Silver Lining Music [Release date 25.09.26]

It’s been seven years since Europe’s last album.  Since 2017 the band haven’t been idle (with many a festival event under their collective belts) but the lack of a new studio album has been worrying. Their early millennium momentum had pretty much ground to a halt, just like their live setlists.

Reviewing ‘Walk The Earth’ I was completely underwhelmed but in 2026 and ‘Come This Madness’ the band are re-energized.

We’ve already heard the opening single salvos (even if the videos are a bit weird) and the album marks a return to the heavier and darker band we loved from the early noughties.

I can’t help thinking that producers haven’t served the band particularly well over the years, either that or the band have succumbed too easily to recycling their roots and influences, such as Deep Purple and UFO.

Yes the influences are still here as they should be but not a total subjugation as has happened. Purple, for example, are ever present on ‘Scandinavian Eyes’ although Europe are decidedly heavier in their approach.

On ‘Walk The Earth’ producer Dave Cobb had songwriting credits throughout which may have been a step too far.  But then Chris Difford (Squeeze) contributed to three tracks.

This time round the band have enlisted English hot-shot producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Opeth) and I think he may have provided the robustness the band needed and the freedom to release their true head of steam.

The album is lyrically a bit more socially aware and therefore makes the band a bit more relevant.  The title track ‘Come This Madness’ is a case in point, railing against a certain modern dystopia.  There is a Whitesnake-esque vibe present too.

You always hope for a killer ballad or mid-tempo song and ‘This Time Of Year’ delivers. Once again we get an impassioned vocal from the consistently top-notch Joey Tempest and a suitably expressive solo from John Norum.  This is a song that will be played repeatedly at Christmas by those who have loved and lost.

‘In A Different World’ features an unexpected Norum-led breakdown section to great effect. On previous albums Norum has appeared somewhat restrained so his general resurrection is one to celebrate. And as ever we get great contributions from John Leven (not least on ‘One On One’), Ian Haugland and Mic Michaeli.

Michaeli provides excellent orchestration throughout, including the very short ‘In The Absence Of Grace’.  This may be designed as a quieter interlude and respite from the earnest riffage displayed on the likes of ‘The Angels Must Have Flown’ and  ‘Nothing Can Follow This’.

We will probably have to wait until 2027 to hear more pieces played live as on the current tour the band are playing their third album in its entirety. But be thankful, Europe are back and firing on all five cylinders.  ****

Review by David Randall

2025 Dates

30 Sep – SEC Armadillo, Glasgow (GB)
2 Oct – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton (GB)
3 Oct – Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London (GB)
5 Oct – Musis Arnhem, Arnhem (NL)
6 Oct – Olympia, Paris (FR)
8 Oct – Poble Espanyol, Barcelona (ES)
9 Oct – Bilbao Arena Mirabilla, Bilbao (ES)
10 Oct – La Cubierta, Madrid (ES)
12 Oct – Salle Métropole, Lausanne (CH)
13 Oct – Volkshaus, Zürich (CH)
14 Oct – Alcatraz, Milan (IT)
16 Oct – Liederhalle, Stuttgart (DE)
17 Oct – Gasometer, Wien (AT)
19 Oct – Admiralspalast Theater, Berlin (DE)
20 Oct – COS Torwar, Warszawa (PL)
22 Oct – Falkoner, Frederiksberg (DK)
23 Oct – Film Studios, Gothenburg (SE)
24 Oct – B-K, Stockholm (SE)
26 Oct – Sentrum Scene, Oslo (NO)
15 Nov – Malta Metal Weekend, St. Julians (MT)
21 Nov – Ostravar Aréna, Ostrava (CZ)
25 Nov – Aalto Hall @ House of Culture, Helsinki (FI)
27 Nov – John Smith Rock Frozen Paviljonki, Jyväskylä (FI)
28 Nov – Unholy Winter Festival Joensuu Areena, Joensuu (FI)

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 9 August 2026.

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Power Plays w/c 31 August 2026

JEFFERSON STARSHIP Jetpack (indie)
SHOGUN MOJO Under The Gun (Frontiers)
NOT MY WIFE Best Friend (indie)
BEN POOLE Time Has No Mercy (Gypsy Soul Records)
NIGHT TALKS Window Shopping (indie)
CHEZ KANE One Day (Is All That It Takes) (Frontiers)

Featured Albums w/c 31 August 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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