GOTTHARD: Gotthard (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Gotthard spared no expense on its debut album hiring Chris Von Rohr (bassist and founding member of Krokus) who produced and recorded the album at Fortress Recorders studios in Hollywood. And while the gamble may seem risky for a young band, the result surpasses all expectations so much so that it attracted Vivian Campbell (Whitesnake, Def Leppard), who was in the neighboring studios recording the Shadow Kings album with Lou Gramm (Foreigner). The Irish guitarist enthusiastically agreed to contribute two tracks to the album, the monumental mid-tempo 'Firedance' and the rock'n'roll 'Get Down'.

This enthusiasm is easy to understand when you listen to this album, which may not revolutionize the genre, but offers a hard-rock sound packed with energy. 'Standing In The Light', 'Downtown', 'Take Me' and 'Lonely Heartache' are all irresistible tracks with catchy choruses, while Gotthard picks up the pace even more on the hard-rock'n'roll 'Mean Street Rocket', 'Get Down' and 'Hunter', with its drum solo at the end.

The Swiss band's performance is beyond reproach, and in Steve Lee we discover a singer of the highest calibre, with a voice that is powerful, warm and slightly hoarse, with intonations reminiscent of the master David Coverdale. In fact, this first album is presented as a mix of AC/DC and Whitesnake with a few touches of Deep Purple, to which the band pay tribute with their excellent cover of 'Hush'. It's surprising to see the mastery already displayed by Lee, so capable is he of modulating his voice to communicate just the right emotion at just the right moment. His performances on the mid-tempo 'Firedance' and 'Angel' or the acoustic ballad 'All I Care For' are perfect examples.

However, it would be unfair to overlook the performances of the other band members. Leo Léoni comes across as a riff specialist who hits the nail on the head, and also delivers solos perfectly balanced between virtuosity and efficiency. Efficiency also comes into play with the flawless performance of the rhythm section featuring Marc Lynn on bass and Hena Habegger on drums, who propel each track with power and brio. Finally, it's impossible not to mention the work of Neil Otupacca & Pat Regan, whose keyboard performances add depth and warmth to Gotthard's music.

As you can see, the Swiss quartet set the bar very high on their debut, and this album is a must-have if you want to discover the energy and dynamism of this band, even if they will sometimes struggle to reach the heights on all their subsequent productions. - Official website

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HARD ROCK