The Final countdown - Europe - 1987

Europe

The Final countdown

Europe

Fonte: rockol.it

Gli Europe si formano nel 1981 in Svezia. La band – che inizialmente si chiama Force - comprende Joey Tempest (voce), John Norum (chitarra) e John Leven (basso); il gruppo riesce a vincere un concorso musicale all’inizio degli anni Ottanta, che permette agli Europe di firmare un contratto discografico. Dopo aver cambiato 

nome in Europe e realizzato due album in patria – EUROPE e WINGS OF TOMORROW — la band firma con la Epic Records in formazione rimaneggiata. Nel 1986, gli Europe incidono THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, che – complici i singoli "The final countdown" e "Carrie" – diventa un grandissimo successo sia in Inghilterra sia negli 

Stati Uniti. Due anni più tardi è la volta di OUT OF THIS WORLD, lavoro che però non realizza le stesse vendite del disco precedente. Nel 1991 viene invece realizzato PRISONERS IN PARADISE, l’ultimo album prima dello scioglimento.

Gli Europe si ritrovano nel 2003 quando – nella formazione originale – esce START FROM THE DARK, seguito da SECRET SOCIETY del 2006. Il disco dal vivo ALMOST UNPLUGGED viene invece realizzato nel 2008.
Il nuovo lavoro LAST LOOK AT EDEN esce a settembre 2009, mentre nel 2011 è la volta di LIVE LOOK AT EDEN. Nel 2012 è la volta del nuovo capitolo discografico BAG OF BONES.

Source:  billboard.com

Originally a progressive rock group, Europe didn't achieve any success until they reworked their sound into bombastic yet melodic pop-metal. In their first incarnation, the Swedish band was called Force. The band -- featuring core members Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitar), Tony Reno (drums), and John Leven 

(bass) -- won a national talent contest in the early '80s, which led to a record contract. After changing their name to Europe and releasing two albums in Sweden (Europe and Wings of Tomorrow), the band landed an international deal with Epic Records. By this time, Reno had left the group and was replaced by Kee Marcello; 

drummer Ian Haugland and keyboardist Mic Michaeli also joined the lineup.

In 1986, Europe released The Final Countdown. On the album, Michaeli's keyboards took a prominent role (they provide the main riff in the hit title track), which nicely complemented the band's smoother pop melodies. The 

change in style proved successful, as the record became a Top Ten hit in the U.S. and U.K.; both "The Final 

Countdown" and "Carrie" became Top Ten singles as well. Delivered two years later, after Norum left the band, Out of This World continued the formula of the previous record. It also was a success, although its numbers 

didn't match those of The Final Countdown. Two years later, Europe released their fifth studio album, Prisoners in Paradise, which featured the hit title track, as well as the midtempo ballad "I'll Cry for You," before calling it quits the following year. The band, including Norum, reunited for a New Year's Eve performance in Stockholm in 

1999, resulting in the announcement of an official reunion three years later. The band subsequently recorded and released their sixth album, Start from the Dark (2004), then followed it with Secret Society (2006) and Last Look at Eden (2009), the latter of which debuted at number one on the Swedish album chart. Bag of Bones (2012) 

had a blues-rock feel, while War of Kings (2015) was a heavy, doomy, faintly psychedelic affair strongly inspired by their childhood heroes Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi