“Music holds the secret, to know it can make you whole. It’s not just a game of notes, it’s the sounds inside your soul.” When it came to combining intricate performance, uplifting lyrics and a head-banging good time, Triumph held the magic power. This Canadian power trio may not have become the worldwide sensation that their brothers in Rush achieved, but they clearly gained the admiration of their peers as they sold millions of albums to fans from the late ‘70s through the ‘80s. That respect plays out on this new tribute to Triumph, where a host of hard rock and metal all-stars come out to offer their homage to the band via inspired performances. It’s a sleek, well-produced affair that is a stimulating experience in and of itself, while ultimately reminding the listener of their love for the band’s original recordings.
Every song features a different lineup, though several musicians play on multiple tracks. There’s a noticeably tasteful design to the running order of songs, evident in the choice to open with the beautiful brief intro of “24 Hours A Day” which appropriately segues into “Rock And Roll Machine”. Both are sung by Sebastian Bach, who himself performed the latter song on stage with a latter-day version of Triumph back in 1993. To live up to the song’s reputation, a killer guitarist is needed to cover Rik Emmett’s tour de force performance, and Bumblefoot surely fits the bill with an incendiary solo.
“Magic Power” is likely the most successful song the band ever charted, hence being the title track to this tribute. Joey Belladonna from Anthrax got the call to sing on this classic, while drumming legend Kenny Aronoff sits behind the kit for this and several other songs, delivering the power that Gil Moore originally laid down. The arrangement is true to the original, though a little less nuanced and a little more focused on rocking out, which holds true for much of this album.
There are some surprising choices in the album’s lineup, such as Starship‘s Mickey Thomas singing the crunching “Spellbound”. While not quite as heavy as Moore’s original vocals, Thomas does a convincing job, this time with Tommy Aldridge on drums. Most interesting on this tribute is the presence of Phil X (Xenidis), who infamously took Rik Emmett’s place on guitar after Emmett left the band, albeit only for one studio album. Phil X appears on several tracks, including guitars and backing vocals for “Spellbound”.
Dee Snider jumps in to sing a scorching lead vocal for “Lay It On The Line” while Paul Gilbert ensures that all of the crunch and blazing notes are well represented on the six strings. Next up is Lawrence Govan (lead singer of Styx), whose vocal tone perhaps most closely approximates Emmett’s as he sings their pop-rock hit “Somebody’s Out There”, while REO Speedwagon’s Dave Amato covers the lead guitar parts. It’s a perfect rendition.
“Never Surrender” may not have been my favorite Triumph song of all time, but on this collection, it wins top spot. There’s something about the combination of Deen Castronovo’s (Journey) vocal delivery, veteran bassist Tony Franklin’s fretless tone, Brooks Wackerman’s drum kit, and Justin Derrico’s tasteful guitar playing that really captures the magic on this piece. Excellent.
The spell continues with Tesla’s Jeff Keith singing “Hold On” and Phil X covering all of the guitars for a most energizing performance. Then the setlist takes an unexpected turn by including “Just One Night”, the band’s most blatant attempt at cashing in on the ‘80s hair metal ballad craze. This version wisely keeps the keyboards to a minimum, transforming it into a more respectable mid-tempo rocker.
It’s all about guitars on “I Live For The Weekend” when Slash is teamed up with Nita Strauss, along with Phil X on rhythm guitars. Dorothy and Tyler Connolly match – or even outdo – the vocals of the original (sorry, Gil). It’s a rare moment on the album where a cover outdoes its source inspiration.
Then we hit one of the most unexpected arrangements of the beloved “Fight The Good Fight”. Nancy Wilson takes lead vocals on a moody, even sultry version of this classic anthem as Mason Stoops’ guitars create a unique atmosphere and vibe. At first, it seems to be a total miss, we can’t help but yearn for the attack and energy of the original. But taken on its own terms, Wilson’s version proves to be successful and inventive. And for the best of both worlds, the end of the album includes a bonus track of the same song played much more faithfully, featuring none other than Dino Jelusick on lead vocals. So, you can rock out and eat your cake, too.
If that arrangement of “Fight The Good Fight” wasn’t enough, Envy of None’s take on “Blinding Light Show” really hits home the potential for these songs to have another life when performed with very different arrangements. Maiah Wynne’s dreamy vocals are fantastic on this atmospheric take. Of course, this is Alex Lifeson’s band, so it’s cool to get his tip of the hat to Emmett. Don’t expect any La Villa-style pyrotechnics here, though you might want to check out Lifeson’s cameos on Emmett’s excellent “RESolution 9” album from 2016.
