One of those rare 'AMAZING comebacks'
Leo Prill | Los Angeles | 08/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"No more catchy synth lines, no more 80's pop-hair-metal vocals, these guys are now Hard Rockers. You're saying, "no way, not the same band that released The Final Countdown"...well, my friends, you are wrong.
How can one album sound so new yet so classic? Is it the crystal clear production? Is it the hard-as-hell riffs but melodic-as-hell leads? Is it the interesting and meaningful lyrics? Is it the incredible diversity in the style of songs on the album? Well, I honestly don't know how to answer that.
How can the song "Hero" sound so fresh and yet be an undenyable re-creation of "Carrie"? How can tracks like "Spirit of the Underdog", "America", and "Wake Up Call" rock so much, at the same time having an incredibly melodic side to it?
There is not a single track on this album that I skip, I play it all the way through all the time, and this is coming from a big Europe fan, a fan of all their earlier albums with no exceptions. You can really tell that the guys worked their souls out on this record...but, obviously, still won't get any airplay in this pathetic-music-scene country known as the United States. I hope they go Platinum in Europe, because this material is just THAT DAMN GOOD."
They have come a long way.
B. Christian | rock hill sc | 12/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i have been a fan of europe from back in the 80's and had not heard anything from them until 2 years ago i got secret sociaty and thought, Hmmm they sound pretty darn good, new material up to date and John Norum is back and get this. he brought his guitar, a very under rated youth of his time, has grown into the statis of guitar hero at very least, if you are a fan of guitar work, even from past 80's albums, europe will suprise you, give a good honest listen and let your ears be the judge, start from the dark will leave you thinking, hmm how did i miss these guys and have you wanting more."
The Movieholic Reviews
M. Voigt | Hudson, FL United States | 01/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first album after their longtime absence served them justice. The Europe sound is back and here to stay as the title track explains how starting from scratch into the new century can open up a new fan base. A song titled "Hero" does make a statement that without their fans, recording a new album would be pointless and that they are not making an album just to record, but to also go with their Faith. I highly recommend this album if you are a fan of not only Europe, but also the style of music that broke out in the late 80s"