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GODSMACK
"The Other Side"
Universal Records
Godsmack has traded in its amps, attitude and aggression for "The Other Side," an album that illustrates the quieter aspect of these Boston blasters.
Screaming Sully Erna sings - that's right, sings - with confidence throughout a collection that mixes some older Godsmack songs like "Awake" and "Spiral" with a few new tunes written specifically as unplugged compositions.
Listen to the guitar work in the song "Spiral," for instance. It's bright and rings with flourishes you'd expect in a classical Spanish compositions. When you first hear how voice and guitar interweave on this tune, you can't help but recall The Doors song "Spanish Caravan."
As good a hard rock band as Godsmack is, in past albums and in concert the group's musicality has often been lost in the manic, thrashing assault of speed and volume. This disc stands as one of the most daring records a metal band could have turned in because it strips the music bare, leaving the band nothing to hide behind.
That's especially true for Erna. Instead of his usual gravel growl filtered through effects to make him sound even heavier, he sings with uncharacteristic vocal clarity and coolness. The words are easily understood, actually giving voice to Erna's dark, emotional writing. You hear that especially on the fast strummer "Keep Away." That one, along with "Asleep" and "Voices," ranks as the best on this disc.
This is a terrific album that illustrates a completely new side of a band known for thrashing metal grooves. The melodies are well-crafted and avoid the conventional trap of verse-chorus-verse pop.