Album review: TRAGIK – Ultima Ratio

November 14th, 2021 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 10.11.21]

By my reckoning this is album number eleven by Tragik, who still feature Damian D’Ercole (Guitars, Percussion), Dirk Phillips (Drums, Keyboards) and Phil Vincent (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards).

‘Hunter’ and ‘Wet Dog’ (contender for Worst Song Title of the Year!) certainly kick the album off in style. Hard rocking riffs and those instant on the ears choruses that Tragik are so good at. ‘The Last Resort’ is a chance for a guitar wig out with Phil Vincent chanting ‘This the last resort’ over the music. Sequencing wise perhaps better at the end of the album, as the song that follows it, ‘Out On Limb’ carries on from the opening duo.

Back in the day ‘Seeds In The Sky’ would have been a single. Again with its instant chorus and riffs aplenty it would have been a good one for rock clubs. ‘All I Have Left’ slows the pace down allowing Phil Vincent a chance to show the emotional side of his singing.

‘Requiem’ enters prog rock territory time wise, clocking in at over eight minutes. It is one of those classic slow builders of a tune, climaxing in a flurry of guitar and keys. Tragik do Meat Loaf!

Outside of his solo releases, Tragik is the most melodic rock sounding and certainly where I’d recommend a new listener to Phil Vincent’s extensive catalogue of music to start. In fact this album is as good as any place to start and existing fans of his work & Tragik will find much to enjoy on ‘Utlima Ratio’. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)