by Ed RivadaviaOn Allied Forces, their fourth worldwide release and fifth overall, Triumph would arguably come closer to delivering a truly outstanding album than ever before -- and certainly ever after. The pedestrian mid-paced rockers that had gradually become a reluctant band trademark over previous releases are conspicuously absent here (OK, "Ordinary Man" might qualify for that unhappy distinction), replaced by positively sharp-toothed carnivores like "Fool for Your Love" and the unrelenting title track. The album also finds Rik Emmett regaining a temporary advantage in his eternal creative tug of war with drummer Gil Moore thanks to a fiery performance in the bluesy "Hot Time (In the City Tonight)." The guitarist also delivers the goods on the anthemic "Say Goodbye" and excellent single "Magic Power," which find him at his melodically charged best. Sadly, like all Triumph albums, and indeed the band's entire sonic formula, Allied Forces has not aged all that well. So while it should top the list of most anyone looking to discover what the band had to offer, only serious fans will need to explore beyond the group's greatest-hits set.