Artist: Europe Album: Last Look at Eden

Year: 2009
Duration: 47:07

Europe’s Last Look at Eden: A Critical Review

Europe is a Swedish music band that has been in the industry since 1979, and is known for their hit song “The Final Countdown”. The band’s sound has been dubbed as arena rock, a subgenre of rock that combines hard rock and heavy metal with anthem-like choruses. In 2009, Europe released their eighth studio album, Last Look at Eden. In this blog post, we’ll take a critical review of the album from the brief history of the band, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critique of the album.

Europe started as a progressive rock band in the late ‘70s and gained fame in the ‘80s with their shift to a more commercial sound. Their biggest hit “The Final Countdown” propelled them to superstar status, but the band decided to call it quits in 1992. They reformed in 2003 and released several albums in the latter half of the 2000s. Among these was Last Look at Eden which was released in 2009. It was said to be their heaviest album yet, and was a return to their hard rock roots.

The genre of Last Look at Eden primarily falls under arena rock. But the band’s return to their hard rock roots was evident in several songs in the album. The songs “Prelude” and “Last Look at Eden” clearly demonstrate this shift in sound, with their bluesy and gritty guitar riffs. The album also had a few ballads such as “New Love in Town” and “In My Time”, which are reminiscent of Europe’s commercial sound in the ‘80s.

There were several noteworthy songs in the album, and it’s hard to choose just a few. The titular track “Last Look at Eden” is definitely a standout, with its powerful guitar riffs and catchy chorus. “Gonna Get Ready” and “No Stone Unturned” also showcase the band’s talent for creating anthemic rock songs. Meanwhile, the ballads “In My Time” and “New Love in Town” show the band’s softer side, with beautiful melodies and poignant lyrics.

The most innovative part of the album is arguably the incorporation of Eastern influences in the song “Mojito Girl”. The song is an instrumental track that features a sitar, something that is not typically found in arena rock music. The band’s willingness to experiment with new sounds is commendable and adds a unique dimension to the album.

While Last Look at Eden was a decent album, it was not without its flaws. Some critics have noted that the album lacked cohesiveness, with the songs not flowing smoothly from one to the next. Additionally, some songs such as “The Beast” and “Run With the Angels” were criticized for being too cliche and derivative, respectively.

All in all, Last Look at Eden is a solid album and a testament to Europe’s staying power in the music industry. While it may not be their best work, it’s definitely worth a listen. The album showcases the band’s hard rock roots, anthemic sound, and willingness to experiment with new sounds. The incorporation of Eastern influences in “Mojito Girl” adds a fresh dimension to the album, while tracks like “Last Look at Eden” and “Gonna Get Ready” showcase the band’s flair for creating catchy, memorable songs.

All in all, Last Look at Eden is a solid album and a testament to Europe’s staying power in the music industry. While it may not be their best work, it’s definitely worth a listen. The album showcases the band’s hard rock roots, anthemic sound, and willingness to experiment with new sounds. The incorporation of Eastern influences in “Mojito Girl” adds a fresh dimension to the album, while tracks like “Last Look at Eden” and “Gonna Get Ready” showcase the band’s flair for creating catchy, memorable songs.