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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Europe - War Of Kings + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Mar-22-2015 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Hard Rock Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.europetheband.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Europe Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : War Of Kings Label : Hell & Back ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Surprisingly, my first hearing of the ║ │
│║ transcendental EUROPE was not through the ║ │
│║ eponymous "The Final Countdown", but through ║ │
│║ ARCH ENEMY's cover of "Scream Of Anger", and ║ │
│║ such my search began (as did my placing of the ║ │
│║ band name to the aforementioned anthem). Keeping ║ │
│║ roughly the same lineup for almost 29 years, ║ │
│║ 2015 would see the unleashing of "War of Kings", ║ │
│║ the band's 10th album and first under UDR ║ │
│║ Records. Whereas the past two albums were rather ║ │
│║ mellow in comparison, the new release has seen ║ │
│║ them come back heavier, more technical and, ║ │
│║ essentially, bigger. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The Northern Kings of Hard Rock wage a war in ║ │
│║ the title track, opening the album. Cutting ║ │
│║ through with a heavy, driving, bass-driven riff, ║ │
│║ it promises to deliver the more Metallic vibes ║ │
│║ that the 'heavier' fans have been waiting to ║ │
│║ return since "Secret Society". As one could ║ │
│║ expect, the songwriting is spectacular; great ║ │
│║ thought obviously being put into choosing this ║ │
│║ piece as the album's first shot fired. I was ║ │
│║ once again blown away by Joey Tempest's ║ │
│║ indomitable vocal talent, showing no audible ║ │
│║ signs of aging. Similarly displayed in the ║ │
│║ feel-good "The Second Day", a mid-paced, AOR- ║ │
│║ like track that capitalises on its catchiness, ║ │
│║ the instrumentation lightly arranged to thicken ║ │
│║ the chorus and dissipate, adding breeze and flow ║ │
│║ to the verses; but then, if you would like to ║ │
│║ remind yourself of how EUROPE performs those ║ │
│║ killer, enormous, Euro-style choruses, this is ║ │
│║ the track to turn to. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ "Praise You" is, and I had this feeling from the ║ │
│║ onset, my favourite track on the album. The ║ │
│║ transition from a thick, groovy, almost Stoner- ║ │
│║ like intro riff (think late CORROSION OF ║ │
│║ CONFORMITY?) to a lilting, Bluesy and spacey ║ │
│║ series of verses is both jarring and relaxing; a ║ │
│║ strangely functional juxtaposition. As I would ║ │
│║ expect, this track also contains one of the ║ │
│║ album's best choruses and, as I would hear it, ║ │
│║ the best example of songwriting on the album; ║ │
│║ the sonic 'sweet-spot', if you will, where ║ │
│║ glorious riffs and powerful vocals intersect. ║ │
│║ "Children of the Mind" also deserves to be ║ │
│║ boldly highlighted; easily one of the more ║ │
│║ Metallic tracks, it's riffs a powerful mix of ║ │
│║ technicality, groove and catchiness, Joey's ║ │
│║ voice also takes leaps and bounds, holding ║ │
│║ powerful notes long and high. "Angels (With ║ │
│║ Broken Hearts)" is the 'lighter-raiser' of the ║ │
│║ album. The slowest track, and arguably the ║ │
│║ quietest, minimalism is used to sublime and ║ │
│║ seminal effect; lyrically prominent, with ║ │
│║ melodies guitars and keyboards used to colourful ║ │
│║ and emotive effect. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This is definitely EUROPE's strongest record in ║ │
│║ years. Normally gravitating to the more ║ │
│║ technical and 'ridiculous' of the metal ║ │
│║ universe, I found myself surprised at the fact I ║ │
│║ wasn't anywhere close to bored with a single ║ │
│║ track; not only a tremendous release for the ║ │
│║ Metal and Rock world, but a testament to the ║ │
│║ band's career, and an excellent, explosive start ║ │
│║ to the year. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Lineup: ║ │
│║ Mic Michaeli - Keys ║ │
│║ John LevΘn - Bass ║ │
│║ Joey Tempest - Vocals ║ │
│║ John Norum - Guitars ║ │
│║ Ian Haugland - Drums ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - War Of Kings [04:36] │
│ 02 - Hole In My Pocket [03:42] │
│ 03 - The Second Day [05:24] │
│ 04 - Praise You [04:34] │
│ 05 - Nothin┤ To Ya [03:55] │
│ 06 - California 405 [04:31] │
│ 07 - Days Of Rock┤N┤Roll [03:06] │
│ 08 - Children Of The Mind [04:31] │
│ 09 - Rainbow Bridge [03:16] │
│ 10 - Angels (With Broken Hearts) [05:19] │
│ 11 - Light It Up [06:10] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [49:04 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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