listening to this remaster. He also delivers the short instrumental "Finger Talkin'" (spelled wrong on the rear inlay of the remaster), which will satisfy anybody who enjoyed Rik's later instrumentals (e.g. "Midsummer's Daydream).
The Bloody Truth: If you're more of a Gil fan than a Rik fan, then Progressions Of Power will definitely be one of your favorites. If you enjoy the more straight-to-the-point, fuel-injected, driving guitar Triumph material, then songs like "I Live For The Weekend," "Tear The Roof Off," "Nature's Child," "Woman In Love," and the aforementioned "Hard Road" will be favorites of yours. While other Triumph albums displayed a variety of styles within each recording, this one emphasizes the direct and rocking approach (aside from the two light Emmett tracks). An additional reason to pick this up is that it is now remastered and sounds spectacular. Compared to this remaster, the original cd release sounds like it was recorded with a pillow over the mics. Plus, this version contains the lyrics to all the songs.
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