The first song "Eye of the Tiger" is mastered at the correct level. By the time you get to "I Can't Hold Back", you need to really turn up the volume to get the same loudness. Then when you get to "High On You", it is suddenly apparent that all the songs from "Vital Signs" are the same (LOW) Volume and all of the songs from "Too Hot To Sleep are at a different volume and the same for "Caught in the Game" and "When Seconds Count". If you have audio equipment that shows the playback levels this is a very obvious blunder. It has nothing to do with the album to album sound. This is really a pain if you burn compilation cd's and are used to remastered recordings being mastered at a certain loudness. The sound is fine, but was it really 'remastered'? There is no excuse for this up then down volume problem. This is worse than some budget compilations.

One other thing. There are a few essential songs missing. Where is "She's A Star" and "The One That Really Matters". Survivor had some great 'Rock' songs too.

Survivor fan's deserved a little better quality from this retrospective.


Just As Good A Collection As GREATEST HITS   March 20, 2005
The Footpath Cowboy (Kingston, NY United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

THE ULTIMATE SURVIVOR is just as good a collection as GREATEST HITS, containing several songs not on the earlier collection, including the rare single "Rebel Girl" (improved on in a cover version by the Outlaws), the unreleased original version of "Rockin' Into The Night" (which jump-started .38 Special's career), the full-length version of "Summer Nights", and the VITAL SIGNS album track "First Night." You should get both collections, as well as the studio albums EYE OF THE TIGER and VITAL SIGNS.


It's Their Original Not The Cover   October 3, 2004
susumu-5 (Japan)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

We have a number of Survivor compilations already. The latest one is in my opinion slightly better than their official one in 1993 because it has more of their great stuff and CAUGHT IN THE GAME and some of TOO HOT TO SLEEP tracks make it worth a purchase. And although there's no new tracks, Survivor version of ROCKIN' INTO THE NIGHT is a boon to 80s rock fans. It is one of the best songs Jim Peterik has created so far and thanks to Volcano record's effort we can now have Survivor's version. Rockin' Into The Night was supposed to be included in Survivor's debut but it somehow could not survive for debut's 11 track selection and was given to a southern rocker 38 Special. Ironically that hapless track became the first hit for 38 Special. REBEL GIRL was another hapless track. It seems that this track managed to survive for the album but it was kept for Japanese version's extra track and American fans could not taste this great track. Anyhow I hope it could reach huge number of music fans and pave the way for their major comeback.

Recommended for wide range of American music fans old and new.