GOTTHARD
“STEVE LEE – THE EYES OF A TIGER:
IN MEMORY OF OUR UNFORGOTTEN FRIEND”
Album Review by Syl Pdll

10/10

Gotthard is one of the bands I grew up with in my teens and it continues to be present in each of the chapters of my life. Considered one of the main exponents of hard rock in Switzerland, their world seemed to stop when the death of singer Steve Lee was announced while fulfilling his dream of traveling by motorcycle through United States.

This Swiss band always had in mind the memory of Steve Lee and a decade later, Gotthard pays tribute to him with an album that rescues his latest recordings: acoustic versions of songs already known to fans, where Nic Meader (current lead singer of the band and Steve Lee fan) performs the vocal accompaniment fusing past and present.

Steve Lee – The Eyes of a Tiger: In loving memory of our unforgotten friend is the title of this album that brings together classic songs like “Hush” (whose original version is by Deep Purple and helped the band to gain popularity within the scene) and “Lift U Up” (a song that lifts the spirits of anyone even in the most unplugged version of the band) that cannot be missed in a live performance and that we long for in these times of pandemic.

The presence of ballads such as “One Life One Soul” (which was once performed as a duet with the late singer Monserrat Caballé), “Let It Be” (which recovers that essence of the power ballads of the 80’s) and “Heaven” (which in the band’s latest performances with Nic Meader, a kind of duet with Steve is performed as a way of paying tribute to his memory) will move the most sensitive chord of their followers.

Also, some more current versions of their repertoire are included such as “First Time In A Long Time”, “In The Name” and “Need To Believe”, being songs that had not been previously heard under this acoustic format.

The most emotional part is the inclusion of unpublished songs such as “Tarot Woman” that is accompanied by the chords of the guitar, the violin and the tambourine in whose chorus is the most rhythmic part of the song that will make you sing and feel that good vibe that transmits the band with each tune, and “The Train”, a song that had already been presented in Homegrown (Alive in Lugano) and that was one of the last presentations in the life of the Swiss singer.

This album closes with two versions of the Survivor classic, “Eye Of The Tiger”, which was one of his favourite songs. An electric version and an acoustic version are presented, very different from each other but that will be liked by the listener.

This album will be an emotional moment for the fans who have followed the band since its inception and for those who want a moment of tranquillity, enjoy the sound and let themselves be carried away by the feeling that these songs provoke. Steve Lee’s legacy will live on for eternity.

TRACKLIST

One Life One Soul
Let It Be
In the Name
Lonely People
Heaven
Need to Believe
Lift U Up
Hush
First Time in a Long Time
Tarot Woman
And Then Goodbye
The Train
Eye of a Tiger (Acoustic)
Eye of a Tiger (Electric)

http://www.gotthard.com
http://www.facebook.com/Gotthard

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