Metal Reviews

I never thought I would like anything this band did more than the album "Wings of Tommorrow", but I was wrong. The first Europe album is awesome. I don't know why or how I never heard about it but I stumbled across their first music video "In the Future to Come." This song is absolutely amazing, and i was happy to hear that the rest of the album is comparably awesome, with Seven Doors Hotel possibly being the next best. This album is totally metal unlike Europe's later crap. This album smacks of bands like Silver Mountain and Joey Tempest's voice reminds me a lot of Anders Zackrisson's on the Gotham City albums. The vocal lines are very similar, they are a combination between metal and classic rock. Excellent team up if I say so myself. I recommend this album to anyone who thinks that Europe now sucks, because its always nice to see that a band didnt always suck. And to those of you that knew about it and never told me, fuck you. (j/k....not really though)

Everything past The Final Countdown sucked except maybe Out Of This World which was somewhat decent but their last 3 albums forget it.

I will probably review Europe,Wings Of Tomorrow and The Final Countdown down the road.

That album that came out after out of this world had such bad production that I immediately deleted the album from my hard drive the minute I heard it. Just horrid.

I like everything up to and including Out of this world.

Europe is the prototype for all modern melodic power metal bands.

Having heard their first album, i am now absolutely disgusted with the band. The debut is so glorious, I mean every song is great. The vocals are wonderful and the soloing is inspired and creative, not to mention the fact that NOrum shreds like a fuckin maniac. But Wings of TOmmorrow is only ok, and everything after that to me is just over produced pop music. Granted, the Final Countdown is one hell of a song, that cannot be disputed, but man, everything else sucks. Europe really took the cheese the record label was offering. its too bad, they used to be part of something special.

Corrected the original post. I mixed up wings of tomorrow with out of this world.

Were you talking about Prisoners In Paradise. If you are I agree that album sucked major donkey balls. In fact their last 3 albums suck major monkey balls.

Only got my hands on the best-of album "Rock The Night"... so far I seem to like the material from "The Final Countdown" and "Out Of This World" best. Also have this best-of video collection... now that's some major gay movies for all of you! (take a look at Joey Tempest during the videos for "Superstitious" or "Rock The Night"... )

If you can take a look at how the band looked in their first video "In the Future to Come" and any of the Rock SM performances they did live in like 82 or 83. They look like an old school swedish heavy metal band like Gotham City or Silver Mountain.

Yeah, thats it.

I like Europe. I have The Final Countdown and love that album. Wings Of Tomorrow is also excellent. Haven't listened to the rest of them.

Europe was my first introduction to the world of hardrock, they are one my favorite bands. Just found out they released a unplugged album, hopefully I will have this one soon.

Man, I'm a bit surprised that Europe is considered this essential... Here I was, thinking like; cheesy lyrics, gay looks, too poppy, too vocal driven melodies... hmm, guess I better dig up an album by these guys.

The first album is totally unlike anything else they did in their career. It is an excellent hard rock/heavy metal album.

Anything past Out Of This World don't even bother.

"The Final Countdown" and "Out Of This World" is on my wantlist.

Probably should have posted this the first time. This is Europe's first Video for their best song ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTOEyhfpg14

John Norum's guitar playing was always the big reason why I ever listened to Europe. Wings of Tomorrow is my favorite CD. My friends and I listened to them in the late 80's because, well, we couldn't go 5 minutes without seeing a video by them on MTV back then. The Final Countdown was in constant rotation which really brought on Europe burn out for me. Plus, Joey Tempest's voice is just irritating. He has that whiny/nasally tone that drives me crazy. Overall, they were great with Norum. The follow up to the Final Countdown cd, "Out Of This World" was just awful IMO.

If anyone enjoys John Norum as much as I do you should look into a solo album he released after leaving Europe called "Total Control"