Godsmack
Godsmack, lifted from an Alice In Chains' song, is a great name for an Alt./Metal group.
As Strip Mind and Lillian Axe bit the dust in '95 vocalist Sully Erna and drummer Tommy Stewart put Godsmack together. Bassist Robbie Merrill, a covers band veteran, joined shortly thereafter. Also signing on was guitarist Tony Rambola.
Boston natives Godsmack recorded "All Wound Up" and released it locally. But the group was still playing hometown biker bars. Things were moving slowly. So slowly that Stewart left.
Thanks to local radio play (finally kicking in), Universal Records signed Godsmack. That bit of activity induced Stewart to return to the fold. Out was replacement drummer Joe D'Arco. Universal took "All Wound Up" added new tracks and released it as "Godsmack." Propelled by the singles "Whatever," "Voodoo" and "Keep Away" "Godsmack" sold three million copies and won the group a place on the '99 Ozzfest Tour. They also appeared on the '00 version. A second album, "Awake" hit in December '00, with the title track delivering the first and most lasting blow. With new drummer Shannon Larkin, third album, "Faceless," released in '03, continued the leather-lunged attack.
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To demonstrate there was valid music at the root of their sound, Godsmack totally changed direction with '04 release, "The Other Side," which contained acoustic versions of their songs. Plugging in once again, they released "IV" two years later. "It's a more bluesy record, for sure," said Larkin. "But I think it's got the toughness of Godsmack."
In an effort to bring some closure to their first decade as a recording act, Godsmack issued "Good Times, Bad Times -- 10 Years Of Godsmack" in '07. The hits compilation included their version of the title track (originally recorded by Led Zeppelin).
"We're not going away, we are just gonna take a break and . . . recharge our batteries," says vocalist Sully Erna. "We will come back bigger and badder than ever."
Groups, like Godsmack, have become victims of their label's marketing. Bands once had the freedom to experiment or deliver unexpected creations. Now, if you're a Nu Metal group you better sound like one - always. A group has to stay on message. But the same thing over and over again gets boring for the band as well as the audience. So, when the time is right, change the message.
Since the very beginning, middle-aged (in Rock years) critics and hacks, who neither knew nor liked Nu Metal (even when it was no longer "new"), dismissed the music as nothing more than a "clatter and din" designed to appeal to the young and/or stupid. Most bands shrugged off these rants. Still, the desire to have your music recognized for what it is, or more, burns hot. When Nirvana did the MTV Unplugged set some people were shocked to actually hear real songs. The lesson was not lost. The seven song EP "The Other Side" is Godsmack gone acoustic, and yes, there are melodies. And yes, there are real songs. Aside from that, "The Other Side" offers good performances with "Re-Align" and "Voices" translating the best. Erna is relaxed and a bit more poignant but the songs tend to run together. While existing fans might enjoy this approach it's really directed toward those music buyers not picking up Godsmack's core sound. In the end, an all-acoustic EP is just another marketing concept.
On the other hand, Godsmack's "Awake" is a dark, thunderous Rocker. No compromise, no love songs. The title track has a dense, ominous texture punctuated by Sully Erna's roaring vocals. "Bad Magick" and "Vampires" are killer tracks.
"Faceless" has all the power of "Awake" but without a standout song. The title track, "Straight Out Of Line," "Changes" and "I Stand Alone" are powerful Rockers but fail to deliver the knock-out punch. In the best case scenario, "Faceless" would eclipse "Awake" but that doesn't happen. Still, anyone who bonded with "Awake" will have no problem accepting "Faceless." On the upside "Faceless" is a better set than the group's self-titled debut.
"IV" is a solid set with "The Enemy" being the killer track. Right behind is "No Rest For The Wicked." The intricate rhythms of "Voodoo Too"(remember the original "Voodoo?") also connect. "Shine Down," the Grunge influenced "Live In Sin" and the heavy but accessible "Speak" deliver.