Prism - Armageddon

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Comin' Home	04:32
	2	Jealousy	03:49
	3	Virginia	03:56
	4	You Walked Away Again	03:39
	5	Take it Or Leave it	04:19

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Armageddon	07:46
	2	Night to Remember	05:51
	3	Mirror Man	05:34

Photos

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Information/Write-up

Armageddon is by far Prism's best album, with the band sounding faultless through all of the eight tracks. The songwriting is sharp and thoughtful, there's an even amount of guitar and keyboard interplay, and, on the whole, the album sports a sturdy, mature feel. More importantly, Bruce Fairbairn manages to elevate the band slightly above the arena rock norm, even if it is for a short while. The album's title track is the band's best song, employing the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on their ode to Elvis Presley. "Armageddon"'s fullness comes from the resilient, catchy chorus and the slick but abundant mixture of Norton's drums, Mitchell's guitar playing, and John Hall's stalwart keyboard work. "Night to Remember" is a simple but elegant ballad aimed at the teenage crowd, eventually becoming Prism's highest-charting single on the Canadian charts, reaching number 11. "Virginia" chugs along with its locomotive-like guitar riffs; "Mirror Man" sparkles in an abundance of synthesizer; and Bryan Adams' "You Walked Away Again" is spotless because of its pop/rock amiability. The other three tracks are anything but leftovers, combining Tabak's voice with the rest of Prism's accomplished instrumental output. Although the following year's Young & Restless tried to emulate Armageddon's solid stature, it fell short, and the band would never recapture this album's prowess.
-Mike DeGagne

Ron Tabak: vocals
Lindsay Mitchell: lead guitar
Allen Harlow: bass, rhythm guitar
John Hall : keyboards
Rocket Norton: drums

Arranged by Bryan Adams (tracks A4, A5); and Jim Vallance (tracks A4, A5)
String and horn arrangements by Peter Bjerring (tracks B1, B2)
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn
Engineered by Jeff Turner
Recorded and mixed by Bob Rock
Recorded and mixed at Little Mountain Sound Studios, Pinewood Studios Vancouver, British Columbia; and Victoria Memorial Arena

Artwork by Wayne Smith
Cover design and art direction by David Sharpe and James O'Mara
Photography by Stanley Wong

Management: Bruce Allen

Special thanks to: Bryan Adams, Bill Bartlett, Herb Besson, Jeff Burns, Henry Christian, Peter Clarke, Capt. Ross Clark, Allison Glass, Gary Guthman, Marty Hackleman, Doug Isaacs, Gerald Jarvis, Tom Keenlyside, Sharman King, Jay Lasker, Wayne Kozak, Ingrid Moll, Nancy Nash, Terry Rhodes, David Sinclair, Howard Stark, Allan Stein, The False Creek Symphony, Jim Vallance, Harry Wanstall and Gordon Edwards.

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