TRIUMPH – “SPELLBOUND” SONG FROM 1984 STILL PACKS THE POWER!
Triumph released the album – Thunder Seven, on November 10, 1984. I thoroughly enjoyed Thunder Seven back in those days… still do. A fabulous album of songs, melodic and memorable, all the while exhibiting the heavy style of Triumph. The reality of my never getting this album on CD has set in, I really need to upgrade! I still own the cassette, it plays and it’s worth it’s weight in Metal gold to me. There are those songs that stick with me through life. Spellbound from Thunder Seven is exactly one of those songs. The first time I ever heard this song, I actually felt spellbound… and I’m not trying to sound cute stating that either. In my Metal opinion, the all-out power and intensity that Spellbound delivers is nothing short of amazing. Spellbound and the entire Thunder Seven album just reminds me of the days when I grew up, in the south end of my old home town… in extremely expensive Connecticut. My neighborhood buddies and me, we really played the heck out of this cassette I still own, it’s a Metal miracle that I still have it!
Killing Time and Follow Your Heart are two other standout songs from Thunder Seven. I really like Killing Time, just as much as Spellbound. Thunder Seven is just a solid chunk of vintage Hard and Heavy Rock from Triumph… wow. The old cliche goes: they just don’t make albums like this anymore. Granted, there have been a ton of albums throughout time I or anyone can say that about… it’s just Metal fitting to use that cliche for Thunder Seven. Am I on a Thunder Seven high? You bet… since 1984 too.
My best Metal buddie Scott Coverdale and I, we had many a conversation about this song and album years back and still to this day… the great Rock and Roll Hall of Fame debate not withstanding either. Triumph would be in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if I ran it’s duh? operation. Then again, my list for bands belonging in that building in Cleveland, Ohio, is rather long… and Metal rightfully so. I no longer think this… I know this… the world needs a legitimate Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Hall of Fame. Triumph would be embedded in this much needed Hall of Fame, exactly where they belong.
Rik Emmett, (on lead vocals and guitar), is an unreal great musician – in my Metal opinion. Not to take anything away from the rest of the Triumph lineup throughout the years, especially Gil Moore on drums/vocals and Mike Levine on bass & keyboards… unreal great as well, what a legendary band. Triumph – a Canadian Treasure. I hope you like Spellbound as much as I do… enjoy the song below and crank it up LOUD!
LONG LIVE TRIUMPH!
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
February 8, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I’m a Triumph fanatic. Spellbound is definitely a great song.
http://themetalfiles.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/my-life-with-triumph/
February 8, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I listenend to quite a bit of TRIUMPH (and RUSH) growing up. As a matter of fact they played several of the tracks from their “Just a Game” release on rock radio here but I never really paid attention to who it was. I just knew the songs when I heard them. I think I was only around 10 though while jamming to this!
What really got me hooked was “ALLIED FORCES”, love it!
and then I also dug most of “Never Surrender” (love that album art on these too).
They were great live as I got to see them on this tour. Great sound, cool lights and stellar performance. Esp. Rik on guitar.
*Some of the drum performances were cool but Gil has a “weird” style and sometimes I like it and other times it’s “stiff” and or the sound is not so good IMO. Kinda’ reminds me of Vinnie Appice (DIO + Heaven and Hell) in the same way.
After these 3 great albums, they fell off my radar.
Thunder Seven and Sport of Kings just sounded too much like they were trying to sound like all of the other popular L.A. bands at that time.
Production, watered-down Radio AOR, looks etc etc. It’s quality but just too damn commercial for me. I can handle the “Spellbound” track though as I love the guitar sound on that one….
Nice post…..keep crate digging (or cassette box digging in this case)!
*Oh, and don’t even get me started on the Hall of Fame subject! 😉
“Too much thinkin'”
Canuck Kinger
Demolish Fanzine
February 9, 2010 at 12:36 am
As long as those Metal cassettes of mine still play… I am still “digging” in them Metal crates!
Go ahead… I would love nothing better than for Metal Odyssey to be the “official” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, um, Shame – BASHING FORUM.
That building, despite the “many” legitimate bands and musicians who belong there, (I will not argue for the OBVIOUS Rock legends enshrined), should be renamed…
The Rock and Roll Hall of POP AND COMMERCIAL POPULARITY.
Stone.
February 9, 2010 at 10:01 pm
I love Sport of Kings! Commercial, yes, but some good stuff on there.
February 10, 2010 at 3:41 am
Uh, here is my brush with Triumph fame:
I once knew a dude, who recorded a reggae album, (somewhere up in Canada), at the same studio that Triumph recorded albums. Um… yup.
I know this doesn’t come light years near Sean’s great Metal stories… but what the heck.
February 11, 2010 at 3:16 am
I just added most of Triumph’s album to my CD Universe wish list last week. I’ve always liked “Magic Power” and “Lay It On the Line”. I’ve never really heard anything else but they’re a band I’ve wanted to try out for years.
February 11, 2010 at 6:50 pm
You know what I admire about you? You are, (like so many of us), into the roots of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. I can’t get enough of these roots… I’m still learning about new albums, songs and even bands to this very day. All of the dudes, including yourself, who comment here, have me in a Metal whirlwind sometimes… so much great music is out there to explore and get into!
February 12, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I met Rik a few years ago when his solo band played in San Antonio. I paid the extra $50 for the meet and greet pass. Backstage I had him sign my Headbangers book (Mark Hale). I asked him if I could hug him and he obliged. I think I scared him. haha
February 12, 2010 at 2:37 pm
That was a $50 hug! That’s a very fine moment to share… keep those Metal moments comin’! You have touched on something that is cool here… If I had the opportunity, I would hug Blackie Lawless, Jerry Only, D.D. Verni and Blitz Ellsworth. Without hesitation. O.k., throw in Marky Ramone too.
I’d be too afraid to hug Danzig… even though I’d want to.
How about an Iron Maiden – “group hug”?
Lemmy would without doubt, tell me to piss off with any hug request.
I would most likely give an elongated hug to… Stevie Nicks. (Even if that opportunity comes when she’s 80 years old).
In the end, it’s all good… now you have me wondering, who will be my first “famous” Metal hug? I can’t see myself never getting one, ever.
I now have Metal hug envy.
February 12, 2010 at 3:46 pm
i’ve hugged Lemmy, Adrian Smith and Warrel Dane too. Oh, and Chuck Billy!
February 12, 2010 at 4:17 pm
That’s an impressive Metal “hug list” you have going! I guess I really do have a shot with a Lemmy hug… that is if I ever did encounter him.
The Chuck Billy hug is an enormous one… he deserves all the hugs in the Metal world for being such a fighter… and survivor!
February 13, 2010 at 4:03 am
Oh Yeah, I high fived Ozzy!!!
February 13, 2010 at 7:48 am
Yes you did… yes, you very did. That is a solid Metal memory for you, in it’s own right. Anytime you would like to trade that “silver sharpied autographed tour program” from Ozzy… I’m talking.