Review: Gotthard – More Stereo Crush

Reigning Phoenix Music (March 13^th, 2026)

Reviewer – Jason Hopper

2025’s ‘Stereo Crush‘ (review here) was a highlight of that year. It was the first Gotthard album that I rated as comparable to the albums of the Steve Lee era. With word that the band was set to release the companion album ‘More Stereo Crush‘, the news left me a bit conflicted. Usually releases like these are leftover tracks that someone decided were not good enough to be included on an original album, along with alternate versions, a live track or two, and one new track. All compiled onto an EP that can then be marketed. In many cases, you’re lucky to get one or two memorable songs, with the rest being beloved by diehards and completionists.

I was therefore surprised and pleased that not only did we get six new tracks from the band, but they are all rather good, with some being excellent. I’ll focus my review on these tracks as the other two are just alternative takes.

I personally would not have opened the album with ‘Right Now’, which is my least favorite of the new tracks. Not a bad song per se, just not an exciting one. A bit by the numbers that I played a number of times but never warmed to.

‘Ride The Wave’ is a bit better. A solid riff from Leo Leoni, who shows restraint at all the right times, allowing the track to have a mid-tempo, yet powerful impact. The song kicking into double time and going full throttle in the last minute is the icing on the cake.

When I first heard ‘Smiling In The Pouring Rain’, I sat simply entranced. The best word I can use to describe the song is “hypnotic”. One of my top Gotthard tracks is ‘Love Soul Matter’, a song that just pulls you in with its melody and beauty. This song is almost a sister track, with a melancholy viewpoint, perfectly reflected in the band’s rendering. Like the best songs, it simply makes you feel and stirs up all sorts of memories and imagery. Personal and powerful.

I think that the band would agree that ‘Snafu’ is heavily inspired by AC/DC. The main riff falls somewhere in between ‘Back In Black’ and ‘Rock Or Bust’, with the bridge and chorus going in a different direction rhythmically. A strong rocker that would be considered typical of the modern Gotthard sound.

The final two new rockers are the strongest in this collection and could have easily made the cut on their last album. ‘Don’t Miss The Call’ has a rhythm and feel akin to their cover of ‘Mighty Quinn’ from their legendary ‘G‘ album. The background vocals “Heyyy Heyyy Hey Hey” in the chorus make the song memorable and add that ingredient that will have you humming the song long after you stopped listening.

I had no idea that a shorter version of final “new” song ‘Mayday’ was released on YouTube back in December 2023. It’s a fun little tribute to first responders involving Santa getting stuck in a chimney that was just lit. While the lyrics are whimsical, the music is straight out of ‘Domino Effect‘ territory. The style is heavy and foreboding. A nice counterbalance to the subject itself.  Gotthard has covered many subgenres of hard rock in their history, and the darker grooves have always been a favorite.

This release is absolutely worth your time and money if you’re a fan of the band. If you don’t have their last album, picking this up as part of a bundle with their last album would be your best bet. It’s great to have a gap album that keeps their momentum going while they gear up for the next album. I’m happy these songs are seeing the light of day. 

Tracklisting:

1. Right Now
2. Ride The Wave
3. Liverpool [feat. Marc Storace]
4. Smiling In The Pouring Rain
5. Snafu
6. Don’t Miss The Call
7. Mayday
8. Burning Bridges [Radio Edit]

Line-up:

Nic Maeder – vocals
Leo Leoni – guitars
Freddy Scherer – guitars
Marc Lynn – bass
Flavio Mezzodi – drums

Web Links:

Official Website

Linktree

Facebook

Instagram

X

TikTok

YouTube

Spotify