The Oracle (Godsmack album)
Encyclopedia
The Oracle, formerly known as Saints & Sinners, is the fifth studio album
by American hard rock
band Godsmack
, released in the U.S. on May 4, 2010.
The Oracle is the first Godsmack album to be produced by Dave Fortman
. The Oracle also marks the first Godsmack studio album to be released since 2006's IV
. The span of over four years between the fourth album and The Oracle marks the longest gap between studio albums in Godsmack's career.
announced writing is underway for the band fifth studio record, with the record likely to be released May 4, 2010.
On March 16, 2009, while Godsmack were in the middle of writing the new record, Mötley Crüe
announced the lineup for their second annual summer festival tour, Crüe Fest 2
, which included Godsmack. As a result of that, Sully Erna stated in an interview with ArtisanNewsService the band had to postpone the writing process until the tour was finished on September 5, 2009, "We were in the middle of writing the record, and we had kinda settle that process for a minute and postponed it. So the idea now is to finish, you know, this tour and get right into the studio, finish the record, drop it by early 2010 and fire up a huge world tour."
During Crüe Fest 2, Godsmack released their first single in almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times back in 2007. "Whiskey Hangover
" reached #1 on the Billboard
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during the summer festival.
November 11, 2009, Shannon Larkin announced the band is working with producer Dave Fortman
with the band hoping to get the album out in February 2010. February 8, 2010, Godsmack officially named its new album The Oracle, after initially calling it Saints & Sinners. February 26, 2010, it was announced on the band's official website The Oracle will be released May 4, 2010, with the final track listing being revealed the same day.
, was collaborative, stating that all four members of the band wrote the songs and Sully came up with the lyrics:
"It's collaborative. We're all in the room and we write the songs. Sully steps in with the vocals. So we write all the music first typically, and then he takes the tape of music and starts doing the lyric thing, writing lyrics and melodies, and then he'll come over excited and sing it to us, and we'll be "yeah" or "nay." But he's pretty great for that because he doesn't get excited much, so when he gets something that he thinks is good, it's usually really good."
Then he adds, "Like I said, when I said collaborative, on the new record we did this all four of us in a room. Like all four, we'll play a riff, I'll come in with the drums, and next thing you know were jamming, and then it sounds like a verse, or a chorus or breakdown part. And then we'll stop. "Alright, man, we got a great verse, let's try to get a chorus for it." So, you know, that's how the process goes. So it is a full band collaboration, much more than ever."
When interviewed by Bloody Good Horror, Sully Erna
described the writing process as equal collaboration between all four members of the band, stating "It was truly an equal collaboration between all four of us. We all sat down and discussed what we wanted and expected from each of us on this album, and God Damn it, we delivered every speck of it."
, Mudvayne
, Otep
, Slipknot
on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone
, and Simple Plan
, as well as on both of Evanescence
's multi-platinum selling albums, The Open Door
and Fallen
.
According to Sully Erna, he was looking for a producer who is known for producing great albums. When Sully talked about some producers he is interested in working with, Shannon suggested Dave Fortman, "Got the mighty Dave Fortman producing who had made it before in a band called Ugly Kid Joe. I played with him for five years, toured the world with him. Love the guy, he's one of the funniest dudes ever. After Sully met Dave it was pretty much over because Dave is such a real pleasant guy to be around and real funny, makes you feel comfortable in all ways," Shannon said.
On working with Dave Fortman, Sully Erna announced that the band will be recording their next album with Dave Fortman again, stating that, "Let me tell you this... I will DEFINITELY record another record with him again. If not every one. That dude is not only the funniest guy I’ve ever met, but he really knows how to produce and make suggestions that are relevant and important to the decision of the song."
With Dave Fortman producing The Oracle, The band took a different technical approach to recording their songs. While working on The Oracle in the studio, the band opted for laying down one track at a time, as opposed to recording composite parts and then assembling them in a piecewise manner.
As Shannon Larkin
told AwayTeam:
Sully Erna stated that he's proud of the band's track record:
He also explained the benefits of recording that way, "In the past, we've always done one instrument at a time and it takes twice as long, and half the members of the band are gone once their parts are done. This way we all got to enjoy the entire process together and every two days we could hear a rough mix of what that specific track sounded like."
