Into the Fire Again: Europe Rise with the Explosive ‘Come This Madness’
- Rock Metal Machine
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
EUROPE
After nine years, Europe return with Come This Madness - their 12th studio album and their most powerful, uncompromising statement to date. Come This Madness is set for release on September 25th via Silver Lining Music / Hell & Back Recordings.
Europe have seen it all. Pushed forward. Never stood still. And still, they rise again, continuing to defy expectations, evolving, adapting, and pushing forward without compromise.
Across songs like ‘One on One’, ‘The Cult of Ignorance’, and the title track ‘Come This Madness’, the band channel tension, truth, and raw energy into a record that feels both deeply personal and globally resonant.
The first single, ‘One On One’, is out now, marking a powerful reintroduction to a band that has never sounded more focused. Built around a driving bass riff and layered with soaring melodies, the track blends Europe’s classic sound with a fresh, modern energy. Opening with an orchestral-led intro before moving into a riff-driven core, it builds into a high-impact, arena-ready hard rock moment. Written during a time of global stillness but developed over years, the song reflects both persistence and evolution – a track the band refused to let go of, ultimately shaping it into a defining moment on Come This Madness.
“‘One On One’ is definitely one of my favourite tracks from the album,” says Europe’s founding member and frontman Joey Tempest. “The power and feel is fresh, but some of the melodies bring me back to where it all began. Lyrically, it’s perhaps not filled with as much escapism as early Europe. These lyrics automatically ended up being more of a reflection of the times we live in today. Ever since ‘One On One’ was just a demo, we’ve stayed with it… never gave up on it, and elevated it to a place where it belongs: a high-flying, classic hard rock track.”
The new single is accompanied by a striking and unconventional music video, marking a bold new visual chapter for the band. Set in a stark, cinematic environment, the video centres on a single character – battered, broken and emotionally exposed – brought to life in a powerful and deeply human performance by acclaimed actor Peter Stormare (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Minority Report, 8MM, Armageddon).
“We always knew Peter loved rock music, and when his name came up it just felt right,” continues Tempest. “We wanted to approach this from a different angle – something more stripped back and unexpected.”
Watch/Listen to ‘One on One’ here – video by Patric Ullaeus.
Come This Madness was recorded at RMV Studio, the Stockholm-based recording facility founded by Benny Andersson and Ludvig Andersson. The album features special guest appearances from Tobias Forge (Ghost) and Michael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) and was produced by acclaimed producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Pixies, The Cult, Opeth), who became a true creative force throughout the process, deeply embedded in the band’s writing and recording, shaping the album’s sound from the ground up. To bring the project to its final stage and complete their vision, the band turned to one of rock’s most respected recording legends Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica, The Cult, Loverboy) to mix the record.
Joey Tempest concludes: “It was a true pleasure working with Tom,” exclaims Tempest. “He’s creative, musical and incredibly intuitive – he really became a sixth member of the band during the writing and recording of this album. We even invited him to co-write on some of the songs.”
With Come This Madness, Europe deliver a landmark record that finds them fully realised and present, confronting the world as it is and not only are they gearing up for its release, the band will also embark on an extensive run of live dates, including numerous festival appearances and a major tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Final Countdown. Kicking off in Glasgow on September 30th, The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour promises to unite the legacy that defined them with the renewed energy, driving them forward today. For a full list of dates and ticket information, please visit: www.europetheband.com
Come This Madness album artwork by Storm Studios (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Muse).
Come This Madness track listing:
One on One
The Cult of Ignorance
Come This Madness
This Time of Year
In a Different World
Scandinavian Eyes
Takin’ It Back
In the Absence of Grace
The Angels Must Have Flown
The Devil’s Back
Nothing Can Follow This
Come This Madness will be available on vinyl, CD and digital formats. Pre-orders can be placed here
2026 Dates:
6 Jun - North Festival, Maia (PT)
21 Jun - Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel (BE)
25 Jun - Rock Pod Kameňom Festival, Bela Nad Cirochou (SK)
28 Jun - Retro Trop C, Tilloloy (FR)
5 Jul – Summer Festival Piazza Castello, Marostica (IT)
7 Jul - Cavea-Auditorium Parco della Musica, Roma (IT)
8 Jul - Arena Campo Marte, Brescia (IT)
9 Jul - Villa Bertelli, Forte Dei Marmi (IT)
25 Jul - Son Do Mar Festival, Meaño, Pontevedra (ES)
30 Jul - Wacken Open Air, Wacken (DE)
29 Aug - Stonedead Festival, Newark (GB)
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)*
*The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour
EUROPE are:
Joey Tempest - Lead Vocals
John Norum - Guitars
John Levén - Bass
Mic Michaeli - Keyboards
Ian Haugland - Drums
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