Spinal Tap may have gleaned some inspiration from rockers like “Rock And Roll Machine” and “Allied Forces” (because, come on, bassist Mike Levine SURELY inspired Harry Shearer’s portrayal of Derek Smalls), and the latter is well represented here by Phil X taking over not only guitars but lead vocals convincingly. “Follow Your Heart” also gets an airing with Jack Blades (Night Ranger) on vocals and Reb Beach on guitars.
With a track list that’s on point and top-tier performances throughout, this is a worthy tribute to the legendary band. The agenda is largely to keep things rocking and fairly heavy – there’s no chance of hearing Alison Krauss crooning on “Suitcase Blues” for example – but along with some unexpected arrangements and an ever-rotating cast of all-stars, this Magic Power lives up to its name and reminds us why we love this band so much. Therefore, at the end of it all when the lights go down, you’ll likely want to revisit the originals to once again be inspired by this creative and cherished rock and roll machine.
Released By: Round Hill Records
Release Date: June 6th, 2025
Genre(s): Classic Rock
Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph Track-list:
| 24 Hours a Day – 1:22 Vocal – Sebastian Bach Bass – Sean Hurley Guitars – Brent Woods Rock & Roll Machine – 4:34 Vocals – Sebastian Bach Drums – Kenny Aronoff Bass – Todd Kerns All Guitars – Bumblefoot Magic Power – 5:24 Vocal – Joey Belladonna Background Vocals – John Spiker Drums – Kenny Aronoff Bass – Todd Kerns All Guitars – Justin Derrico Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Spellbound – 4:55 Vocal – Mickey Thomas Background Vocals – Phil X and John Spiker Drums – Tommy Aldridge Bass – Todd Kerns All Guitars – Phil X Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Lay It On the Line – 4:11 Vocal – Dee Snider Background Vocals – Kyle Glass and John Spiker Drums – Victor Indrizzo Bass – Sean Hurley All Guitars – Paul Gilbert Somebody’s Out There – 4:30 Vocal – Lawrence Gowan Background Vocals – Lawrence Gowan and John Spiker Drums – Kenny Aronoff Bass – Chris Chaney Rhythm Guitars – David Levita and Josh Gooch Lead Guitar – Dave Amato Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Never Surrender – 6:43 All Vocals – Deen Castronovo Drums – Brooks Wackerman Bass – Tony Franklin All Guitars – Justin Derrico Hold On – 5:29 Vocal – Jeff Keith Background Vocals – Mike Bray Drums – Brent Fitz Bass – Sean Hurley All Guitars – Phil X | Just One Night – 4:01 Vocal – Jason Scheff Background Vocals – Jessie Payo and John Spiker Drums – Kenny Aronoff Bass – Sean Hurley Rhythm Guitars – Dave Amato and John Spiker Lead Guitar – Josh Gruss Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac I Live for the Weekend – 4:50 All Vocals – Dorothy and Tyler Connolly Drums – Josh Freese Bass- Todd Kerns Rhythm Guitars – Phil X Lead Guitar – Nita Strauss Slide Guitar – Slash Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Fight the Good Fight – 4:47 Vocal – Nancy Wilson Drums – Tony Braunagel Bass – Sean Hurley All Guitars – Mason Stoops Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Follow Your Heart – 4:04 Vocal – Jack Blades Drums – Victor Indrizzo Bass – Sean Hurley Rhythm Guitars – Phil X Lead Guitar – Reb Beach Background Vocals – Jack Blades and John Spiker Allied Forces – 4:21 Vocal – Phil X Background Vocals – Phil X and Daniel Spree Drums – Brian Tichy Bass – Daniel Spree All Guitars – Phil X Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac Blinding Light Show – 4:15 Envy of None Vocal – Maiah Wynne Drums – David Steinberg Bass…Andy Curran Rhythm Guitars Alf Alibillini Lead Guitar Alex Lifeson Fight the Good Fight (Encore) – 6:43 Vocal – Dino Jelusick Drums – Victor Indrizzo Bass – Sean Hurley Rhythm Guitars – David Levita and John Spiker Lead Guitar – Joel Hoekstra Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac |
Order Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph here.
1 Comment
Great review. Really appreciate the musician breakdown. Just sat straight through first listen of the record, and it is a welcome reminder of all these great songs. My favorites on first listen are Hold On (great Jeff Keith), Never Surrender (what you said), Allied Forces (PhilX vocals) and Fight the Good Fight (killer guitar).