In a video posted on Rockpit.com, Sully Erna encouraged the fans to buy the album, stating that:
"I decided to change the name from Saints & Sinners to The Oracle and the reason being because I started doing a lot of research on Saints & Sinners, and although I liked what it represented, it's been done before. I think Whitesnake
had a record in 1982 or some like that, before which I wasn't that worried about because that's almost 30 years ago, but there has been some other artists, even Spanish albums that I found called Saints & Sinners in Spanish
. With all that put together, I started rethinking the name, and then with the name Godsmack
, and then the title being called Saints & Sinners, it was all feeling a little bit religious to me, and that really wasn't what this record represented..."
In the same video, Sully Erna explained that The Oracle came from a name of a new instrumental he wrote for the disc, saying, "Once I wrote the instrumental...we titled [the album that] because it’s really the epitome of all rock songs. Like, if you listen to this track it almost has every transition that’s ever been created in rock music in one song."
is a good clue, and that's what we're going for. It's more simplistic than the last record — less bluesy, more heavy, but you know we wanted to get back to the original sound of the band and what made this band happen in the first place….simple heavy rock, so that's where we're kind of shooting for on this one."
When interviewed by Away-Team.com, Larkin described the sound as a sort of return to the band's self-titled album
, stating that: "It's going to be a monster. The drums sound incredible, Sully Erna
's voice is on fire… it's gonna be much more like the first record; much heavier, with simple, catchy guitar-driven riffs. We're working with Dave Fortman
who I was lucky enough to play with in Ugly Kid Joe
and who has done production for Slipknot
and Mudvayne
, to name a few. He and Sully are co-producing the record and they make a great team."
In an early March 2009 interview with Rockerrazzi.com, Sully Erna
stated that "the album is gonna be really heavy. I mean, it's very aggressive. I'm not really sure; it's very premature right now. Right now we just finished one track for the Crüe Fest this Summer. But as far as the whole record goes, I think it's going to be a lot more in your face. I don't think there's going to be any 'Voodoo's or 'Serenity's on this one. We decided to go balls out!".
When asked about the difference between The Oracle and other albums Godsmack has released in the past ten years, Sully Erna stated that, "Our previous records always had various influences that we tried to have surface in the music. But this record is much more true to the heart. It is filled with everything that we have built our success on. Raw, tough, powerful grooves and big vocal melodies."
Shannon Larkin explained how the band is able to walk the line between staying true to their roots and being able to satisfy themselves creatively, stating, "Usually the riffs decide how new songs come about, with one of us showing the others a riff, and then the rest of us just jamming along until a song starts to form. If the song sounds too far from our roots (or our sound or style) then we can tell after jamming it a few times, and we either drop it or re-work it to sound more true to our roots. Satisfying ourselves creatively is pretty easy, as we aren't trying to re-invent the wheel musically - we are a blue-collar hard rock band. That said, we do side projects in which we can experiment with different textures and styles and scratch any itches to experiment in different genres."
When Daniel Catullo was asked about the idea behind documenting them making The Oracle, he stated that, "We felt that over the course of 10 years of me filming the band we have done it all; the stadium show, the small initmate acoustic performance, the arena show and the mini-movie. The only thing we haven't done was document the recording of a record. Quite frankly it was the only thing left to do with them that wouldn't be repeating history!"
The first official single off the album is "Cryin' Like a Bitch
". It received radio airplay on February 23, 2010.
Since the release of "Cryin' Like a Bitch", Godsmack has officially released three more songs. "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain", "What If", and "Saints and Sinners" were released on April 6, April 13, and April 26 respectively. All the songs were made available to download through iTunes
. "Saints and Sinners", "Devils Swing", "The Oracle", and other previously released songs, including "Cryin' Like a Bitch", and "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" were made available to listen on 98Rock.com.
On April 29, Sully Erna was interviewed by WAAF (FM)
for their exclusive radio talk show, entitled "Godsmack Radio Takeover". During the sixty minutes interview, "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain", "What If", "Good Day to Die", "Shadow of a Soul", and "Forever Shamed", were all premiered on the radio for the first time.
