Sonic Boom Over Europe: From the Beginning to the Boom- was the full title of the tour, and as usual those rock legends were trying to make this tour just a bit bigger than their best. What better way than by adding a few new songs off the new album. Their 19th studio album Sonic Boom, was released in October 2009.

The tour commenced in Sheffield, United Kingdom at the Sheffield Arena in early May and concluded at the Graspop Metal Meeting Festival in Dessel, Belgium in late June. The leg marked the band's first tour of indoor arenas in the United Kingdom since 1996, their first show in Ireland since 1988, and their debut concert in Slovakia. The group performed at a number of music festivals on the tour, including the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park Festivals, Sauna Open Air Metal Festival and Hellfest