The Oracle

Godsmack

Universal Republic, 2010

http://www.godsmack.com

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/18/2010

Only five releases into what looks to be a long career, Godsmack returns to the crunchy guitar riffs that have made them immensely popular. The ten tracks here are void of filler, touching on the human condition that vocalist/guitarist Sully Erna likes to sing about and introducing several cuts that will become staples of their set list for years to come.

 

First up is “Cryin’ Like A B*tch,” the down-your-throat declaration of war. Erna has often sounded mean and hostile, and nowhere else in the band’s catalog has he so perfected this hostility. This track surpasses “The Enemy,” “I F*cking Hate You,” and “I Stand Alone,” three previous songs that cover the same mentality. All four of these songs deal with the idea of flouting others’ opinions and doing what you want to do, spurred by your own inner strength.

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It’s a theme Erna delves into deeper in the second track, “Saints And Sinners” when he sings “I shake my fists up to the sky / Just keeping my dreams alive / I’m one part saint / And two parts sinner / And the last part is on the line,” showing him confronting his humanity and imperfection.

 

Musically, this is the best that the band has sounded. Bassist Robbie Merrill comes into his own here, leading the charge on “Saints And Sinners” and propelling the loose groove in “Devil’s Swing.” Guitarist Tony Rombola creates memorable riffs that collapse into themselves during his tasteful solos. Shannon Larkin puts on a ‘how to play the groove without being boring’ drummer’s clinic during “Devil’s Swing” and the up-tempo “Forever Shamed.” The closest the band comes to channeling the smooth melodies of their hit “Voodoo” is the Larkin percussion heavy “What If?”.

 

The entire band completes this cycle of their career with the double-whammy of “Shadow Of A Soul” and the instrumental “The Oracle.” Both songs showcase what the band can do when they’re really focused. The vocal harmonies on “Shadow Of A Soul” beg for an arena to help the band out, and the main guitar riff screams vintage James Hetfield (Metallica) in its simplicity. The solos Rombola plays over the melody are spot-on. Larkin and Merrill play their instruments in such a way to allow the song to come together as a whole. Around the four minute mark, the track turns into a faster jam song that ends this release on the right mentality.

 

I have liked Godsmack since their debut. I used to think I was seeking a release from them that captures what I remember from listening to “Bad Religion,” “Moon Baby,” and “Whatever” the first time. But like many bands that release a catalog of material, I am not who I was in 1998, and with this release, the band proves that the Godsmack of 1998 and the Godsmack of 2010 (and beyond) have little to do with each other. They are writing better music now.

Rating: A

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