On May 3, Godsmack made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
in which they performed "Cryin' Like a Bitch" live for the first time.
as well as iTunes
. On May 5, 2010, and in less than 24 hours of the album being released, The Oracle reached #1 on the US and Canadian iTunes stores.
Internationally, The Oracle was released in Sweden
on May 3, in Austria
, Germany
, Netherlands
and Switzerland
on May 7, in Finland
on May 12, and in the UK on May 24.
Two editions of the album are currently available, the standard edition, which consists of a CD that contains 10 tracks. And the deluxe edition, which consists of a CD and a DVD, with the DVD including two bonus tracks including the hit "Whiskey Hangover
".
in 2006. Since its release on May 4, The Oracle has sold more than 500,000 copies in the US and in late 2011 the album receved a gold certification in the US.
after their fourth studio album. The album received generally positive reviews from most music critics.
The single debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs, Billboard Digital Songs, and Billboard Hot 100 at number one, fifty-nine, and seventy-four respectively.
According to Billboard.com, "Cryin' Like a Bitch" is just the band second listing on the Heatseekers Songs, and third on the Hot 100.
"Cryin' Like a Bitch" is the 6th number one hit, and 15th Top Five hit for the group, more than artists such as Linkin Park
, Foo Fighters
, and others. It also marks Godsmack's record-breaking 18th Top 10 single of their career.
on July 12.
Since its release as a single, "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" climbed the Billboard Alternative Songs, the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Billboard Rock Songs peaking at number twenty-six, two, and five respectively, making it the band's 19th Top 10 hit at active rock radio. Recently, the single debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs at number twenty-five.
With "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" appearing on the Billboard Alternative Songs, Godsmack now stands as the act with the most appearances on the chart without reaching the apex. The single is Godsmack's 19th charted title at the format. The band has peaked as high as No. 6 with "Voodoo
" in 2000.
Additional personnel
Production
"The Making of The Oracle" DVD
(America)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, released in the U.S. on May 4, 2010.
The Oracle is the first Godsmack album to be produced by Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman is the guitarist for the band Ugly Kid Joe. He currently is an American music producer. He has worked with bands such as Superjoint Ritual, Watership Down, Eyehategod, Mudvayne, Otep, Slipknot on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone, and Simple Plan, as well as on both...
. The Oracle also marks the first Godsmack studio album to be released since 2006's IV
IV (Godsmack album)
-Track listing:-Godsmack:* Sully Erna - rhythm guitar, vocals, producer* Tony Rombola - lead guitar, backing vocals* Robbie Merrill - bass guitar* Shannon Larkin - drums, percussion-Others:*P. R...
. The span of over four years between the fourth album and The Oracle marks the longest gap between studio albums in Godsmack's career.
Early stages
In 2009, after taking a break for two years, Sully ErnaSully Erna
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
announced writing is underway for the band fifth studio record, with the record likely to be released May 4, 2010.
On March 16, 2009, while Godsmack were in the middle of writing the new record, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
announced the lineup for their second annual summer festival tour, Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2 was the second year of the Crüe Fest touring festival, created and headlined by Mötley Crüe. The tour took place over the summer of 2009, and was in the same vein as the first Crüe Fest.-Line up:...
, which included Godsmack. As a result of that, Sully Erna stated in an interview with ArtisanNewsService the band had to postpone the writing process until the tour was finished on September 5, 2009, "We were in the middle of writing the record, and we had kinda settle that process for a minute and postponed it. So the idea now is to finish, you know, this tour and get right into the studio, finish the record, drop it by early 2010 and fire up a huge world tour."
During Crüe Fest 2, Godsmack released their first single in almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times back in 2007. "Whiskey Hangover
Whiskey Hangover
"Whiskey Hangover" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. Released as a promotional single in 2009, it marked the band's first in the almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times." The song became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during Crue Fest 2 and was released in...
" reached #1 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during the summer festival.
November 11, 2009, Shannon Larkin announced the band is working with producer Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman is the guitarist for the band Ugly Kid Joe. He currently is an American music producer. He has worked with bands such as Superjoint Ritual, Watership Down, Eyehategod, Mudvayne, Otep, Slipknot on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone, and Simple Plan, as well as on both...
with the band hoping to get the album out in February 2010. February 8, 2010, Godsmack officially named its new album The Oracle, after initially calling it Saints & Sinners. February 26, 2010, it was announced on the band's official website The Oracle will be released May 4, 2010, with the final track listing being revealed the same day.
