The Swedish masters are back – review of “Come This Madness” by Europe

There are bands whose past inevitably shapes the way their new releases are perceived and judged. Europe undoubtedly belong to this category. For someone like me, who has followed them since the 1980s, albums such as “The Final Countdown”, “Out of This World” and “Prisoners in Paradise” represent far more than just records. They are fundamental chapters in the history of melodic hard rock, works that helped define a distinctive musical identity built on the balance between guitars, keyboards, memorable melodies and choruses that stay with you long after the music stops.

Of course, it would be naive to expect a band with more than four decades behind them to keep repeating the same formula indefinitely. Europe made that clear with “Start from the Dark” in 2004, marking the beginning of a new artistic chapter characterised by a heavier sound, less polished atmospheres and a stronger connection to the roots of 1970s rock. Over the years, this shift has gradually moved the band away from the musical territory that made them famous during the previous decade.

With this in mind, I approached “Come This Madness”, the Swedish band’s twelfth studio album, released nine years after “Walk the Earth”. This is neither an attempt to artificially recapture the magic of a distant past nor a record designed to satisfy listeners who desperately want to hear the Europe of the 1980s again. Joey Tempest and his bandmates continue along the path they have followed for years, embracing a sound rooted more firmly in classic hard rock, with muscular riffs, carefully crafted arrangements and melodic passages that coexist with a more contemporary approach.

However, recognising a band’s artistic evolution does not necessarily mean being won over by the results. I can understand and respect Europe‘s creative choices without expecting them to write another “The Final Countdown”, but that does not prevent me from critically assessing their new material. When a band has written some of the most important classics in melodic hard rock, its legacy inevitably remains part of the equation.

From Wacken Open Air to the New Album

My perspective is also shaped by a recent experience. This year, I had the opportunity to see Europe perform at Wacken Open Air, and I have to say it was a truly great concert. The band proved that they can still deliver their classic songs with considerable dignity and conviction, reminding everyone why those tracks have stood the test of time.

On stage, Joey Tempest and his bandmates still know how to engage an audience, demonstrating that these songs retain an immediacy and emotional impact that the passing years have done little to diminish. It was a reminder that Europe are not simply a band living on the memories of an entire generation, but a group that can still deliver a compelling live performance.

When it comes to writing new material, however, the picture is somewhat different. A band’s ability to perform brilliantly on stage does not automatically guarantee that its new songs possess the same compositional strength as its classics. This distinction becomes apparent on Come This Madness: a professional effort with some interesting ideas, but one that does not always manage to turn those ideas into truly memorable songs.

A band that can still move an audience, but not always through its new material

By the end of the album, “Come This Madness” comes across as a professional effort that remains consistent with the musical direction Europe have pursued for more than two decades. The band possesses experience, personality and considerable musical ability. The production brings out the heavier character of the songs, and there are moments worth appreciating, particularly “The Cult of Ignorance“.

The problem is that, taken as a whole, the album struggles to turn these qualities into a collection of truly essential songs. Some tracks work better than others, and certain melodic passages recall why Europe became such an important band in the first place. Nevertheless, the overall impression is of a record that convinces in places without ever fully winning me over.

I do not believe Joey Tempest and his bandmates should be criticised for no longer being the band they were in the 1980s. Such criticism would be both unproductive and unfair to musicians who have legitimately chosen to explore new musical territory. “Start from the Dark” marked a clear turning point, and the albums that followed consolidated a different identity, more closely connected to classic hard rock and less dependent on the sound that defined their most commercially successful years.

There is, however, a personal consideration that I believe is entirely legitimate: when I listen to a new Europe album, I cannot completely separate what I hear today from what this band has meant to me over the years. I still look for that combination of melody, personality and songwriting ability that made them instantly recognisable at their best.

My experience at this year’s Wacken Open Air confirmed that Europe can still bring their classic material to life and deliver a high-quality live show. “Come This Madness”, on the other hand, leaves me with more mixed feelings. It is not a bad album, it is not devoid of ideas, and it does not call into question the professionalism of a band that has written important chapters in rock history. Simply put, it does not generate the same excitement I feel when listening to their classics or watching them perform live.

A decent album with some interesting ideas and a band that continues to demonstrate its professionalism, but one that inevitably reveals its limitations when measured against such an important musical legacy. Today’s Europe are a different band from the one we knew in the 1980s, and we have known that for a long time. The point is not to ask them to turn back the clock, but to determine how effectively their current identity can still move listeners through new songs. In this case, my answer remains only partially positive.