Europe - War Of Kings (new CD)

[AlphaMale]

I didn't see a thread on this so if there is, I apologize. These guys seem to get worse with each disc. But I'll still give this a listen.

 

http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2014/12/preview-war-of-kings-europe.html

 

Artist: Europe
Title: War of Kings
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Label: UDR
Format(s): CD, DD

by Music-News.com Newsdesk

Swedish rock legends Europe will release their 10th album, War of Kings, in March 2015 on UDR Records.

Recorded at the brand new PanGaia Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, produced by Dave Cobb (Rival Sons) and engineered by John Netti, War of Kings sees the classic rocking quintet confidently creating 11 monstrously melodic, yet hard-hitting, classic rock'n'roll standouts for their fervent global audience.

War of Kings will be released in the UK on March 2nd, Japan on March 4th (via JVC), the EU on March 6th and the US on March 10th.

Joey Tempest: "War Of Kings is the album we always wanted to make, ever since we were kids listening to bands like Zeppelin, Purple and Sabbath. And after hearing Dave Cobb amazing production for Rival Sons we simply had to work with him. Our adventure is still ON!"

Europe will commence their roadwork supporting War of Kings with a UK/Ireland tour in Dublin on March 2nd (their first visit to Ireland in 25 years) before continuing in the UK with Black Star Riders. Joey said "Looking forward to 'tons' of touring in 2015! It's getting harder and harder to be modest and humble about this band! It doesn't get much better than this!"

Europe are:

• Joey Tempest - lead vocals, acoustic & rhythm guitar, keyboards
• John Norum - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
• John Leven - bass, backing vocals
• Mic Michaeli - keyboards, piano, backing vocals, rhythm guitar
• Ian Haugland - drums, percussion, backing vocals

Track List:

• War Of Kings
• Hole In My Pocket
• Second Day
• Praise You
• Nothin' To Ya
• California 405
• Days Of Rock n Roll
• Children Of The Mind
• Rainbow Bridge
• Angels (With Broken Hearts)
• Light It Up
• Bonus: Vasastan (Instrumental)

Touring:

• 03/02 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
• 03/03 - Belfast, Northern Ireland - Ulster Hall
• 03/05 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 ABC
• 03/06 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 ABC
• 03/07 - Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, U.K. - O2 Academy
• 03/08 - Leeds, U.K. - O2 Academy
• 03/10 - Nottingham, U.K. - Rock City
• 03/11 - Cambridge, U.K. - Corn Exchange
• 03/13 - Manchester, U.K. - Academy
• 03/14 - Wolverhampton, U.K. - Civic Hall
• 03/15 - Exeter, U.K. - University
• 03/16 - Bristol, U.K. - O2 Academy
• 03/18 - Bournemouth, U.K. - O2 Academy
• 03/19 - Norwich, U.K. - UEA
• 03/20 - London, U.K. - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
• 03/21 - London , U.K.- O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

[Geoff]

The description of the music on this album sounds like AIDs raping my ears. But again, I too will listen to this at least once... just because it's Europe. All original / prime members of this band, yet such fucking garbage, consistently, one album after another. Man, what a gigantic waste.

 

Would any of them even know what good music is anymore??

[AlphaMale]

The description of the music on this album sounds like AIDs raping my ears. But again, I too will listen to this at least once... just because it's Europe. All original / prime members of this band, yet such fucking garbage, consistently, one album after another. Man, what a gigantic waste.

 

Would any of them even know what good music is anymore??

 

It would be cool to rate their discography. I would love to see what some of the other brethren think of some of these recent garbage discs.

[AlphaMale]

My grades for the last 4 discs:

 

Start From The Dark (2004) 80%

Secret Society (2006) 73%

Last Look At Eden (2009) 65%
Bag Of Bones (2012) 59%

[Mullethead]

My grades for the last 4 discs:

 

Start From The Dark (2004) 80%

Secret Society (2006) 73%

Last Look At Eden (2009) 65%

Bag Of Bones (2012) 59%

I'm looking forward to anything they do but I have to say as well, Start from the Dark is about a 90%. My second favorite from their catalog. I also though Eden was very strong.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Last Look At Eden was a monster album for me. So bloody good!

[The Rocker]

Prime example of "We are Artist and we need to be creative and make/play music that we want" instead of the music that fans want to hear from them.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Prime example of "We are Artist and we need to be creative and make/play music that we want" instead of the music that fans want to hear from them.

Yeah, but I'm one to support that mentality. You don't create at for the masses. You create it for yourself, and hope that others will identify with it.

[Geoff]

 

My grades for the last 4 discs:

 

Start From The Dark (2004) 80%

Secret Society (2006) 73%

Last Look At Eden (2009) 65%

Bag Of Bones (2012) 59%

 

 

Wow mate, they are really high ratings for really bad albums, imo. I actually have rated three of these discs (I'll try to find and rate 'Last look at eden,' just for you.) But what I have done looks like this:

 

Secret Society - 2006 - 62%

Start From The Dark - 2004 - 60%

Bag Of Bones - 2012 - 31%

Going in, I also thought 'Start from the dark' was okay from memory. Listening back to it, I realised it wasn't at all. 'Secret Society' actually surprised me by being the better of the two (pretty bad) albums.

