When a band like Godsmack, with a dozen radio hits and records that no one ever called ‘difficult’ or ‘demanding’, declare that their new stuff represents a shift towards a more commercial direction, one is allowed to feel pessimistic before pushing ‘play’. Is it along the lines of Nickelback? Shinedown? Linkin Park? Papa Roach? More or less, the answer is all of the above. ‘When Legends Rise’, especially the first half of it, is a series of easily digestible pop rock tunes. Tony Rombola’s guitar was never predominant in the band’s sound, but this time it’s been restricted more than ever, as unfortunately is the case with Shannon Larkin. What’s left then? Sully Erna’s voice, always great for my taste, but a little out of place far away from the ‘90s ‘tallica meets Alice in Chains’ formula that made Godsmack popular. Erna has proven in his first solo album, ‘Avalon’, that he’s capable of so much more. It’s a shame that he limits himself this way, especially in an era when album sales are laughable. You cannot call yourself a hard rock band and have your audience wait until the very last song, ‘Eye of the Storm’, to deliver a riff that’s worth a damn…
