From My Collection #30: Europe – Wings of Tomorrow

Welcome to another edition of From My Collection. Today we go back in time to the golden age of the early 1980s. Heavy metal has hit its commercial stride in the United States, thanks in part to NWOBHM acts like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, as well as the MTV friendly fare of Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, and others. However, there was more to early 80s metal than the States and England. In fact, Germany and Belgium boasted strong, yet underground, metal scenes. So did Sweden, which is where today’s featured band hails. I’m talking of course about Europe. Yes, “that” Europe. You see, before catapulting to stardom with a handful of hard rock/AOR staples, Europe were purveyors of true Swedish steel. This week’s essay explores the band’s second album, Wings of Tomorrow, the events leading up to it, and the role it played in cementing Europe as global superstars.

The story of Swedish metal goes back as far as metal itself. Just as England had Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, and the States had Blue Öyster Cult, Sweden was home to early metal trailblazers November. Their blend of dark riffs, bluesy grooves, and psychedelic jamming paved the way for many to follow, which in turn gave way to the first wave of Swedish heavy metal, or FWOSHM for short. Among the bands that made up the FWOSHM were Heavy Load, Axe Witch, 220 Volt, Proud, and Europe, just to name a few. So why was Europe the one band to break out of this scene while the others have spent the past 40+ years in relative obscurity? Some will say it’s because Europe is a glorified boy band assembled to capitalize on the heavy metal trend…and they’re wrong.

The roots of Europe go back as far as 1979. They stumbled around under various names and incarnations until 1982, when singer Joey Tempest’s girlfriend entered the band in an American Idol style contest called Rock-SM. The winner of the contest would get their own recording contract. And would you believe that out of 4,000+ bands that entered, Europe won? I’m sure this didn’t go over well with other burgeoning Swedish metal bands, many who likely entered the same contest, but hey. To the victor go the spoils.

When Europe’s self titled debut hit the scene in 1983, it was no wonder they won the Rock-SM contest a year earlier. These guys had chops for days. Tempest couldn’t scream like Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson, but what his voice lacked in range, it made up for in passion and power. Accompanying him on this release was bassist John Levén, drummer Tony Reno, and superstar shredder, John Norum. Playing an intricate style somewhere between neoclassical and progressive, Norum’s guitar abilities were a force to be reckoned with, the likes which hadn’t been heard since the late Randy Rhoads a couple years earlier (Yngwie Malmsteen wouldn’t drop his debut until 1984).

Come 1984 and Europe had now gained a strong following in their home country, as well as Japan, keeping true to the age old adage of being “big in Japan”. Not only that, but they now had the chance to expand their fanbase even further, thanks to an international record deal with Epic Records. My guess is after seeing the multiplatinum, arena packing success of bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, and Rainbow, Epic wanted their own slice of the heavy metal pie, and you couldn’t blame them. With their rockstar looks and virtuosic musicianship in tow, Europe were ready for world domination.

The result of this hunger for metallic supremacy was Wings of Tomorrow: An album that, despite being more polished than its predecessor, expands upon the band’s musical ideas with maximum vim and vigor. The lineup was the same as the debut, only Reno’s tracks were apparently replaced by a drum machine because he couldn’t keep time with these newly written songs. I was today years old when I learned this and as shocked as you are. If this really is the truth, it is a testament to the technological capacity of a drum machine in 1984.

The album opens with what has since become one of the band’s signature songs, “Stormwind”. A head on collision of fiery riffage, dramatic synths, and hooky melodies, “Stormwind” is a textbook example of melodic metal: heavy enough for the headbangers, yet poppy enough to appeal to the non-metal crowd. If anyone was concerned about Europe “selling out” with this album, they’d be reassured otherwise with the raging “Scream of Anger”. Channeling the darkest moments of Scorpions and Rainbow, “Scream of Anger” borders on euro power metal, a few years before the likes of Helloween and Blind Guardian would define the style.

After two towering, yet different slabs of pure metal, Europe goes from power metal to power ballad with “Open Your Heart”. In terms of arrangement, lyrical content, and melodies, it’s a rather standard power ballad for its time. However, there’s an unspoken European quality to it. I guess that can be said for all of Europe’s music though, because even on subsequent releases when they would attempt to sound American, they still came off as Swedish. Talk about an appropriate band name.

Side A continues with the hard rocking, rhythmic swagger of “Treated Bad Again”. This drum centric rocker sounds like a cross between Led Zeppelin and 70s Judas Priest. It’s also all the more reason why I’m having a hard time believing this is a drum machine, but I digress. On “Aphasia”, the focus shifts from drums to guitar. This brief instrumental showcases Norum’s abilities without being a soulless shred-fest. Instead, we’re treated to deeply emotional melodies and powerful leads. It’s a crying shame that more people don’t mention his name when talking about the greatest guitarists of the 80s.

As we flip over to side B, we’re greeted by the colossal title track. It bears similarities to “Stormwind”, but with a darker, pseudo-power metal edge. There’s nothing cute or sugary here. Just Swedish steel sharpened to perfection. “Wasted Time” keeps the mood going with its galloping riffage, neoclassical soloing, ominous atmosphere, and gritty vocals. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always thought Tempest’s vocals sounded similar to Diamond Head’s Sean Harris on this one. I doubt this was intentional, but hey, real respects real. Things only get heavier with the “off to battle” blaze of glory that is “Lyin’ Eyes”. You’d have to be a poser to not headbang to this double bass charged display of deadly metal. Both Tempest and Norum are absolutely unchained, with the latter unleashing a fret bending, face melting solo that goes toe to toe with anything John Sykes and Vivian Campbell were doing at the time.

After three songs of metallic muscle, “Dreamer” slows things to a screeching halt. The second ballad on the album, it too showcases a lite europop meets metal approach that’s to give your lighters workout. Closing it all out is “Dance the Night Away”. Not to be confused with the Van Halen song of the same name, this “Dance the Night Away” is an amalgamation of American metal hedonism and euro metal musicianship, all wrapped up in a ball of 80s fun. Because who said metal had to be serious all the time?

Although Wings of Tomorrow didn’t break Europe globally the way Epic thought it would, it set the wheels in motion for the subsequent album that would do so, 1986’s The Final Countdown. I’ll also argue that it’s their finest hour. Europe would go on to release a slew of classic albums, but none which touched the heaviness and excellence of Wings of Tomorrow. Yes, despite what revisionist classic rock radio may have you believe, Europe is so much more than “the band who did “Carrie””. Consider this album to be exhibit A.