Europe - Out Of This World

Released in 1988

Out of this World is a continuation of the new direction Europe traveled in their prior commercial blockbuster, The Final Countdown. Their previous album was a masterful blend of metal aggression and waves of keyboard-influenced melody, creating an album that possessed equal parts strength and beauty. While Out of this World wasn't nearly as successful as their prior album, it chocked up respectable sales, though it would be the last album from the band to do so.

With this, their fourth album, Europe further juiced up the keyboards, so much in fact that while the guitars are still present to offer the songs some strength, Out of this World would probably be closer to melodic hard rock/AOR than hair metal. This isn't necessarily a bad thing since Europe had a knack for weaving melodious rockers, but fans expecting the same quantity of roaring guitar riffs might be a bit disappointed.

Some of the album highlights are:

• Superstitious – This single received a degree of success (it hit Top 40 on the charts), but fans didn't eat up this fusion of guitars and keyboards as hungrily as they did The Final Countdown.
• Just The Beginning – A hook-laden rocker that defies anyone to state keyboards have no place in hard rock.
• Coast To Coast – A lush ballad that offers an emotional glimpse of the emptiness of loneliness, all the while lending hope for a brighter day.

Out of this World doesn't reach the same level of perfection as The Final Countdown did, but it's a rich slab of 80's AOR/light-metal that's definitely worth seeking out.

Rating: 8 stars

Track List Superstitious Let the Good Times Rock Open Your Heart More Than Meets the Eye Coast to Coast Ready or Not Sign of the Times Just the Beginning Never Say Die Lights and Shadows Tower's Callin' Tomorrow

Additional Resources:

• Wings of Tomorrow Review
• The Final Countdown Review

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