Album Review: Europe – Come This Madness
Reviewed by Matthew Caldwell
A lot of great music has come out of Sweden, and hard rock heavyweights Europe are continuing that tradition with their latest offering. With a career spanning over 40 years, the band show no sign of complacency as they unleash their twelfth studio album upon the world.
It’s impossible to talk about Europe without mentioning the elephant in the room: The Final Countdown launched them into the stratosphere. But the band are not relying on legacy with the new record. Their combination of classic hard rock and 21st-century sensibilities proves that Europe deserve their legendary status.
The album’s opener sets the tone: the grandiose orchestral movement lulls you into a false sense of security before John Léven’s bass annihilates any suggestion that the band are coming into this light-heartedly. In fact, producer Tom Dalgety has made sure the bass is front and centre throughout the whole album, and having worked with Rammstein in the past, he knows that bigger is better.
Next up is ‘The Cult of Ignorance’, chosen as one of the singles, and it is easy to see why. Guaranteed to become a crowd favourite due to its infectious hooks and singalong chorus, the band give Isaac Asimov’s famous observation a slightly more tongue-in-cheek spin.
The title track has a strong message of hope in an increasingly volatile world, and that tone is perfectly captured by the guitar/keyboard solo. Things slow down with ‘This Time of Year’. We get to hear a more reflective and emotional side to Joey Tempest in this ballad, which could easily become a Christmas single.
Another single, ‘Scandinavian Eyes’, is an example of what makes this such a great album. The orchestra returns before being blasted out of the way by a Deep Purple-style rocker. Listen closely for a Mikael Åkerfeldt cameo ― Joey Tempest appeared on Opeth’s 2024 offering, The Last Will and Testament. ‘Takin’ it Back’ is a contender for the best track on the album. Melodic and powerful, the chorus is absolutely belted out by Tempest.
The most surprising moment comes in the form of ‘In the Absence of Grace’. Short and lyrically interesting, it makes use of a Turkish proverb: “When a clown moves into a castle, he does not become a king. Instead, the castle becomes a circus.” Read into that what you will.
When the final track begins, it’s hard not to be reminded of Bruce Dickinson’s ‘Tears of the Dragon’, but once the intro ends, it finds its own way and becomes the perfect way to close the album. John Norum’s guitar prowess is on display again, with slightly Egyptian/Middle Eastern melodic choices.
This album isn’t Europe going through the motions: it is a band very much on top of their game and showing why they have had such a long career. Come This Madness is not just an album for Europe completionists ― it’s for anyone who wants to hear brilliant musicianship and songwriting, and is an invitation to bang your head, Sweden style.
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