[Thomas/Coastline]

Won't be able to judge it until I've heard it. Anyway, guess I'll like some of the guitar playing.

[Dead Planet]

The only Europe releases worth having are The Final Countdown, Out of This World and Prisoners of Paradise......the rest are painful to hear .....

[jondavis]

What he said /|\

|

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Ok, I like some of the newer songs on almost unplugged, but never got into their later albums.

[Geoff]

100% agree with Mr Planet, though special mention must go to their Greatest Hits collection. The two new songs (new in 1992) 'Yesterday's News' and 'Sweet Love Child' are absolutely ESSENTIAL to the definitive Europe collection.

 

Listening to how absolutely amazing they were in 'Prisoners...' era compared to what they are now... I imagine it'd be like marrying a ridiculously attractive porn star only to be told you've got AIDS and you're going to die tomorrow.

 

At their prime, imo, I'd probably have put them in the top 5% of all bands. At the moment, they'd be in my bottom 5% of all prolific bands. 'Bag of Bones' was actually literally the lowest rated album of 2012 for me. Shocking waste of a great band.

[AlphaMale]

100% agree with Mr Planet, though special mention must go to their Greatest Hits collection. The two new songs (new in 1992) 'Yesterday's News' and 'Sweet Love Child' are absolutely ESSENTIAL to the definitive Europe collection.

 

Listening to how absolutely amazing they were in 'Prisoners...' era compared to what they are now... I imagine it'd be like marrying a ridiculously attractive porn star only to be told you've got AIDS and you're going to die tomorrow.

 

At their prime, imo, I'd probably have put them in the top 5% of all bands. At the moment, they'd be in my bottom 5% of all prolific bands. 'Bag of Bones' was actually literally the lowest rated album of 2012 for me. Shocking waste of a great band.

 

Bag of Bones was more like PILE OF SHIT.

 

And I think you are being too hard on Start From The Dark. A surprisingly decent disc that of course is hindered by Norum's awful guitar tone.

[Nightrain]

I think I can still make a good greatest hits from 'Start From The Dark' all the way to the 'Bones'. Picking 10 good songs might be not too hard but if EUROPE' stop until 'Prisoner', I'll be fine too.

 

Shame a band that I really like from the debut gone into oblivion like this

[melodicrockoz]

I wish the band would re record thier le bron boyz demos and release it as an album. It'll top all thier albums since the reunion put together.

[Geoff]

I think I can still make a good greatest hits from 'Start From The Dark' all the way to the 'Bones'. Picking 10 good songs might be not too hard but if EUROPE' stop until 'Prisoner', I'll be fine too.

 

Shame a band that I really like from the debut gone into oblivion like this

 

Picking 10 decent songs off those albums would be impossible.

 

Honestly, Russ, going into rating 'Start from the dark' I had a moderately high impression of the disc. But I quickly discovered there's really nothing much good going on there...

[Nightrain]

Oh really ? Actually I can pick about 13, maybe I can add 2 more from the new album later

this is my suggested greatest hits of 2004 - 2014

 

1. Start From The Dark (04)

2. Flames (04)

3. Hero (04)

4. Settle For Love (04)

5. Always The Pretenders (06)

6. Wish I Could Believe (06)

7. Forever Travelling (06)

8. Devil Sings The Blues (06)

9. New Love In Town (09)

10. The Beast (09)

11. In My Time (09)

12. Bring It All Home (12)

13. Beautiful Disaster (12) Japanese bonus track

14. reserved for new album

15. reserved for new album

[Geoff]

Yep, just checked and I wouldn't put one single song from the era on a compilation disc - it'd just be a waste of space. For the record, my favourite song from the era is 'Always the pretenders,' but not even that gets an 8 from me and therefore, I wouldn't waste the CDR.

[Mullethead]

There was one filler song on SFTD so I am not sure what you guys are talking about. Secret Society had some good songs but was a huge let down. Eden was very good as well but as much as I hate to say it, I couldn't listen to most of Bones.

[Geoff]

Out of curiosity, was the filler on 'SFTD' 'Got to have faith,' 'Flames, 'Wake up call,' 'Song No.12,' or 'Roll with you?' Plenty more I don't like about the CD, but they were all mega weak tracks for me - fillers galore.

[Mullethead]

Out of curiosity, was the filler on 'SFTD' 'Got to have faith,' 'Flames, 'Wake up call,' 'Song No.12,' or 'Roll with you?' Plenty more I don't like about the CD, but they were all mega weak tracks for me - fillers galore.

 

I had to snicker a little at your filler choices just because a few of those are so good I can't believe you would call them filler. "Reason" is the only song I ever skip. That track I will give you...is terrible.

[Nightrain]

'Flames' is awesome, Geoff - you got it all wrong

[AlphaMale]

 

Out of curiosity, was the filler on 'SFTD' 'Got to have faith,' 'Flames, 'Wake up call,' 'Song No.12,' or 'Roll with you?' Plenty more I don't like about the CD, but they were all mega weak tracks for me - fillers galore.

 

I had to snicker a little at your filler choices just because a few of those are so good I can't believe you would call them filler. "Reason" is the only song I ever skip. That track I will give you...is terrible.

 

 

I like "Reason".

[Geoff]

'Reason' is bad too. So are the last two.