Firebirth

Firebirth is a work on which Gotthard, welcoming Nic Maeder as its new vocalist, powerfully inscribes its restart with warm melody, bluesy guitar and steady band groove. It was made after overcoming the all-too-great tragedy of losing the flagship Steve Lee in an accident following the previous album. While carefully inheriting the band’s former strengths, the songs, never leaning on grief alone, hold a sure brightness for moving forward. From the powerful drive of the opener “Starlight” and the momentum of “Give Me Real” to the lyrical “Remember It’s Me,” powerful rock numbers and emotional ballads line up naturally, again showing the band’s wide appeal, while cuts like “Fight” and “Shine” announce the band’s full revival. Nic Maeder’s voice, while different from Lee’s, surely breathes new life into the band. An extremely important milestone on which, while taking in the great difficulty of an immeasurable loss, one can still powerfully reaffirm Gotthard’s character. The band’s strong will to overcome sorrow and move forward fills the whole. Achieving a powerful comeback with a new vocalist, it is a moving, significant work.