Godsmack Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
Godsmack may never garner the kind of praise that's bestowed upon its obvious influences (Metallica, Alice in Chains, Tool), but the hard-working Boston quartet has managed to stay at the top of the alternative metal heap for nearly eight years. IV, produced by frontman Sully Erna, doesn't stray too far from the formula, relying on big midtempo brooders and heavy, drop-D riffs to work in the usual themes of loneliness, betrayal, and the overuse of the word "bleeding." For the most part it's cliché done well -- the record opens with an audio collage of children saying their prayers before bed -- and the band can turn it up to 11 with the best of them. Stadium-sized cuts like "Speak," "Enemy," and "Temptation" are sure to please the masses -- they even bring out the vocoder for "No Rest for the Wicked" -- and fans brought into the fold with 2004's acoustic Other Side EP will eat up the pensive, mandolin-led "Hallow," but there's little growth to be found, resulting in a textbook-executed slice of commercial aggression. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Other Side is Godsmack's first acoustic offering. Totaling seven songs, it's not quite a full album. But fans will note its mixture old and new material, as well as the departure from Sully Erna and co.'s normal metallurgical sonic signature. The primary influence here is Alice in Chains. New track "Running Blind" is dominated by the high-low harmony sound that's become Alice in Chains' legacy, as is "Re-Align," which otherwise doesn't drift very far from Faceless' electrified version. The guitars -- and guitar solos -- are acoustic throughout Other Side, and the percussion is lighter and more refined than the normal 'Smack pummel. As for the rest of the new material, "Voices" suggests the more subdued work of the band's peers (Seether, Staind, etc.), while "Touché" crosses threads of the Allman Brothers with the usual post-grunge throttle. It's also a little free advertising for Erna's vanity imprint and its new signing, Dropbox, whose Lee Richards and John Kosco guest. In a way, The Other Side feels like a vanity project for Godsmack itself, the sort of thing a band releases in between official studio records, or just because it can. But that doesn't mean it's a bad trip for fans, who will no doubt get a kick out of this more jangly side of a band that's made a tidy career out of going for the jugular. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Godsmack's first, slow-burning success -- the self-titled debut from 1998 -- spent two years climbing charts and selling records as the witchy minstrels of alternative metal wound their way across the country on two consecutive Ozzfest tours. The sound was familiar enough, recalling Alice in Chains in both vocalist Sully Erna's tortured howls and their very name, taken from that band's excellent 1992 release, Dirt. And while it initially failed to impress critics, fans quickly picked up on the band's industrial touch to the post-grunge sound. Likewise, 2001's Awake was regarded by some as a sophomore slump, with only half of the sales of Godsmack's debut, but "slump" in this case equaled double-platinum. And though the sales did validate the band's effort to some extent, Awake was full of growing pains, as they tried in vain to shed their influences and ended up with a record that had successful moments, but its reliance on stop-start rhythms often left it sounding sorely underwritten. Faceless, Godsmack's third full-length, grooves more fluidly than Awake, but the band still hasn't managed to locate the pop hooks that made their debut a success. And while concentrating on texture can be just as interesting as hooks, lyrics as misanthropic as Erna's only sink Faceless further into the mire. ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Godsmack recorded its self-titled debut for 1,500 dollars and served up a triple-platinum helping of meaty, cleverly written, pure metal. The tribal "Voodoo" was one of 2000's best singles. The first three songs of the group's sophomore effort, Awake -- "Sick of Life," "Awake," and "Greed" -- blend together unanimously into a swirl of Tony Rambola's jackhammer guitar riffs. It's the deeper cuts that are the standout tracks. The dirgy, slow groove in "Mistakes" is hook laden. One common thread between Godsmack and Awake is lead singer Sully Erna's angst-ridden lyrics. "Oh God, I'm makin' the same mistakes," he cries in "Mistakes," as Rambola's guitars encircle him. Drummer Tommy Stewart, on "Trippin'," aptly pronounces Erna's anger in "Face down/I walk away/Every time I think I do the right thing/You turn your back on me." ~ Christina Fuoco, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Boston's Godsmack confidently brought nu-metal rock into the technological age by seamlessly incorporating noisy hooks into a tight framework of pulsing beats, processed vocals, and a slew of programmed samples, edits, and voiceovers. Singer/producer Sully Erna unloads a barrage of in-your-face verbal assaults, lambasting the often bumpy road of love relationships. These songs are caustic and unapologetic, with ear-splitting guitars and energetic drumming. Both "Moonbaby" and "Timebomb" are fraught with explosive guitar riffs, while "Voodoo" does an about-face and confronts the theme of obsessive love with full-bodied percussion. Godsmack's innovative use of sample mixing may lead to the erroneous conclusion that this reissued release sought to capitalize on sounds made fashionable by the likes of Prodigy and Monster Magnet. But one listen to Sully Erna's achingly brittle vocals is all that's needed to fully convince anyone that Godsmack makes serious hard rock. ~ Roxanne Blanford, All Music Guide
'All Wound Up'
Release Date 7/28/1998
Tracks 12
Label Uptown/Universal
See Album Tracklist and Review
