Europe "Bag Of Bones"

That right, hair metal fans, "The Final Countdown" and "Carrie" Europe.  And you thought they went away twenty years ago...

Well, they did, and this Mad Rocker was bummed.  Actually, I was disappointed that guitarist John Norum quit the band following the album Final Countdown.  It was understandable since the first two Europe albums preceding FC were guitar-based prog rock.  Final Countdown shifted the band's sound to more keyboards and a pop-metal style, something Norum described as "poodle rock."  So off he went on his own solo career, releasing some excellent albums and contributing smoldering fret work to the likes of Glenn Hughes and Carmine Appice, and tribute albums to Alice Cooper, Ace Frehley and Phil Lynott.  Europe replaced him and did two more albums before the grunge movement killed hair bands. 

Rumors of a reunion were stoked by a turn-of-the-century concert but took four years to come to fruition.  With Norum back in the band, I had to listen, but that's all I did.  Wasn't moved to own it or the other two records issued in the following five years.  But I made the effort to hear them.  When word of "Bag Of Bones" leaked out, I investigated reviews from Sweden and Switzerland, finding the band was still intact and that the record had adopted more of a blues rock feel.  This was underscored by the guest appearance of Joe Bonamassa, hardest working guitarist in the world, and the ever-present Kevin Shirley running the board.  That was enough for me to make the buy. 

This is the album's opening track.  I like how this was cut with live footage of the band performing the song, with which they apparently open their shows, but with the actual studio version dubbed in. 

  

Tell me that doesn't sound like Deep Purple/Uriah Heep/Whitesnake all rolled into one.  This is the single (you can find the official video all over the web) but you know I have to select one of quality with three or four-digit views, not hundreds of thousands...



Joey Tempest writing and singing 'bout his life!  So what if he's lost that higher register in his voice?  The original version has a Kashmir-ish sense thrown in on top of a decidedly David Coverdale's Whitesnake sound.  Hell, I had to check the credits to see if Coverdale was guesting!  Track 3, if I didn't know better, could be Black Country Communion...




This is a Mad Rocker favorite for 2012 so far, getting a 9 on a 10-scale...well, that's if you completely dismiss the closing track, the obligatory metal ballad that, unfortunately, is blatantly awful.  Not officially available domestically, but there is a place in North Carolina that'll send you a physical copy for less than $17.  I found mine digitally for under $10. 

Whatever price you pay, it's worth it.