1967/ 1976 In the evolution from Hard Rock to heavy Metal some band plays a sort of metal AOR that is strange to consider Heavy Metal. Gotthard is one of these bands. From Switzerland Gotthatrd invent a sort of electro acustic Heavy Metal also if more close To Hard Rock than Heavy Metal. But this is only a detail.

Open is a good album but not for true metallers, for me. Only if you love Class Metal Gotthard and "Open" would be your album. The ingredients are: AOR rhythms, structure and arrangements, melodic guitars (with no great distorsions), Hard Rock flavor and power. Difficult to see, for me, a pure Trad Heavy Metal album in this "Open".

The cover is a black page with band name and title and... A lock cut in the paper! I already wrote about the songs. Interesting is also that I note the incredibly cover of "Blackberry Way" (The Move), a Progressive Rock song, extremely indicate for a band as Gotthard.

In definitive with "Open" Gotthard arrived to conceive a good album that, in theory, should appeal. Although it is aging very well I must admit that I prefer more American Class Metal bands (or Magnum). Gotthatd, in fact, gives me the idea of not being totally comfortable with these atmospheres: Too Hard Rock and POP. But "Let It Rain" is a pure masterpiece and, in general, "Open" is a great album. I do not know why... But "Open" does not satisfy me fully. It seems missing something... And the magic is too much. Strange feeling,no?