Writing
The writing process, according to Shannon LarkinShannon Larkin
Shannon Larkin, born James Shannon Larkin on April 24, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, is a musician best known for being the drummer of the heavy metal band Godsmack. He replaced the previous drummer Tommy Stewart in June 2002...
, was collaborative, stating that all four members of the band wrote the songs and Sully came up with the lyrics:
"It's collaborative. We're all in the room and we write the songs. Sully steps in with the vocals. So we write all the music first typically, and then he takes the tape of music and starts doing the lyric thing, writing lyrics and melodies, and then he'll come over excited and sing it to us, and we'll be "yeah" or "nay." But he's pretty great for that because he doesn't get excited much, so when he gets something that he thinks is good, it's usually really good."
Then he adds, "Like I said, when I said collaborative, on the new record we did this all four of us in a room. Like all four, we'll play a riff, I'll come in with the drums, and next thing you know were jamming, and then it sounds like a verse, or a chorus or breakdown part. And then we'll stop. "Alright, man, we got a great verse, let's try to get a chorus for it." So, you know, that's how the process goes. So it is a full band collaboration, much more than ever."
When interviewed by Bloody Good Horror, Sully Erna
Sully Erna
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
described the writing process as equal collaboration between all four members of the band, stating "It was truly an equal collaboration between all four of us. We all sat down and discussed what we wanted and expected from each of us on this album, and God Damn it, we delivered every speck of it."
Recording and production
The Oracle was recorded and produced by Dave Fortman, who has worked with bands such as Superjoint RitualSuperjoint Ritual
Superjoint Ritual was an American heavy metal band formed by Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower in the early 1990s, later to be joined by Hank Williams III, and Kevin Bond. Their style can be considered a mix of Pantera's style of groove metal and hardcore punk. A small trace of black metal...
, Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...
, Otep
Otep
Otep is an American heavy metal band formed in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by Otep Shamaya.-History:Otep originally was a four-piece nu metal band that began in Los Angeles, California in early 2000...
, Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone
All Hope Is Gone (album)
All Hope Is Gone is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released on August 20, 2008 by Roadrunner Records, the album was published in two versions: the standard album in a Compact Disc case and a special edition packaged in a six-fold digipak containing three bonus...
, and Simple Plan
Simple Plan
Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...
, as well as on both of Evanescence
Evanescence
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
's multi-platinum selling albums, The Open Door
The Open Door
The Open Door is the second studio album by the American rock band Evanescence. It was first released in Poland on September 25, 2006, through Wind-up Records and subsequently in more than 20 other countries worldwide...
and Fallen
Fallen (Evanescence album)
-Critical response:Fallen has received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic scored the album three and a half stars out of five, and named it an AMG Album Pick, saying, "The album does include flashes of the single's PG-rated nu-metal...
.
According to Sully Erna, he was looking for a producer who is known for producing great albums. When Sully talked about some producers he is interested in working with, Shannon suggested Dave Fortman, "Got the mighty Dave Fortman producing who had made it before in a band called Ugly Kid Joe. I played with him for five years, toured the world with him. Love the guy, he's one of the funniest dudes ever. After Sully met Dave it was pretty much over because Dave is such a real pleasant guy to be around and real funny, makes you feel comfortable in all ways," Shannon said.
On working with Dave Fortman, Sully Erna announced that the band will be recording their next album with Dave Fortman again, stating that, "Let me tell you this... I will DEFINITELY record another record with him again. If not every one. That dude is not only the funniest guy I’ve ever met, but he really knows how to produce and make suggestions that are relevant and important to the decision of the song."
With Dave Fortman producing The Oracle, The band took a different technical approach to recording their songs. While working on The Oracle in the studio, the band opted for laying down one track at a time, as opposed to recording composite parts and then assembling them in a piecewise manner.
