In 2004 Europe made a comeback. After twelve years away from the spotlight, the band members decided to give the brand “Europe” another shot. So, by the release of Start From The Dark two years ago, front man/main composer Joey Tempest & co tried one more time to grab some attention in the Melodic Metal scene.
The album was not too successful. Start From The Dark did not contain anything close to a hit that would remind anyone of why this band once was one of the world’s biggest Melodic Metal bands, selling more than 8 millions albums in the 80’s. However, nostalgic fans were not late in grabbing the chance to see them live. Songs like “Rock The Night,” “Ready Or Not,” and “The Final Countdown,” some of the eighties’ biggest Rock anthems, were once again to be heard live, to the audience’s thrill. Europe’s return as a live band was most welcomed in the new millennium.
However, will their new studio effort convince anyone that Europe still can be an interesting act as a recording unit? First of all; Joey Tempest is an excellent singer, and John Norum is a brilliant guitarist. The new album confirms this. Anyway, what hits you first, listening to Secret Society, is that this does not sound like Europe. They’ve changed. No outside producer has done this to them; the album is produced by the band itself. They have, in a way, managed to create a more modern sound. On the other hand, it all still sounds a bit artificial. For example, the vocal arrangements gets, from time to time, way too over-produced.
When it comes to the songs themselves, there are a lot of great melodies to cherish. However, you can’t help missing the big choruses (or are those too much to ask for in 2006? Is the era of anthem choruses long gone?). “Always The Pretenders,” “Human After All,” and the ballad “Wish I Could Believe” get close to inviting you to sing along, but the total impression is that Tempest and the rest haven’t managed to recapture the catchiest part of their craft.
However, a few of the new songs might work very well live. One can assume that “The Getaway Plan” and “Love Is Not The Enemy” will fit their live set quite fine. Don’t run your feet off to buy this album, but pay attention to their tour date list! Europe live should still be something very well worth checking out.
The Band
Joey Tempest – Lead vocals
John Norum – Guitars
Mic Michaeli – Keyboard
John Leven – Bass
Ian Haugland – Drums
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