Europe S/T (1983) - Underrated Metal Classic

Okay so many of you have probably heard of 80's swedish band Europe, i'm gonna go out on a limb here and say probably one half of this board loves them and the other half dislikes and has never given them a chance mostly because of one song. But for those non believers you must check out Europe's self titled debut from 1983, it is pure swedish steel from the early days of european metal. Keyboards are turned down and guitar's are turned up, the album is worth it just for the Yngwie like guitar heroics of John Norum. Throw in galloping bass lines, fantasy lyrics and the clean power vocals of Joey Tempest and you have one epic album. This is proto European power metal at its best. Ult you gotta get this album.

Europe - In The Future To Come (Their first 1st video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzYdVzZ2rRk

Europe - In The Future To Come (Live on swedish tv)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZciAN7POFE

The debut is very good, I agree! Many here would love this album. I think it lacks really memorable hooks, but it's a solid album. Ult would definitely like it.

And "that one song," regardless of the hefty amounts of cheese, is one of the greatest rock songs ever written. I don't care what anyone says.

Another great band that is vastly overlooked becauae they are "not metal enough". But much like Def Leppard, and dare I say Bon Jovi, Europe also started out as a much heavier act. Still people today remember "The Final Countdown" and the numerous ballads, and think that was all this band ever did.

Yeah, i like the first two lps by EUROPE very much but also THE FINAL COUNTDOWN and OUT OF THIS WORLD. PRISIONERS IN PARADISE is already a little let down and their comeback albums sucks in my opinion. Still, their second album WINGS OF TOMORROW from 1984 is my fave album.

"Wings of Tomorrow" is absolutely one of my favorite albums ever!!! It's the oldest Europe I own on CD and have had it on cassette since 1984 (I'm on my 3rd copy by the way). I have a greatest hits tape that has some of thier old stuff like "7 doors hotel" and "Future to Come" but can't find anything before Wings on Cd in my town. Too bad, cause they are truly a great band imho.

Yeah, I like that album. It's not earth shaking or anything, but a pleasant listen. It's stayed on my playlist now for many years. Malmseen is a good comparison.

it's ok, but i can think of many better albums i'd rather spend time with.

Oddly enough, I was in a Dollar Store on Sunday with my wife and picked up a copy I found in with a bunch of other cd's. I haven't listened to it yet, but I figure it can't be that bad for a buck.

Quote :

"that one song,"

What a coincidence! The other day my oldest kid heard "that one song" on XM and she wanted to hear it again. I explained you can't skip back the radio...but I let her hear it on Youtube. Well, this very morning she asked to hear it again and I let her and that got me thinking "I wonder what the rest of that CD sounds like...all's I know is "that one song" (thinking I might try to trade for it). So, now is the perfect time to ask....how is the rest of that Album??


Good Thread!

Yeah Final Countdown is pretty catchy it deserved to be the worldwide smash it was I think no. 1 in over 30 different countries and 8 million singles sold, yeesh! As for the album Final Countdown (1986) its pretty solid AOR Hard Rock, a bit like a teutonic Journey meets Hollywood hair. Danger On The Track is probably the stand out cut.

Europe is an awesome band. Glad some others on here have actually heard their albums, and know that their albums sounded more like Yngwie than like their poppy, definitely not-metal pop radio hit, The Final Countdown. I've got both Wings of Tomorrow and Out of This World, and love both albums. Both have blazing guitar pyrotechnics, especially Wings of Tomorrow. I think if "Ready Or Not", "Stormwind", or "Open Your Heart" had gotten some play on hard rock radio stations, they would have a much larger fanbase, and fans would be us dudes who like virtuosic guitar driven metal: Yngwie, Dokken, M.S.G., Satriani.

I actually liked "The Final Countdown" when it first came out, basically because it sounded completely different than anything else being released at the time. Then they started playing "Carrie" to death on the radio and it kind of killed it for me. But I'm not ashamed to admit enjoying it at the time.

I never did check out any of their other albums.

I have 'The Final Countdown' and it is ok, but I prefer the first two Europe albums, I was especially surprised to learn that was John Norum on guitar since I had only heard him on 'The Final Countdown'.

I have 'Wings of Tomorrow' on cassette, very good album, and this was the first time I have heard any tracks off their debut album, hard to believe this was the same band that recorded and wrote 'Carrie'

John Norum was very young when he joined Europe. I think he was only 16. Yet he was one of the most experienced musician in the band already! He hd been touring Sween for years, lying about his age, and playing with a Swedish icon, named Eddie Meduza.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Oddly enough, I was in a Dollar Store on Sunday with my wife and picked up a copy I found in with a bunch of other cd's. I haven't listened to it yet, but I figure it can't be that bad for a buck.

I still have my Dollar Store copy that I enjoy from time to time. I used to have a Europe "Best Of" comp, but that was jettisoned long ago.

Man...all the dollar stores around here have is latin nonsense and karioke track discs....