Europe - Final Countdown

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Music reviews of Final Countdown

Music Review: It's the final countdown...oh-wohhhhhhh!
Rating: 5 Stars

I could not get enough of the title track, which had hit #1 in the UK. The booming bass synthesizer, then the majestic (some might call it bombastic), brass-like synths kicking in, then a voice counting down to 0, before the drums join the anthem-like synths, taking full control. I was slowly dipping my toe in metal at this point and was totally able to handle this, what was derisively called hard metal, or even pop metal. Anyway, the apocalyptic song about leaving Earth because "there is no one to blame" reflects an Earth scorched by WW3. John Norum's blistering guitar solo is also a highlight.

The pounding "Rock The Night" has a beat like some of Survivor's anthems, although its awash with guitars chugging and squealing over the place. The opening lyrics "I've gone through changes/I've gone through pain/.../I'm in a rage up from my head down to my toes" reflected the way I felt then, and I must confess, right now. That John Norum could play!

Yes, Europe did power ballads as well, and I'm torn between the title track and the strained-relationship song "Carrie" as my favorite number here. I'm reminded of other emotional power ballads such as those by Heart and Damn Yankees' "High Enough" for the potency this has. Apart from Joey Tempest's vocals, the rest of the group engage in some Queen-type harmonies.

Another "bombastic" keyboard opening, followed by strong Norum guitar work on "Danger On The Track". The song mirrors a Western story of a man, possibly an outlaw, leaving for the mountains, promising to return to his girl, only to be harassed my other men along the way. A very engaging number.

The pace continues briskly with "Ninja", taking the action to Japan, where Joey wants to learn the stories and legends, the battles, dreaming of being the title figure.

With "Cherokee", detailing the forced relocation, i.e. Trail of Tears, they seem to be taking a page from Iron Maiden's book on social-consciousness of Native Americans, i.e. "Run Through The Hills." "So much to bear/all that pain/left them in despair/they lost their faith/and now they had to learn/there was no place to return." While I really admire this song, they could've put more oomph and anger into this to make it into more a powerhouse.

The archetypal wanderer returning home is the subject of the power ballad "Time Has Come": "Pray for the soldier, who's wounded bad/Pray for the dreamer, he's still so sad." Pray for the dreamer... oh, that's me!

"Heart Of Stone" is a mid-paced number. "On The Loose" boasts snarling guitar opening with thundering drums, a good song to play on the highway. The subject here mirrors me: "He lives from day to day/looking for something to do/he needs to get away/hoping that maybe one day/He could be someone/praying that maybe someday/he could be number one."

"Love Chaser" has a sound kind of mirroring Maiden's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." And the three live bonus tracks enhance this album.

In answering how heavy or hard Europe is compared to others in the hard-metal genre such as Poison, Winger, Warrant, or Whitesnake, it$B!G(Bs difficult, all because of differing rhythms and guitar work, but they are more polished than say, Bon Jovi or Winger, due to their heavy keyboard-work, which made them unique.

Kevin Elson, who produced Journey's Escape, did his magic on this one, making it harder-edged than Wings Of Tomorrow. I wonder what would've happened if Europe stayed with him for their next album, but the following year, Europe knocked on the door of someone who had revived the careers of Heart, Ozzy Osbourne, and gave life to Survivor. Stay tuned.

Description of Final Countdown

Classic Rock CDs

• Music > Styles
• Hard Rock & Metal
• World Music
• Pop
• Rock