The "Final Countdown" to EUROPE's 9^th studio album is finally upon us (you knew that reference had to come at some point)!  From start to finish, "Bag Of Bones" is a captivating album that looks back favorably on some retro instrumentality, from Bluesy guitars to guilty-pleasure keyboards while still maintaining a Hard Rock edge worthy to be heard by the rockers of the twenty-first century.

This album is clean and filled with a wholesome Rock N' Roll excitement for fans of all ages.   Veteran EUROPE fans will appreciate the marriage of groovy Blues guitar and Funkadelic DEEP PURPLE keyboards in "Doghouse."  Joey Tempest's vocals shine bright and take the listener back to the glory days of Robert Plant and AEROSMITH in songs such as "Demon Head". For young musicians, "Firebox" and "Mercy Me, Mercy You" are the songs of choice.  The former captures your attention from the beginning with an intriguing progressive riff (and did I mention the usage of a sitar!), while the latter is the heaviest tune and is good enough for a mildly intense headbanging session. But if your guilty pleasure is linking arms with your comrades as you sway side to side while chanting a slow Rock ballad, then "Bag Of Bones" will certainly brighten up your day more than the slow waving of lighters in a stadium.

While I do indulge myself in the occasional ballad, this album could have been in danger of falling into a sort of ballad fetish. As the album progressed song by song into slower symphonies, I longed for a revival. Luckily, guitarist John Norum heard my cries and proceeded to provide vivacious guitar melodies that animate even the slowest of songs, as can be heard in "My Woman, My Friend."

So if you're in the mood for some good old-fashioned 80s Rock N' Roll strung up with modern Hard Rock edges, hop unabashedly in that Delorian you've been hiding in your garage and buy this cassette—um—CD!