Godsmack
1000 HP
Sully Erna – lead vocals, rhythm guitar,
keyboards, harmonica, drums, percussion
Robbie Merrill – bass guitar
Tony Rombola – lead guitar, backing vocals
Shannon Larkin – drums, percussion
Godsmack began in 1995 as Sully Erna decided to form a new band as a lead
singer rather than the drummer. The new band called The Scam recorded a demo
and decided to change its name to its current title. In 1996 the band added a
few artists after a couple decided to exit the band. That same year the band
entered the studio for the first time and recorded their first album titled All
Wound Up. In the mid-1998 the band signed with universal/Republic Records after
touring the Boston area for two years. Tommy Stewart rejoined the band as the
drummer and the band’s first record was re-mastered which turned into the
self-titled debut album. The album spun for successful singles and had the band
touring all over the world. In 2000 the band entered the studio once again and
came out with Awake which debuted number 5 on the Billboard 200. In 2003
Faceless surfaced and debuted #1 on the charts with a new drummer once again.
The album beat out Linkin Park’s Meteora which debuted #2. The band released an
acoustic EP in 2004 titled The Other Side which showed a softer side of several
tracks as well as three new tracks including a personal favorite Touché. That
same year the band opened up for Metallica. Godsmack’s forth album, IV, arrived
in 2006 and debuted #1 once again and was followed by a 10 year greatest hits
album in ’07. In 2010 Godsmack was back at it as they released their 5th
album The Oracle. This album marked the third straight studio album to debut at
#1. Godsmack hit the road in 2014 to support their newest record 1000HP. The
album features 10 tracks and gets going with the titled cut. “1000 HP” opens
the album up with a loud engine that gives way to loud pounding drums and
ripping guitars. They pause just for a second for the vocals to come in strong.
The tune kicks right back up and really takes it to the limit. It begins the
album in a great way as it gets your blood pumping. “FML” offers up a slower
track however don’t think it isn’t loud. They infuse this track with some
backing vocals that actually take the lead in spots. The guitar solo is top
notch and will get the air guitars out in full force. They also put in some
snarling drums that will have you going nuts. It’s a killer tracks that will
have people screaming the lyrics. “Something Different” is a decent track with
pounding drums and demanding vocals. It’s a simple track lyrically and it rolls
along with ease. It doesn’t sound bad and it is a little catchy. The extra
sounds that they add into the mix put a nice little flair on the tune. “What’s
Next” offers up a solid sound. It has that normal Godsmack vibe to it. I really
like the guitars and the vocals are super clear. I just feel like we have heard
this one once before. “Generation Day” begins a bit weird but guitars quickly
come into the mix at all angles. The drums enter next before the vocals slide
in last. The backing vocals add a bit to the track, while the lead vocals
really take charge. The song isn’t that bad, but other than the little bit of
echoing that the backing vocals do the track really doesn’t stand out. “Locked
& Loaded” opens with a short guitar intro before the drums enter the fold.
He track moves along with a great sound and powerful vocals, including some
backing vocals. The thrashing goes on during the entire track and will leave
your whooped it’s a solid tune, but I wouldn’t go straight to it. “Living In
The Gray” offers up some nice sounds but, to me it was a little bland. There are
a couple things that they do during the course of the tune that is kind of cool
sounding, but overall it just skates past. “I Don’t Belong” opens up with
ripping guitar and pounding drums, like so many Godsmack tunes do. Sully comes
in with his classic voice and offers up a nice set of lyrics, when you dive
into them. They also place some backing vocals once again that help enhance
everything. I really like this tune and I can see it being a stellar live tune.
“Nothing Comes Easy” does move as fast as some of the others, but it still hits
hard. They toss some cool vocals and the always top notch guitar work, but just
like “Living In The Gray” it is missing a little bit to propel it into the next
level. “Turning To Stone” has an awesome intro that includes bongo drums and
extras percussion. The slow moving track with those items infused keeps you
captivated just like “Voodoo” does. It’s an awesome track that I would listen
to often. It’s easy to follow along with and gets stuck in your head. Overall
this isn’t a bad little record. I’ve reviewed several Godsmack albums and own
the others before them. I’d put it up on the list. It spins off several nice
tunes that can do real work. The vocals command and demand respect while some
of the guitars fly high and rip through their progressions. The drums also hit
hard throughout the record. They blend everything together well then lay some
nice lyrics on top. There are some top notch tracks on the album with a couple
tunes being the type that will get lost in the shuffle. I enjoyed this album
very much and as I said earlier it’s high on the Godsmack album list.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Tracks to Watch:
FML, I Don’t Belong, Turning To Stone
Track
List:
- 1000 HP
- FML
- Something Different
- What’s Next
- Generation Day
- Locked & Loaded
- Living In The Gray
- I Don’t Belong
- Nothing Comes Easy
- Turning To Stone
Website (s): www.godsmack.com
