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Godsmack
Awake
First, the obvious. Duh, they sound like disciples of the Sevendust’s sludge with scraps of System Of A Down’s musical curley-cues. And I know we’re only talking in slim degrees of severity among the heavyniks, but as far as rigid precision goes, there’s none winding the bolts tighter than Godsmack. That said, the new album is cumbrous testimony, eleven muscular missives aimed straight for your solar plexus. “Sick Of Life” with its shimmering, cascading guitar strokes, the percussive ratcheting of the impulsive title track, the flame-broiled riffage of “Forgive Me,” that’ll singe your lobes to cinders. And you know it’s critical because every sonic element sounds as if were dragged to another descending interval of cavernous dirge. Such incredibly low impedance, with a bass impact so visceral you’d swear it would flatten a skyscraper by track three. Even Sully’s sinister baritone shovels deep for the bottom end here. Mesmerizing. –chip edwards (Republic/Universal)
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