Unknown Soldier

This is where I try to include albums that I may have forgotten about or didn't already know as is the case with the two below, as I've recently discovered them and how good they really are. As I can’t insert these albums into the previous lists I’ll slot them in at the end of each year as of when and if the need arises.

Most people’s knowledge of Europe largely comes from the much maligned The Final Countdown song and album, which of course was not only the breakout combination from the band, but was also a worldwide commercial sensation in the mid 1980s. Based on this, the band would be largely grouped in that somewhat generic central-northern European metal sound and dismissed as pop metal for the masses, thus sealing the fate of the band in many people’s eyes and ears. The simple truth of the matter is, that before The Final Countdown album the band released two terrific albums especially the debut, which are highlighted by the band’s driving melodic hard rock/metal sound with tinges of neo-classical metal and these two albums are very much shining lights from the Swedish 1980s metal scene. Both albums largely went unnoticed outside of Sweden until the band as said above broke big. Now to be honest I’ve only recently discovered how great these albums are, largely thanks to one of my favourite metal listing sites on the internet, where the reviewer there is a huge fan of this kind of metal and actually placed the Europe debut as his best metal album of 1983 wow! Whilst not agreeing with that lofty position the album is still stellar and had I known the album for my 1983 list it would’ve made the top 10 as it’s that good.


The debut album here from these Swedish rockers starts with the raw sounding “In the Future to Come” where we’re introduced to the axe work of John Norum and the smooth but strong vocals of Joey Tempest. “Farewell” is 1980s AOR material and shows that the quality of the album tracks are simply going to be top notch. Europe were often frenetic sounding without ever quite getting into speed metal territory and a track like “Seven Doors Hotel” is a good example of this especially with its neo-classical touches, as John Norum thrusts his guitar through the whole song in pretty dynamic fashion. “The King Will Return” is a fairly epic reflective sounding track that touches on that classic 1970s vibe that easily could’ve appeared on a Ritchie Blackmore album and the name suggests that the band may have been into Wishbone Ash too. “Boyazont” is an instrumental and this leads back into the frenetic pace of the band with “Children of This Time”. “Words of Wisdom” starts of as a slowish track then moves into a delightful poppy section and shows that every song on this album is kind of special and real care was taken by the band on these compositions. “Paradize Bay” chugs the album along till the final track “Memories” which again captures the melodic essence of the band.


Wings of Tomorrow the sophomore set which despite not being as solid as the debut, is probably the more diverse album though and starts off with the galloping euro-metal standard sound of the band with “Stormwind” and the album soon hints at a stronger power metal direction than the debut did. “Open Your Heart” is the first power ballad from the band an was an obvious choice for a single and “Treated Bad Again” one of the heavier tracks by the band also vocally enters into Dio territory. “Dreamer” would be the second single from the album and is certainly a slower track that seems to be treading water a bit. The crunchy sounding “Dance the Night Away” finishes an album that does tend to be heavier than the debut and again is a nod to Dio in certain sections. Two of the songs on this album “Scream of Angel” and “Wings of Tomorrow” the latter here a great track would both later be covered by melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.

 

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