Nine years between albums is a long time, and Europe have used every bit of it. ‘Come This Madness,’ the Swedish hard rock outfit’s 12th studio album, arrives September 25 via Silver Lining Music and Hell & Back Recordings, and it announces itself with immediate force. Lead single “One On One” is out now, accompanied by a striking music video featuring acclaimed actor Peter Stormare (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Minority Report), directed by Patric Ullaeus.
The album was recorded at RMV Studio in Stockholm, the recording facility founded by Benny Andersson and Ludvig Andersson, and produced by Tom Dalgety, whose credits include Ghost, Rammstein, Pixies, The Cult, and Opeth. Dalgety went deep into the writing and recording process, co-writing on select tracks and functioning, as Joey Tempest puts it, as a sixth member of the band. Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica) handled mixing. The album also features guest appearances from Tobias Forge of Ghost and Michael Åkerfeldt of Opeth, and its artwork was created by Storm Studios, known for their work with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Muse. That’s a production team assembled with serious intention.
“One On One” opens with an orchestral intro before moving into a driving bass riff layered with soaring melodies, building into an arena-ready hard rock moment that lands between Europe’s classic sound and something genuinely fresh. “The power and feel is fresh, but some of the melodies bring me back to where it all began,” says Tempest. “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.” The track is one the band refused to abandon through years of development, and that persistence paid off.
‘Come This Madness’ arrives across songs including “The Cult of Ignorance,” the title track, “Scandinavian Eyes,” and “The Devil’s Back,” a full 11-track statement that the band describes as their most uncompromising work to date. Pre-orders are live now on vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
The album release comes alongside an extensive live run, including festival appearances at Graspop Metal Meeting, Wacken Open Air, and Stonedead Festival, followed by The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour launching September 30 in Glasgow and running through November across the UK, Europe, and Scandinavia. Full dates and tickets at europetheband.com.
‘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
2026 Tour Dates:
June 6, Maia, PT, North Festival
June 21, Dessel, BE, Graspop Metal Meeting
June 25, Bela Nad Cirochou, SK, Rock Pod Kameňom Festival
June 28, Tilloloy, FR, Retro Trop C
July 5, Marostica, IT, Summer Festival Piazza Castello
July 7, Roma, IT, Cavea-Auditorium Parco della Musica
July 8, Brescia, IT, Arena Campo Marte
July 9, Forte Dei Marmi, IT, Villa Bertelli
July 25, Meaño, Pontevedra, ES, Son Do Mar Festival
July 30, Wacken, DE, Wacken Open Air
August 29, Newark, GB, Stonedead Festival
September 30, Glasgow, GB, SEC Armadillo *
October 2, Wolverhampton, GB, Civic Hall *
October 3, London, GB, Eventim Apollo Hammersmith *
October 5, Arnhem, NL, Musis Arnhem *
October 6, Paris, FR, Olympia *
October 8, Barcelona, ES, Poble Espanyol *
October 9, Bilbao, ES, Bilbao Arena Mirabilla *
October 10, Madrid, ES, La Cubierta *
October 12, Lausanne, CH, Salle Métropole *
October 13, Zürich, CH, Volkshaus *
October 14, Milan, IT, Alcatraz *
October 16, Stuttgart, DE, Liederhalle *
October 17, Wien, AT, Gasometer *
October 19, Berlin, DE, Admiralspalast Theater *
October 20, Warszawa, PL, COS Torwar *
October 22, Frederiksberg, DK, Falkoner *
October 23, Gothenburg, SE, Film Studios *
October 24, Stockholm, SE, B-K *
October 26, Oslo, NO, Sentrum Scene *
November 15, St. Julians, MT, Malta Metal Weekend *
November 21, Ostrava, CZ, Ostravar Aréna *
November 25, Helsinki, FI, Aalto Hall at House of Culture *
November 27, Jyväskylä, FI, John Smith Rock Frozen Paviljonki *
November 28, Joensuu, FI, Unholy Winter Festival Joensuu Areena *
*The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour