Godsmack
The Oracle
Spinefarm

Shit, here’s a blast from the past. Promising big things when they first emerged onto the rock scene, grunge-rockers Godsmack were soon out on the road promoting their thudding, grungy rock touring with metal heavyweights like Metallica. Well, it’s been a long road for the rockers but, after a four year break, the band are back with their new album, The Oracle and, as opener Cryin’ Like A Bitch, grabs you by the throat and gives you a quick slap, it’s clear they’ve no intention of rolling over and fading away.

They’ve done the complete opposite in fact – brash and rumbling, The Oracle sees the rock outfit taking the blueprint for their sound, dousing it in grease and cranking the volume right up. Take War And Peace for example, a track which tips a nod to grease rockers like Black Label Society while not straying too far from the grunge-metal path that Godsmack original started out on. While the pounding riffs may be filthy as fuck, there is no getting away from the fact that these songs will stick in your head for weeks. As the album progresses, the throaty vocals of Sully Erna have you wondering why this man and his band are still not getting the credits they deserve. Performing like James Hetfield doing his best Layne Stayley (RIP) impersonation, his performance completes this piece as he grooves and grinds his way to the top of the pack on the brilliant Devil’s Swing – a track that epitomises everything that you want from a Godsmack record.

While massive arena tours may have given this band a quick hit early on in their careers, there is no doubt that, as you listen to The Oracle, this band belong in sweaty clubs and packed bars. Don’t get me wrong, they deserve every success in the world but I can’t think of a better way to experience Good Day To Die and many of the rest of the tracks on this album than shoe-horned into a dank room, soaked in beer, up close and personal watching these guys rock like fuck.

Buy this album from AMAZON

Review by Dylan Moore