FILE UNDER: Metallica II?
CORPORATE LINE: Godsmack IV is their first full studio release in more than three years, the highly anticipated disc is already garnering momentum propelled by the scalding first single, “Speak.” The song is firmly planted at #1, giving the Boston-based foursome their fourth #1 at Active Rock radio. Godsmack are the only rock band to have scored 13 Top 10 hits in the Active Rock format. The video for “Speak” can be seen on MTV2 and Fuse.
The 11 song disc is the first Godsmack album produced solely by the band’s charismatic lead singer Sully Erna. Mixed by legendary engineer/producer Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones) the group wrote nearly 40 songs for the new album, recording the final 11 tracks that grace the album at Sully’s Spiral Recordings Studio in Los Angeles. “We want to perk people’s eyebrows up with this one,” says Sully, the band employing their first full studio arsenal since 2003’s Faceless. “The key was to retain the toughness of our sound but move forward, as well.”
Consider mission accomplished on Godsmack IV, with hauntingly melodic offerings like “Livin’ In Sin,” “Hollow,” and “Voodoo Too,” a sequel of sorts to the 1998 Godsmack classic “Voodoo.” More of a fully co-written effort than previous Godsmack albums, Godsmack IV also fuels the band’s converging disciplines for what Sully calls ‘old school Godsmack,’ harking back to the thunderous arc of multi-platinum masterpieces like their 1998 self-titled debut album and 2000’s Awake, as well as the more subtle flexing heard on their 2004 acoustic EP The Otherside.
THE GOOD:
“Speak” – Fans of Godsmack will get what they want from “Speak”—a good rock ‘n’ roll hook that stays true to their sound. “Speak” could fit on any of Godsmack’s records. The downside is that it isn’t much of an evolution.
THE AVERAGE:
“Living In Sin” – Sully has a lot of James Hatfield in his voice. The Metallica influence is undeniable—actually Metallica fans might find it all too similar. “The Enemy” is no different. This could be on a Metallica album and you might find it hard to tell the difference between Sully and James. That’s only good if you are Sully—not a fan. Ditto “Temptation.”
“Hollow” – Godsmack isn’t great at producing slow, mellow, and soul searching songs.
“Bleeding Me” – Godsmack has made this song so many times it’s like tying your shoes. It’s as if Godsmack takes a song, changes the title, tweaks the lyrics, and releases the surefire melody.
THE BAD:
Nothing—but a few songs come close.
FRANKLY: Some bands evolve and lose their fans. Some bands don’t evolve and lose their fans. Having said that, some bands evolve or stay the same and keep their fanbase intact–thankfully for Godsmack they have diehard fans because they will need their support right now. IV is a weak album. When Godsmack isn’t sounding like Godsmack they are trying to sound like the second-coming of Metallica. A comparison to Metallica might be good if it’s your first album—not your sixth album. Godsmack are too good of a band to release an album that sounds this vanilla.
+ Rae Gun
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