Bang!

Bang! is a work on which Gotthard powerfully pulls together straight-path hard rock with thick guitar riffs, soaring powerful singing and a blues temperature. The second album welcoming the new vocalist Nic Maeder, it clearly shows that the new lineup was fully on track. The songs, while holding accessible melody, have a sure weight and tenacity in their playing, by no means ending as merely light. From the powerful drive of the opener “Let Me In Katie” and the catchy title track “Bang!” to the drama of “Feel What I Feel,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Spread Your Wings” and “Jump the Gun” convey the work’s fullness. The contrast of straight, powerful rock numbers and lyrical songs that carefully draw emotion gives the album rich, varied expression. A record on which Gotthard’s sure appeal — melodic yet sturdy and powerful — clearly comes through throughout. Nic Maeder’s voice, in this period, fits the band further, showing sure steadiness. Again powerfully showing the high polish of Swiss hard rock, it is an engaging, fulfilling work — evoking the band’s maturity.