Start from the Dark

2004’s Start from the Dark was Europe’s first release since reuniting in 2003 and their first album of all-original material since 1991’s excellent-but-ignored Prisoners in Paradise. Though the band chose to work with Kevin Elson—best known for his productions for Journey and Mr. Big—this album had no interest in being a '80s throwback. With dry production and viciously down-tuned riffs, songs like “Got to Have Faith,” “Wake Up Call,” and “Sucker” combined the best of '90s metal with the flair for catchy tunes that made Europe stars during the hair metal era. It’s amazing that they managed to pull it off, especially considering how easily they could have rehashed their vintage sound. Instead, Start from the Dark feels authentic and original. Europe’s gamble paid off; the album sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide. In light of reduced music sales, the declining popularity of metal, and the difficulty old bands often face when rekindling their careers, that number can be seen as an even bigger success than the band’s multiplatinum hits from the '80s.