Review GOTUS ‘Gotus’

Gotus is a band that offers a debut album and in case one thinks that the band is new – yes and no. Gotus is a new outfit that offers melodic rock with a touch of metal. A glimpse on the line-up though shows several known names.

Gotus started as a live project, driven by Mandy Meyer (Krokus) and drummer Pat Aeby. That was in 2019 and the band regrouped in 2022 for some live shows. With Tony Castell (former Krokus, Crystal Ball), keyboarder Alain Guy and no less than singer Ronnie Romero, the band’s line-up slightly changed, and it is this talented five-piece that created an eleven-song featuring debut album. Two of these songs are a retrospective on Meyer’s work with bands like Gotthard (‘Reason to Live’) and Katmandü (‘When the Rain Comes’). Next to these homages to the past the band also comes with new material. The snappy opener ‘Take Me to the Mountain’ is one of these melodic rock anthems that blossoms right away. It doesn’t surprise that the song was chosen to become a single release as the captivating chorus is in open invitation for a sing-along.

Gotus combines the musical history of Meyer. Sometimes reminding of the early Gotthard, sometimes offering a bit of Krokus heaviness and at the same time brings the soulfulness to the plate, represented by powerful half-ballads like ‘Children of the Night’; the latter reminding me in a way of White Lion. Next to the calmer songs, rock is very much in the spotlight too, considering tunes like the dynamic ‘Undercover’.

‘Gotus’ is an album that provides a good time. There is a positive and energetic vibe that is embedded in each of the songs. It isn’t innovation that drives Gotus music. Instead, it is a passion for hard rocking tunes, groove and melodies that make this longplayer to an entertaining and good-mood album.