Review: Europe – ‘War Of Kings’
by Alle Royale
Since their 2004 comeback, with the enthralling “Start From The Dark”, Europe has been raising the quality bar of their output, always adding some new spices to their brand and trusty recipe, morphing their 80’s melodic hard rock into a more contemporary rock ‘n’ roll beast but without losing an ounce of their identity and style.
It’s been a process of going forward and, at the same time, back to their roots for Joey Tempest & co., since the same groups that inspired the band in the first place are pretty much the same ones that inspire them now again; after the hair metal years and the almost contractual obligations to seek fame and fortune in the States have been buried in the sands of time (but don’t get me wrong, 1988 “Out Of This World” is still one of the best AOR albums this side of the Atlantic), Europe are free to look back at the strengths of their legacy and keep on growing on them, perfecting one of the hottest classic rock sounds you could find in today’s business.
If previous album “Bag Of Bones”, with American producer Kevin Shirley at the helm, was a declaration of pure love and full rediscovery in sound of their seventies hard rock influences, the new “War Of Kings” keeps on in the same track except for the fact that the resulting album is even more focused and natural sounding; Dave Cobb (producer of our friends and rockers extraordinaire, Rival Sons) was able to capture on tape the real essence of the five-piece, without mitigating the force of a guitar riff reminiscent of Michael Schenker in his UFO years, or the evocative power of a chorus in the mighty vein of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. This is probably the way instant classics like “War Of Kings”, “Rainbow Bridge” or “California 405” were born, just letting it loose, letting the inspiration flow free.
The exquisite tone of John Norum’ guitar solos has never been so impressive (just have a listen at his performance on “Praise You”) and makes you wonder why he hasn’t decided yet to make a full-on blues record; and if Tempest is still the main creative force behind the songwriting (and one of the finest rock vocalists around), reading the writers credits makes you figure how Europe has finally grown to a band where every member brings some personal contribution to the overall picture, and for the better.
In conclusion, even if it’s just February, “War Of Kings” should be considered a serious contender to the scepter of classic rock album of the year, and the definitive shout at those fans still wrapped in 80’s nostalgia and those (very few) critics that still consider them just that final countdown bunch; simply one of the best efforts of a brilliant career still “raging across the rainbow bridge”.
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This is for all those who say that the band Europe is still great or that still make great albums – STOP writing such a shocking nonsenses and stupidities!! All last albums are false and absolutely horrible and this fake band has nothing in common with the real group Europe from the 80’s, now they make fake records, fake and lifeless music without a soul, fake “shows”, all is fake and false and that’s because since the middle of 1989 the real Joey Tempest is not in this band and Joey was truly the only one who has made this group huge with his talents, awesomeness and uniqueness!! And since 26 years there’s such a horrible imposter and liar in this “group”, that’s not the real Joey Tempest!! The real Joey Tempest had to leave the group because of this horrible liar!! It’s so obvious and so clear to see that it’s just someone different (unless you’re blind and deaf, like bunch of ignorants). Only blind and narrow-minded can’t see that there’s a completely different person, not the real Joey in the video with interview from UK concert in august 1989 (and i’m not saying that because of different hairdo but because of everything else) and later is also in all the rest of the videos and everywhere. It’s very recognizable that it’s someone different and if you would know and appreciate the real Joey Tempest very well like he absolutely deserves to be known and appreciated, you would just know and see that instantly. But it is not recognizable to you because you all never knew nor appreciate the real Joey Tempest at all if you believe in such a huge lie, if you believe this awful and horrible liar, an imposter!!! So you never, ever were Europe nor real Joey Tempest’s true fans and you absolutely aren’t at all!! How could you do this to real Joey??!!! How shockingly stupid and close-minded you all are!!! Such a shame, shame on you all!!! The same applies to the rest of the “members” of this “group”!!! No one is talking about it all, because unfortunately the whole world (except a few intelligent people) idiotically has fallen for all these lies, shockingly stupid and idiotic “fans” are still buying and enjoying all this falsity, exciting about all this cruelty, taking a part in this huge meanness, only helping these liars to make such a huge farce but time will absolutely prove you’re all so wrong!! You idiots, incapable of logical thinking accept, praise and support mean, negative imposter and liar, can’t see the truth and it only shows that you didn’t appreciate at all the one and only, real Joey Tempest and that’s a huge, huge mistake and therefore you absolutely don’t deserve and you have no rights to call yourselves a “fan” because you never were any kind of fans!! This horrid demon also released solo albums under the name of Joey, still insolently pretending to be Joey Tempest!!! And this disgusting, hideous and rude imposter has nothing in common with the real Joey Tempest, Europe’s vocalist in 1982-1989, not only his looks and sound of voice are completely different but also behaviour, eyes, facial features, personality and absolutely everything!! And the excuse that it could be because the years have passed, it’s just such a stupid and lame excuse!!! This is just a totally different person!! It’s not even a person, he acts like some kind of a devil!! He isn’t even real Joey’ Tempest’s look-alike and never, ever will be like Joey!!! A real Joey Tempest had so much love for the fans, he loved people generally and it was so clear to see, he was such an amazing, unique, loving and beautiful person inside and out, the most amazing person in the whole world, he was very talented, gifted, with pure, heavenly voice and had a lovely, beautiful, angelic soul, he wanted to give fans all what was the best to give and he gave all of that, not like imposter which is incomparably worse and gives all what’s the worst with his rude behaviour, obscene facial expressions, offensive gestures towards people and has no talent, no soul and no voice!! There’s not even comparison between him and the real Joey Tempest!! This demonic devil only cares about himself, this whole falsity and not about the “fans”, his main and the only goal is to make fools of as many people as possible to still gain more and more as long as it’s possible undeservedly and you all brainless idiots still help him to do this!!! And the real Joey Tempest gave people all the best he had and what you stupid ignorants and idiots gave him in return, what you all did to him instead??!!! You never knew nor appreciated him at all and you love, accept and support false and bad imposter, it’s so unfair, mean and cruel!!! You are worshipping the devil!!! I repeat – Shame on you all!!! If any of the thousands of deceived, blind ignorants want to write back saying that doesn’t believe me, read carefully the lyrics of Europe’s “Danger on the track” and if your eyes and minds still will be closed so just wait, time will tell that all written here it’s the truth and all this huge farce definitely will come to an end one day!! Lies can’t last forever and they will be forced to end all this whole meannes and all liars, posers will disappear. Some of you might want to fix your huge errors then, but it can be too late to do that. And the real, THE ONE AND ONLY Joey Tempest will come back. Not to this group because they never deserved to have him as a friend. He will be happy and will be appreciated the way he really deserves by wise and really good, righteous people. And it’s just a matter of time before the truth will come out, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – as an angel Joey sings!! This is why that song has become so succesful and Joey made it huge because it’s the song about the truth. So the truth will come back to earth!!! This is The Countdown the one and only, real Joey Tempest was really singing about – TO LOVE AND THE TRUTH!!!
I’m not going to read nor reply to any stupidities of blind and naive “stans”.