Europe - Secret Society

This is Europe's seventh album and it sounds like they have finally arrived. Their music has evolved and they are willing to take risks. The album is modern and contemporary, without losing sight of traditional classic rock influences. It has a much harder edge then most of their previous work. The album demonstrates a mix of great composition skills paired with versatile sound variations, a brilliant blend of hard rock and soft metal ballads that are sure to please fans of the band.

The album artwork cover was designed by the legendary Storm Thorgerson. As a member of the design studio Hipgnosis, Storm worked on all the classic album covers by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Peter Gabriel. Album Description

The secret to Secret Society

I have read some positive as well as negative reviews on this album. So when I ordered it, I didn't quite know what to expect. Since some said that Europe now sounded like Nickleback and related bands. However, as a serious lover of music and one who prides myself on having a great melodic rock and metal cd collection.. this is what I have to honestly say about secret society: This album is not Nickleback or Godsmack. It is not drab modern rock that has no melody.. It is actually a great album!!! You won't find the poppy, rock Europe of the 1980's here.. So those who like to box a band into their sound will probably have fits over it. But those who like to give a band breathing room to grow and evolve will hear the greatness of this album. The melodies are strong and catchy.. the guitar work has some really nice moments and goes beyond the crunchy alternative rock sound. The keyboards aren't giant like the old days of Europe.. but they are there. The vocals are not weak or bland as some reviews claim. The album flows and has a nice sound and great style.. Upon first listen.. I just kind of sat there with this "wow" kind of feeling by the end of the disc.. I was not disappointed in the least, nor did I think this album stunk. Bypass the naysayers and give this disc a spin.. I really don't think you will dislike what you hear. And that comes from a die hard music critic who is not easily impressed. September 19, 2008

Very good hard rock

My first visit to this album was via the worst set of headphones I've ever owned. Luckily the next day I cranked it up on my home stereo. And you know what? It's a pretty good listen. Solid hard rock songs with more body to them than some Europe albums and this album sees a better combination of John Norums riffs and the vocals which was a sticking point for me with their last disc Start From the Dark.

The fuller instrumentation gives this disc more of a band feel and the very clean - but not too clean - knob job by the band itself lends further credence to this being a working band, if not a band for every working man.

Personal gems from this disc would have to be The Getaway Plan (check Norums solo) and the more fragile Human After All. But really this is a very consistent song based album with the sum of it's parts adding up nicely. And the package is added to by the cover art (a bit creepy if you ask me) and the booklet illustrations and lyrics to the whole deal.

Europe fans can buy this with confidence as it's a better written batch of tunes than Start From The Dark. In fact any generic hard tock and/or AOR fan should pick this up as should any 80's fan who wants to see what could of been achieved had more time been spent on hard work crafting albums and less time attending stylists apppointments. Hey, perhaps we could of avoided the grunge years.... May 22, 2008

Secret Society is fantastic!

Many of the reviews here say this is the best Europe album since "The Final Countdown" and I have to disagree on two counts. First of all, I thought 1988's "Out Of this World" was a better album overall than "Countdown" because of it's harder edge and more guitar driven sound and secondly I think this is the best Europe album EVER.

This album is a teriffic blend of modern influences and classic rock roots. It combines a more modern heavy guitar sound with great hooks and melody. I have heard alot of bands try to update their sound over the years with varying degrees of success. Some have been dreadful, while others have been very solid, such as Tesla's 2004 release "Into The Now", but I can't recall any that were as successful as "Secret Society". Credit Joey Tempest and John Norum for having the courage to bring two ingredients along for the ride that seem to have fallen out of favor with modern rock bands, actual singing and guitar solos. I know nowdays it's more fashionable to wail and moan into a mic like someone just ran over your dog and only have a passing knowledge of how to play guitar, but Europe bucks the trend here with great vocals (maybe subdued in places as a nod to fashion) and soaring, intoxicating guitar licks that will please anyone who likes to hear the instrument in the hands of a master.

The songwriting is first rate, with several songs that I just can't seem to get out of my head even after months of listening to this, such as "Always The Pretenders", "Wish I Could Believe" and "Human After All". As a whole it sounds like an album that will not sound dated to my ears after a few some time has passed and will provide years of listening enjoyment.

All that wrapped in classic album artwork that brings back fond memories of the days whan albums had visual appeal as well as sonic appeal makes this a near perfect package.


April 13, 2008

always the pretenders....i.e. Europe rocks!

Great hard rock... Those who criticize this album or give it bad marks are likely from the competition or fooling around. Any band would wish to have this CD under their belt.
It is similar to 'Start from the Dark' and as some have said, 'Secret Society' has a different yet modern sound.
Compared to other bands from this genre, Europe eats them all for breakfast. A Mothers Son is a wonderful track together with Always the Pretenders.
Worth the buck. Rock on Europe!

November 21, 2007

actually a decent rock CD but has NOTHING to do with EUROPE

Good rock CD but has NOTHING to do with the band Europe ... yeah even though they recorded it. I've heard this 3 times through now. There are maybe 2 songs on here that sound anything like their first 4 records. I'm all for a band progressing, but they lost too much of their sound that made them famous. John Norum shouldn't have been allowed to just take over ..... there's barely an ounce of keyboard on this record folks ... seriously ... and yeah it's a "Europe" record. Mic Michaeli was pretty much a warm body taking up space at this recording. The disturbing part is some who back in the day hated them and thought they were too pop, are celebrating this record, even more than the last one. So Europe is making records for people who in the day didn't think they were any good and were listening more to other bands. ~ ? ~
A lot of folks who like this record are guitar players, one can tell because many pro-this album have NO PROBLEM that Joey Tempest comes across as a rather average singer here, while guitar work rules the day. Speaking of which would it have killed Joey to sing a high note somewhere in a song? I know he can because I saw them live when they came to Detroit ........ Unless you listen with the idea it's not really a Europe CD (then it's good in places) this record is in a word ... depressing ....
Depressing because to enjoy it I have to literally wipe my mind that the magnificent albums "Wings of Tomorrow", "Final Countdown", "Out of This World" and "Prisoner's In Paradise" ever existed. But in some circles it's 'kool' to like Europe now, since you can't hear the keyboards ..... Europe sold out (though this record pleases folks who like mainly to hear guitar). Just like some group with an album in the late '80s who for the 1st single releases a keyboard ballad sold out, in the 00s Europe sold out.
And I don't buy the notion that every listener here always thought the song "Final Coundown" was 'too predictable' or 'too keyboardy', and (truthfully because Europe got made fun of for the 'Too_Pretty_Image' thing, which killed them back in the day) the notion the "Final Countdown"
as a song was just a phase some people were going through ... Yeah the melody is maybe sort of predictable and the chorus is simple, but Joey Tempest's voice on it is very powerful, and the guitar solo by J.N. was different than any other solo in any song by any competing group at the time. The song "Final Countdown" was #1 in 26 COUNTRIES, people, and went top 10 in America ... but - OH (talking to U.S. folks and folks in Europe) you couldn't STAND that song ............... it was only females blasting it on the radio .......................
Yeah, ok.
There are some great lyrics, but songwriting wise it's really pretty plain {thanks John Norum, and whoever let him take over the band} ... going back to my above response to some reviewers, there is nothing on here that will resonate with a mass audience ..... and I guess that's my point. Next time I'll say it more quickly August 29, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...