Europe Essentials

No survey of ’80s pop metal is complete without bowing down before “The Final Countdown”. The galloping anthem (now a playlist standard among workout addicts) possesses all key ingredients: heroic synth runs, rapidfire fret-work, gargantuan hooks, and laser-guided cries courtesy of vocalist Joey Tempest. Yet it also boasts a crystalline perfection that’s unique for the genre. It’s a quality that runs throughout Europe’s finest work. Whether they’re veering into power ballad territory (“Carrie”) or shifting into full-tilt heavy metal mode (“Seven Doors Hotel”), the Swedes always sound as though they’re carving songs out of gleaming Arctic ice.