SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE ALARM – TRANSFORMATION

THE ALARM
TRANSFORMATION
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY RECORDINGS

This is a rather difficult review, not because there is any question about the quality of the music in the package, but because this is Mike Peters’ farewell. I bought The Alarm’s single “Marching On” in 1983 and stayed with the band for over 40 years. And through Spill Magazine, I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Peters, who was everything one would hope for: funny, a great storyteller, friendly, and very warm. So, this album, Transformation, fills me with intense sadness. That being said, it is a brilliant album. Peters never lost his ability to write or perform over the years and remained not only true to himself but also to his music. Transformation opens with a call to battle, much like Sixty-Eight Guns 40 years before. The album ends with a pensive, beautiful farewell. It is an amazing album, and one of Peter’s strongest albums in his career.

​In many ways, Transformation harkens back to the early days of The Alarm. It is full of strong melodies that not only seep into the listener’s consciousness but, like a great meal, make you want more. He writes strong melodies and delivers the songs with a rocking force. This is not punk, but straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. Throughout the album, Peters remains defiant and challenging. He is not going down without a fight and a stance. “Wired,” “Chimera,” and the powerful “Love Today.” The last track, “Love Makes Love,” is poignant without veering into maudlin. Peters sings his heart and soul out on this and the rest of the album.

​In 2024, The Alarm released an album, Music Television (Stepping Back Into The Future), in which Peters and company interpreted songs that were important to him over the years. With Transformation, he has used these influences to create his own songs and a distinct album. From the opening glam-style drumming of “New Life” through to the synth opening of “To Be Alive,” Peters dips his musical toes into styles and genres throughout his life, and it all works.

​Mike Peters was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1995 and later with chronic lymphatic leukemia. Peters refused to let his illness silence him. Instead, he turned his fight into a mission to help others. Beyond that, he kept creating music and marching on, usually to the beat of his own drum. He never tried to jump trends and did not seem interested in topping the charts. For Mike Peters and The Alarm, it was about truth in art, and Transformation is full of truth, strength, and love. I cannot encourage people enough to dig into this album and maybe begin their own personal (and maybe spiritual) transformation. In conclusion, all I can say is thank you, Mike Peters. Thank you.

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