Reviews -WAR OF KINGS 2015-
Feb 13, 2015 23:19:59 GMT 2
Post by Eva Tomorrow on Feb 13, 2015 23:19:59 GMT 2
EUROPE is one of the bands that I love and adore since my childhood. I had the luck to get “Wings of Tomorrow” before the widely known and very successful “The Final Countdown” so I got to know the most “hard rock” side of the band. No matter of the success that the band had with TFC, it stigmatized EUROPE who were known mainly for that. After the band’s reunion and the release of SFTD, some fans kept asking for a 80s approach, similar to the one post-1986 that made the band widely known. Truth is that EUROPE’s albums after 2004 are excellent full of energy, emotions and respect to their 30-year career.
War of Kings is the 10th EUROPE album and comes 3 years after the also good BoB. It has 11 songs in total and an extra instrumental one for those who will get the digipack version. The album starts with song WoK. It starts slowly for one minute and then we have a vocal feast from Joey Tempest, a moment that gave me goosebumps. It is a song-anthem to the recent EUROPE musical direction with excellent keyboards from Mic Michaeli and John Norum ‘producing’ emotions with every note he plays in his guitar. After that we have “Hole in my Pocket”, a song that reminds something from Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. A dynamite, with one of the best guitar solos that Norum has done with EUROPE. “Second day” follows, a mid-tempo song with sound we get used to the last 10 years and a chorus that will ‘stick’ in your mind. The fourth song is one that made me proud that I grew up with this band. “Praise you” is an incredible song. Reminds me of Led Zeppelin, it has a 70’s feeling and the emotions that Tempest and Norum let out almost made me cry. All these with atmospheric keyboards from Mic Michaeli. Epic. The next song is “Nothing to ya” that is again in a Zeppelin style but harder. Second dynamite in the album with excellent vocals from Tempest. “California 405’ comes next with an intro that reminded me “Superstitious but with a more 70s feeling because of the retro keyboards. Norum’s solo is again fantastic and also puts his signature in this song. It would be difficult not to have a song from Tempest’s favorite THIN LIZZY. “Days of rock n’ roll” is musically an uplifting song and Tempest seems to enjoy singing in similar style as his idol Phil Lynott. “No stone unturned” is one of the favorite songs among EUROPE fans who will love “Children of the mind”. The riff may remind a bit of “Metal health” from QUIET RIOT but this is a signature EUROPE song with change between guitar and keyboards that will be loved once more. “Rainbow Bridge” is EUROPE’s oriental experimentation. A pleasant break from the general spirit of the album and proof that EUROPE keep experimenting with the sound. So far there’s no ‘ballad’ in the album but this changes with “Angels (with broken hearts)”. The band “shines” in this one. The song has a DEEP PURPLE spirit in it and is very emotional. John Norum proves that you don’t have to be just technically good but get emotion out with your guitar. Great song. EUROPE shine as a band here. Last song is “Light it up” and it is the longest in the album and something between “Yesterday news” and “Devil sings the blues”. It has the rhythm of the first and a 3 minutes blues guitar solo that remind me of the second. Great way to close the album. For the lucky ones who will buy the digipack edition, there’s “Vasastan”, a slow instrumental track that you must close your eyes and let the music travel you. Another time that Norums guitar will speak to your heart.
WoK is without a doubt the most significant EUROPE album. The band has an equal part in the album and all shine as musicians. It has keyboards, guitar, drums, bass and vocals all combined in great compositions with the main ingredient to be the emotion. I dare to say it is their best record since the reunion and one of their best in general. EUROPE is final the band its members always wanted, a band that speaks with its heart and makes the music it always wanted and loved and not what the manager or a record company will want in order to sell. WoK is the proof that EUROPE has always been a great band prisoned in the paradise of success, a success that didn’t necessarily brought happiness. A brilliant album from a TRULY good band.
War of Kings is the 10th EUROPE album and comes 3 years after the also good BoB. It has 11 songs in total and an extra instrumental one for those who will get the digipack version. The album starts with song WoK. It starts slowly for one minute and then we have a vocal feast from Joey Tempest, a moment that gave me goosebumps. It is a song-anthem to the recent EUROPE musical direction with excellent keyboards from Mic Michaeli and John Norum ‘producing’ emotions with every note he plays in his guitar. After that we have “Hole in my Pocket”, a song that reminds something from Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. A dynamite, with one of the best guitar solos that Norum has done with EUROPE. “Second day” follows, a mid-tempo song with sound we get used to the last 10 years and a chorus that will ‘stick’ in your mind. The fourth song is one that made me proud that I grew up with this band. “Praise you” is an incredible song. Reminds me of Led Zeppelin, it has a 70’s feeling and the emotions that Tempest and Norum let out almost made me cry. All these with atmospheric keyboards from Mic Michaeli. Epic. The next song is “Nothing to ya” that is again in a Zeppelin style but harder. Second dynamite in the album with excellent vocals from Tempest. “California 405’ comes next with an intro that reminded me “Superstitious but with a more 70s feeling because of the retro keyboards. Norum’s solo is again fantastic and also puts his signature in this song. It would be difficult not to have a song from Tempest’s favorite THIN LIZZY. “Days of rock n’ roll” is musically an uplifting song and Tempest seems to enjoy singing in similar style as his idol Phil Lynott. “No stone unturned” is one of the favorite songs among EUROPE fans who will love “Children of the mind”. The riff may remind a bit of “Metal health” from QUIET RIOT but this is a signature EUROPE song with change between guitar and keyboards that will be loved once more. “Rainbow Bridge” is EUROPE’s oriental experimentation. A pleasant break from the general spirit of the album and proof that EUROPE keep experimenting with the sound. So far there’s no ‘ballad’ in the album but this changes with “Angels (with broken hearts)”. The band “shines” in this one. The song has a DEEP PURPLE spirit in it and is very emotional. John Norum proves that you don’t have to be just technically good but get emotion out with your guitar. Great song. EUROPE shine as a band here. Last song is “Light it up” and it is the longest in the album and something between “Yesterday news” and “Devil sings the blues”. It has the rhythm of the first and a 3 minutes blues guitar solo that remind me of the second. Great way to close the album. For the lucky ones who will buy the digipack edition, there’s “Vasastan”, a slow instrumental track that you must close your eyes and let the music travel you. Another time that Norums guitar will speak to your heart.
WoK is without a doubt the most significant EUROPE album. The band has an equal part in the album and all shine as musicians. It has keyboards, guitar, drums, bass and vocals all combined in great compositions with the main ingredient to be the emotion. I dare to say it is their best record since the reunion and one of their best in general. EUROPE is final the band its members always wanted, a band that speaks with its heart and makes the music it always wanted and loved and not what the manager or a record company will want in order to sell. WoK is the proof that EUROPE has always been a great band prisoned in the paradise of success, a success that didn’t necessarily brought happiness. A brilliant album from a TRULY good band.
Fantastic words about Norum
Amazing review. Thanks nikos"... John Norum ‘producing’ emotions with every note he plays in his guitar ... "
"... John Norum proves that you don’t have to be just technically good but get emotion out with your guitar ... "
