Wings of Tomorrow

Wings of Tomorrow was the last independent album for Europe before the band signed to a major label and “The Final Countdown” turned them into international stars. In songs like “Stormwind” and “Wings of Tomorrow,” you can already feel the young band breaking through to bigger and bolder things. In that way, this is an ideal transitional album. Europe hadn't yet shed their speed metal influences, yet they were already discovering the power pop that would make them stars. Thus, the incendiary “Scream of Anger” sits next to the sugary “Open Your Heart,” and each side of the band’s personality enhances the other. Though they'd further hone their ability to craft pop tunes, they'd never be more aggressive than they were here. Therefore, the greatest attraction of Wings of Tomorrow is hearing proof of how hard Europe rocked before they got famous. Anyone who has the band pegged as a bunch of dolled-up softies needs to hear “Dance the Night Away,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Aphasia.”