Hard Rock has evolved through the decades… but along the way it has oftentimes become unrecognizable to the roots of the genre. A sad reality, thankfully there are still some out there who pay homage to Hard Rock’s origins. Among those you have the relatively new act going by the name of GOTUS.
Perhaps fresh to the ears of many Rock-n-Roll fans, the story goes that Krokus’ Guitarist Mandy Meyer and Drummer Pat Aeby (formerly of Krokus) had the idea as strictly a live project back in 2019. Fair enough, following the lengthy forced hiatus of live performances during pandemic lockdowns, GOTUS came back together in 2022 for some live shows. However, since that time it has emerged into something more… it has become a full-blown band that is set to release their debut album on January 19, 2024.
Self-titled, the album will be put out through Frontiers Music s.r.l., features production from Alessandro Del Vecchio, Aeby and Meyer, but offers even more surprises. What are they, you ask? They are a lineup consisting of Meyer, Aeby, former Krokus Bassist Tony Castell, Keyboardist Alain Guy, but also the exceptionally talented Vocalist Ronnie Romero. Wow, that is a team of current and former members of Krokus, plus Romero; who has played with everyone from Rainbow to Michael Schenker. Aspects that should turn many Hard Rock fans heads, what GOTUS put together for their debut album will keep you in your seat for the remainder of the show.
Consisting of eleven songs, the album gives you a slew of originals, but also some new renditions of others; such as Katmandü’s “When the Rain Comes,” plus Gotthard’s “Reason to Live” (a band Meyers was a part of for eight years). Amidst it all you will find Hard Rock that harks back to the ‘80s era with great melodic guitar lines, timely guitar solos, and powerful vocals from Romero. Imagine an album that sounds like a missing link between David Coverdale and Whitesnake, but also something Sammy Hagar may have recorded back during the VOA days of the mid-80s, and you have GOTUS. Now, this is not to say the album is a derivative of such mentioned acts, but merely reference checkpoints to get you to pay attention to the killer tunes offered here!
In all, the songs that make up this album are catchy, heavy, and well-written. There are more straight-ahead rockers like “Take Me To The Mountain,” “What Goes Around Comes Around,” “Undercover,” and “Beware Of The Fire,” but also even more atmospheric, power ballad times like “Love Will Find Its Way,” “Children of the Night,” and “Reason to Live.” All really fantastic listens, there is additional more here worth digging into; such as the chant-along anthem “Weekend Warriors.”
Ultimately, GOTUS is a band that will appeal to fans of the golden era of ’80s Hard Rock; with bands like Whitesnake, White Lion, and of course, Krokus in mind. The album is flawless in many regards, but most importantly is uplifting in a time that seems to have darkness around every corner. A must listen classic sounding Hard Rock album, Cryptic Rock gives Gotus 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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