Godsmack – 1000HP (Album Review)
Godsmack are just one of those bands you came across when you were in your awkward teenage years, stumbled upon ‘Awake’ and drummed the life out of your car’s glove compartment because they are just that good. Four long years after ‘Oracle’ these hard rockers from Lawrence, Massachusetts are finally back with their latest release, ‘1000HP‘. Without a doubt, this is one of their best yet, the production fantastic and the sound more varied as compared to their previous albums.
The album opens with the killer title track ‘1000hp’ that just screams Godsmack. Sully’s vocals are as tight and powerful as ever right from the start and flow in perfect sync with the supersonic shredding. This fast-paced aural assault continues with tracks like the blistering ‘FML’ which is groove-laden and quick with a definite headbangable quality while ‘Locked and Loaded’ also packs in a punch with some aggressive riffage. The sludgey drone of ‘Living in the Gray’ and ‘Nothing Comes Easy’, both of which seem led by the rhythmic drumming of Shannon Larkin, are a step in a different direction for these hard rockers and exhibits their more creative, unique side. The mid-paced ‘Nothing Comes Easy’ was another track that I really liked, with it’s doom-ish, transient atmosphere but then those classic Godsmack in-your-face riffs that instantly remind you what this band is really about. It’s almost like they’re messing with your head for a few seconds!
‘Something Different’ really does live up to it’s name given the melodic element courtesy of a sweet violin passage, which was a really pleasant surprise in between all the heaviness. This track along with ‘Turning To Stone’ are quite emotionally-driven with those heavy metallic sections that balance out the less intense parts. ‘Generation Day‘ is probably my pick of the album with it’s awesome bass tones that literally add the ‘bounce’ in the track, Sully doing what he does best, his vocals solid and soaring, slow enough for you to understand the message that’s being conveyed. And then DAT SOLO. This is followed by a really cool proggy interlude with some acoustic guitar providing a cool, ambient element.
There’s definitely lot’s going on in every track; yet the overall progression and sound of the album being proof that Godsmack haven’t really changed and don’t intend to any time soon. To be honest, there’s nothing that’s significantly ‘new’ about this album, that a lot of people were hoping/expecting there to be, besides the few additional elements on some tracks which merely serve as a breather if I may. But that’s what I also love, the fact that after almost 20 years together, they can still sound as epic as when they first started out shooting out some mad music. 1000hp, is definitely your typical Godsmack album with a bit of a modern tweak on the classic hard rock and metal sound that the band are known for. You’ve got your heavy rocker anthems with just the right amount of melody thrown in for good measure. What’s clear with ‘1000hp’ though, is that this band prove that they are versatile, teasing the listener with little hints of that versatility every now and then but are fine with being exactly what they became famous for and that’s hard hitting, heavy rock music! Definitely worth the listen for any lover of that signature Godsmack sound!