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Gotthard – #13 (Album Review)

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Gotthard - #13

Gotthard - #13
4.5

Rating

 4.5/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • 13 great tracks (and two bonus tracks)
  • Some great sing-a-longs
  • Nice ABBA cover

The Swiss band Gotthard is something like their nation’s national monument in the Hard Rock genre. They publish music since the early 1990s. Thereby, Gotthard’s thirteenth album, which is simply called #13, is due to beat an amazing record: it could be the twelfth Gotthard album in a row which tops the Swiss album charts. Here is my view on #13, which has been released on a 13th (of March 2020).

Gotthard – About The Artists

The roots of the band Gotthard are in the Italian-speaking Southern Swiss Ticino. The band was found in 1989 by Steve Lee, Leo Leoni, Markus Probst and Hena Habegger. The initial band name was Krak, but the band renamed to Gotthard in 1991 and already used that band name in their self-titled album in 1992. The album was a great success in their home country, peaking up to the fifth place in the Swiss album charts. Their statistics thereafter in Switzerland is amazing, as each of their following studio album topped the Swiss album charts. The band also reached more and more good chart placements in Germany and Austria. On the singles side, the 2000 single Heaven was the only Number 1 track in Switzerland.

In 2010, the band had their toughest blow of fate, when Singer Steve Lee died in a car crash in Nevada. More than one year later, the band decided that he will be replaced by Nic Maeder. In their whole history, they are the most successful domestic band in Switzerland (the most successful Swiss band is Krokus). #13 is the thirteenth studio album of Gotthard.

 

Gotthard – #13 – Track By Track

Gotthard’s #13 includes 15 songs and lasts 59 minutes.

1. Bad News

The album starts with a nice hard rock track. Powerful, great guitars, just great 3:25 minutes to initiate the

2. Every Time I Die

Every Time I Die has a lot of potential to be a party song on the upcoming tour. A lot of power and singing elements. Nice one.

3. Missteria

Missteria has been released before the album. A song with a very unique character, I sometimes even feel African-Arabian in the Missteria-Missteria chorus, mixed with very melodic parts. Nice listen, definitely!

4. 10.000 Faces

Something’s going on, it’ll never be the same
I can’t stop this rush in my brain
Oh… Here we go again, I know I’m not a god
But they’re calling out my name
Yeah, they’re calling out my name

10000 faces looking at me
About 10000 more than I’d ever dreamed
10000 voices I can’t see
I’m standing on the edge of an endless sea
The edge of an endless sea
The edge of an endless sea

A cool track about Gotthard and their fanbase. Nice way to describe the feelings during a concert.

5. S.O.S.

Where are those happy days, they seem to hard to find – latest when Nic Maeder brings these first verses, everybody knows: this is not any track called S.O.S. – this is S.O.S. – amazing cover by the Swiss of the classic track. Staring very slowly, but becoming more and more a rock anthem.

6. Another Last Time

The very melodic Another Last Time is one of my favorite tracks on the album. Powerful riffs and cool melodies, very catching! Great Gotthard sound!

7. Better Than Love

Is desire, is the fire better than love?
Are you wired? Flying higher? Never enough
Is it better? Is it better?
Better? Better than love

I just love the Gotthard sound. The music easy, but you just get into the songs quickly. Better than Love is another great one.

8. Save The Date

Game on! Racing time
In and out alone
World is yours, don’t get left behind
Dust will take your bones
Think fast, getting old and blind
Seconds that you wait
Destiny, well, never mind
Don’t believe in fate

Here today, I won’t be tomorrow
Save the date, don’t let it get away
Seize the day, so hard to swallow
Save the date, don’t let it get away, get away

Very rhythmic, cool sound. This track is another sing-a-lot and will be a lot of fun on tour. Well done, Swiss guys!

9. Marry You

Rock musicians are great in ballads (though very often they don’t like that too much) – a perfect example is the amazing Marry You – one of the best tracks of the album.

10. Man On A Mission

Cool rock sound on this track – these men are definitely on the mission to rock!

11. No Time To Cry

The chorus of No Time To Cry is another really catching one. Power, melody, just great guitar play. Gotthard has the right ingredients for a perfect hard rock metal – and shows Swiss cusine at its best!

12. I Can Say I´m Sorry

I Can Say I’m Sorry is very classic hard rock sound. With its Na-na-na-nah in the chorus, it is also a great songs for the upcoming shows, I guess. However, the song also has very quiet moments in its verses. Love that contrast.

13. Rescue Me

The thirteenth track, Rescue Me, is a track for guitar lovers. Gotthard tell a 5:46 minute long story, which has very different dramatic elements. Feels a bit long, but overall a cool song.

14. No Time To Cry (Demo Version)

The album finishes with two special tracks. Great to listen to the demo version of No Time To Cry. Raw, but very rocking sound. The demo is about a minute shorter than the final track.

15. I Can Say I’m Sorry (Piano Version)

Out of the two bonus tracks, this is definitely my favorite. So cool to take all the rock elements out of the song and make it a piano track. Wow!

 

Gotthard – #13 – Spotify

Here is the Spotify widget for #13:

 

Gotthard – #13 – My View

There is a good reasons why the Swiss love “their” Gotthard guys – and with that album, they just proof it for the thirteenth time. Great hard rock with a wide range of melodies, well produced and catching – that’s just how I love to bang my head! Well done!

 

Gotthard – Tour Dates

Gotthard are supposed to tour as follows, from mid-April 2020 onwards. However, the current Corona virus situation may lead to impacts:

Mo 13.04.2020 Budapest (HU), Barba Negra
Tu 14.04.2020 Vienna (AT), Gasometer
Th 16.04.2020 Frankfurt, Batschkapp
Fr 17.04.2020 Regensburg, Airport
Sa 18.04.2020 Balingen, Volksbankmesse
Mo 20.04.2020 Munich, Tonhalle
Tu 21.04.2020 Fürth, Stadthalle
We 22.04.2020 Hamburg, Große Freiheit 36
Fr 24.04.2020 Hanover, Capitol
Sa 25.04.2020 Bremen, Pier II
So 26.04.2020 Berlin, Tempodrom
Tu 28.04.2020 Singen, Stadthalle
We 29.04.2020 Cologne, E-Werk
Th 30.04.2020 Saarbrücken, Garage
Th 07.05.2020 Spiez (CH), Lötschbergsaal
Fr 08.05.2020 Lausanne (CH), Salle Metropole
Sa 09.05.2020 Langenthal (CH), Westhalle
Th 14.05.2020 Milan (IT), Alcatraz
Fr 15.05.2020 Einsiedeln (CH), Zwei Raben
Sa 16.05.2020 Brig (CH), Simplonhalle
Mo 18.05.2020 Zoetermeer (NL), De Boerderij
Tu 19.05.2020 Paris (FR), Savigny le Temple
Fr 22.05.2020 Biel (CH), Kongresshaus
Sa 23.05.2020 Sursee (CH), Stadthalle
Th 02.07.2020 Barcelona (ES), Rock Fest
Fr 10.07.2020 Vizovice (CZ), Masters of Rock
Fr 31.07.2020 Rejmyre (SE), Skogsröjet
Fr 07.08.2020 Villena (ES), Leyendas del Rock
Su 09.08.2020 Kortrijk (BE), Alcatraz Metal Festival

 

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