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Formed in 1995 in Massachusetts, Godsmack has become one of the most influential metal bands of the late 20th and early 21st centuries on the East Coast.
So, starting as a typical nu-metal band, inspired by the revival and rethinking of the genre in the 90s, the group has developed into an independent phenomenon, mixing seriousness and dark with humor on the verge of permissibility. The band's music, which began with nu-metal sound on the first album, slowly transformed into the garage sound of alternative metal, filled with dirty riffs and mocking lyrics. Everything started with a meeting of the future lead vocalist and the bassist of the group in 1995. The initiator of the creation of the group was Sully Erna, who initially planned to become a drummer, but in the new group, he tried himself as a vocalist. By the way, subsequently, he would try to return to the role of a drummer, combining it with lead vocals in a few years after the first appearance of the band. Two more members joined the group in a few months. In general, such a composition of four people became the basis of the team, so let's take a closer look at the line-up:
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna Jr. - lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, harmonica and producing (1995 - present), drums and percussion (1996 - 1998);
Robbie Merrill - bassist, backing vocalist (1995 - present);
Tony Rombola - lead guitarist and occasional backing vocalist (1996 - present);
Shannon Larkin - drummer and percussionist (2002 - present);
Also, there were three more members of the group in the past:
Lee Richards - lead guitarist and backing vocalist (1995 - 1996);
Tommy Stewart - drummer and percussionist (1995 - 1996, 1998 - 2002);
Joe D'Arco - drummer and percussionist (1996 - 1998);
Joe D'Arco was mainly the touring musician, while Sully was the studio drummer of Godsmack.
The band recorded their first CD "All Wound Up" in 1996 for their own money. Godsmack plays mainly in small venues in Massachusetts and Boston in particular.
The material played live at the time and recorded on CD will form the basis of their first self-titled album, released in 1998 under the direction of Universal / Republic Records, with which they previously signed. This album immediately allows the band to gain initial popularity, and it also made it to the Top 25 on Billboard 200.
The album was certified four times platinum by RIAA and became, without exaggeration, an absolute success for the newly formed group. None of the band's albums will receive more awards than Godsmack. It allowed the group to embark on their first national tour, the group also performed at Woodstock 99, and later on, they went on a European tour. The group returned to studio activity in two years after the first professional release. The band released their second studio album, Awake, at the end of October 2000. The album was ranked 5th on the Billboard 200 and is certified 2xplatinum in the US and platinum in Canada. Although the band's sound changed a bit, moving away from the nu-metal style, the musicians remained true to themselves.
The third album, "Faceless," was the last album of the group certified platinum; nevertheless, it established a new tradition, which will be repeated by the next two albums - to occupy the first position in the Billboards 200. Overall, the 2010s were the most successful period for the group. During this time, musicians entered the mainstream and gave performances in various parts of the world. In general, this period is usually considered to be the golden years of the group. Godsmack became one of the few bands that managed to release three albums that took first place on Billboard 200. Godsmack released two more albums in the 2010s, which were no longer as successful as the previous three, among others. The albums received good reviews from critics and a warm response from the fanbase, but still, they did not explode charts. The band continues to work on new material and has already announced a US tour for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Thus, we would like to wish the band success and inspiration to please us with new releases and performances in the future.