Former Skid Row frontman Erik Grönwall has taken one of rock's most euphoric anthems, Europe's evergreen classic The Final Countdown, and given it an unexpectedly dark makeover.
Grönwall, whose departure from Skid Row was announced earlier this year, describes his cover as "dark and slow", and while it retains the original's epic sweep, it definitely isn't as upbeat as Joey Tempest & Co.'s version. To add to the sombre vibe, the video finds Grönwall exploring the rather stately environs of his local castle, Noors Slott, about 20km north of Stockholm Airport.
The Final Countdown is the latest in a series of covers Grönwall has released since leaving Skid Row to focus on his recovery from leukaemia, including Aerosmith's Dream On, Amy Winehouse's Rehab, Linkin Park's Numb, John Farnham's You're The Voice, The Animals' House Of The Rising Son (an "epic, dark" version) and Black Sabbath's perennial classic Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
This year Grönwall also released an autobiography, Power - Music, Death, Life, which talks about his journey from reality TV to Skid Row via Swedish AOR band H.E.A.T., as well as his battles with illness.
"I never thought I would release an autobiography, even less at the age of 36," says Grönwall. "But sometimes it feels like I've lived two lifetimes in like a third of my life and I hope it can give hope to more people who are struggling. Life after an illness may actually be better than ever."
Power - Music, Death, Life can be ordered online. Although you'll probably need to read Swedish.
