LittleBig Europe's Secret Society 2006 album is one of the most pleasant musical surprises I've ever experienced. I was pleased to see them come back (two years earlier, 2004)with Start from the Dark; the talented guitarist John Norum is back and his collaboration with vocalist Joey Tempest sounds better than ever. In fact I think the friendship that unites these five musicians is what helps them cooperate so well together.

So what can one expect from the new (and improved, I dare say) Europe? Heavier yet catchy riffs, blazing solos, soulful and expressive vocals, well written and more serious lyrics than before, a powerful rhythm section and nice keyboards atmosphere (and rare solos).

I know this is a subjective point of view but I've rarely been this excited about a comeback (of a band people often like to mock, well listen to this and see who's laughing now); the way I see it, there aren't any weak songs on this album, but I'll mention a few songs that really stand out: the title track, Let the Children Play, Wish I Could Believe, Brave and Beautiful Soul, Devil Sings the Blues.

I warmly recommend this album for anyone who enjoys the hard rock/glam metal genre, listen to this with an open mind, you might be pleasantly surprised.