Joey Tempest and company are swinging for the fences. Europe have unleashed “The Cult of Ignorance,” the hook-laden second single from their forthcoming album ‘Come This Madness’, due September 25 via Silver Lining Music. The track rides an instantly memorable hook and an anthemic chorus, carrying a message that speaks to today’s fast-moving world while holding onto its feel-good energy.
The accompanying video is a who’s-who of Swedish star power. Directed by Patric Ullaeus, it packs cameos from actress Malin Åkerman, tennis great Stefan Edberg, astronaut Christer Fuglesang, Howling Pelle of The Hives, Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson, and E-Type, among many other faces from music, film, fashion, sports, and science.
Tempest can’t hide his enthusiasm. “I love this track,” he says, describing a straightforward rock anthem with lyrics written slightly tongue in cheek. He credits keyboardist Mic Michaeli with bringing the idea to him while on tour in South America, and points to author and biochemist Isaac Asimov as the inspiration behind the title.
The album carries serious pedigree. ‘Come This Madness’ was recorded at Stockholm’s RMV Studio, founded by Benny Andersson and Ludvig Andersson, with guest backing vocals from Tobias Forge of Ghost and Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth. Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Pixies) produced, embedding himself in the writing and recording, while rock legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica) handled the mix. Storm Studios, the team behind classic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin artwork, designed the cover.
There’s a milestone to celebrate too. The band launches “The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour” in Glasgow on September 30, a major run marking four decades since the song that made them global icons, threaded through a packed schedule of festival dates across the summer and fall.
2026 Tour Dates:
6 Jun – North Festival, Maia (PT)
21 Jun – Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel (BE)
25 Jun – Rock Pod Kameňom Festival, Bela Nad Cirochou (SK)
28 Jun – Retro Trop C, Tilloloy (FR)
5 Jul – Summer Festival Piazza Castello, Marostica (IT)
7 Jul – Cavea-Auditorium Parco della Musica, Roma (IT)
8 Jul – Arena Campo Marte, Brescia (IT)
9 Jul – Villa Bertelli, Forte Dei Marmi (IT)
25 Jul – Son Do Mar Festival, Meaño, Pontevedra (ES)
30 Jul – Wacken Open Air, Wacken (DE)
29 Aug – Stonedead Festival, Newark (GB)
30 Sep – SEC Armadillo, Glasgow (GB)*
2 Oct – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton (GB)*
3 Oct – Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London (GB)*
5 Oct – Musis Arnhem, Arnhem (NL)*
6 Oct – Olympia, Paris (FR)*
8 Oct – Poble Espanyol, Barcelona (ES)*
9 Oct – Bilbao Arena Mirabilla, Bilbao (ES)*
10 Oct – La Cubierta, Madrid (ES)*
12 Oct – Salle Métropole, Lausanne (CH)*
13 Oct – Volkshaus, Zürich (CH)*
14 Oct – Alcatraz, Milan (IT)*
16 Oct – Liederhalle, Stuttgart (DE)*
17 Oct – Gasometer, Wien (AT)*
19 Oct – Admiralspalast Theater, Berlin (DE)*
20 Oct – COS Torwar, Warszawa (PL)*
22 Oct – Falkoner, Frederiksberg (DK)*
23 Oct – Film Studios, Gothenburg (SE)*
24 Oct – B-K, Stockholm (SE)*
26 Oct – Sentrum Scene, Oslo (NO)*
15 Nov – Malta Metal Weekend, St. Julians (MT)*
21 Nov – Ostravar Aréna, Ostrava (CZ)*
25 Nov – Aalto Hall @ House of Culture, Helsinki (FI)*
27 Nov – John Smith Rock Frozen Paviljonki, Jyväskylä (FI)*
28 Nov – Unholy Winter Festival Joensuu Areena, Joensuu (FI)*
*The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour
‘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