REVIEW: EUROPE - "Walk The Earth"

Go and ask anybody about the Europe band. You're dead sure to get the response asking you if "T'is are these guys who play >>Finale Countdawn<it good? Sure it is, the guys are definitely commited into becoming more and more the real carriers of classic rock heritage taken off from the pioneers of the genre that inspired them since they started. The record is well produced (although Joihn Norum's guitar would benefit from more kick in the mix), and sounds consistent. The main flaw, however, is - that it's difficult to write something groundbreaking in this style nowdays, which results in the heavy degree of feeling sort of sonic-deja vu in most of the tracks. 

Take the title track opening the record: as good as it is, it sounds leaning a tad too much on the famous "Kashmir" track by Well Known Identified Flying Object, billed by followers as Led Zeppelin. This pattern sort of ploddes over and plagues most of the songs, resulting in two cuts only standing-out, but at the same time - being absolutely brilliant. "Pictures" is leaning to the accoustic balladry side with hints of Pink Floyd climate, giving Mic Michaeli a room to feature some charming piano play, but also John Norum gets a chance to shine closer to the end and Joey Tempest is giving his story a passionate vocal round-up. The melody is there and sensuality is there - making the tune a treat. Still, the best here comes last, and again this goes up courtesy of Mic Michaeli. Reportedly an idea that's been hanging with them for years was finally led to be finished on the demand of Tempest. "Turn To Dust" is epic, elegiac and baroque in it's beauty and heaviness. Has all the skills and value to become stand-out cut of Europe's whole career. The leading motive is nothing less but haunting and it's expolited to the maximum potential. It bulids up over bit less than 6 minutes course into mammoth of a sonic beast, sounding at the end like there was orchestra and gospel choir added to the band's sonic armoury. Not to mention the fact that it ends with quite a brutal and quirky twist, irronically relating to the song lyrical context dealing with the fact that "the end is the same for all of us". A must-hear this is, for every rock fan. All in all, a stunning achievement of such a thrilling close to a solid effort by one of the most reliable troops in rock nowdays.