As Shannon Larkin
Shannon Larkin
Shannon Larkin, born James Shannon Larkin on April 24, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, is a musician best known for being the drummer of the heavy metal band Godsmack. He replaced the previous drummer Tommy Stewart in June 2002...
told AwayTeam:
Sully Erna stated that he's proud of the band's track record:
He also explained the benefits of recording that way, "In the past, we've always done one instrument at a time and it takes twice as long, and half the members of the band are gone once their parts are done. This way we all got to enjoy the entire process together and every two days we could hear a rough mix of what that specific track sounded like."
In a video posted on Rockpit.com, Sully Erna encouraged the fans to buy the album, stating that:
Album name
The working title for the album was Saints & Sinners, named after one of the tracks on the album, but in a video posted on Rockpit.com Sully Erna explained that he started to feel as the title Saints & Sinners was not very original."I decided to change the name from Saints & Sinners to The Oracle and the reason being because I started doing a lot of research on Saints & Sinners, and although I liked what it represented, it's been done before. I think Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
had a record in 1982 or some like that, before which I wasn't that worried about because that's almost 30 years ago, but there has been some other artists, even Spanish albums that I found called Saints & Sinners in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. With all that put together, I started rethinking the name, and then with the name Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, and then the title being called Saints & Sinners, it was all feeling a little bit religious to me, and that really wasn't what this record represented..."
In the same video, Sully Erna explained that The Oracle came from a name of a new instrumental he wrote for the disc, saying, "Once I wrote the instrumental...we titled [the album that] because it’s really the epitome of all rock songs. Like, if you listen to this track it almost has every transition that’s ever been created in rock music in one song."
Album cover
On March 24, the album cover was made available to preview on Noicecreep.com. For the artwork, the band went with a dark red and black eclipse-like image, with light beams shining down over the band logo.Sound
Shannon Larkin described the sound of the upcoming album as a return to the band original sound, stating that "Whiskey HangoverWhiskey Hangover
"Whiskey Hangover" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. Released as a promotional single in 2009, it marked the band's first in the almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times." The song became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during Crue Fest 2 and was released in...
is a good clue, and that's what we're going for. It's more simplistic than the last record — less bluesy, more heavy, but you know we wanted to get back to the original sound of the band and what made this band happen in the first place….simple heavy rock, so that's where we're kind of shooting for on this one."
When interviewed by Away-Team.com, Larkin described the sound as a sort of return to the band's self-titled album
Godsmack (album)
-Controversy:The album caused controversy due to its profane lyrics without a Parental Advisory Label. After listening to his son's copy of the album, a father in the U.S. complained to Wal-Mart, who sold him the album, that the lyrics were offensive. Wal-Mart and Kmart took the album off the...
, stating that: "It's going to be a monster. The drums sound incredible, Sully Erna
Sully Erna
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
's voice is on fire… it's gonna be much more like the first record; much heavier, with simple, catchy guitar-driven riffs. We're working with Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman is the guitarist for the band Ugly Kid Joe. He currently is an American music producer. He has worked with bands such as Superjoint Ritual, Watership Down, Eyehategod, Mudvayne, Otep, Slipknot on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone, and Simple Plan, as well as on both...
who I was lucky enough to play with in Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe is an American hard rock band from Isla Vista, California. The band's name spoofs that of another band, Pretty Boy Floyd. Ugly Kid Joe's sound includes a range of styles, including rock, glam metal, hard rock and heavy metal....
and who has done production for Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
and Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...
, to name a few. He and Sully are co-producing the record and they make a great team."
In an early March 2009 interview with Rockerrazzi.com, Sully Erna
Sully Erna
Salvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
stated that "the album is gonna be really heavy. I mean, it's very aggressive. I'm not really sure; it's very premature right now. Right now we just finished one track for the Crüe Fest this Summer. But as far as the whole record goes, I think it's going to be a lot more in your face. I don't think there's going to be any 'Voodoo's or 'Serenity's on this one. We decided to go balls out!".
When asked about the difference between The Oracle and other albums Godsmack has released in the past ten years, Sully Erna stated that, "Our previous records always had various influences that we tried to have surface in the music. But this record is much more true to the heart. It is filled with everything that we have built our success on. Raw, tough, powerful grooves and big vocal melodies."
Shannon Larkin explained how the band is able to walk the line between staying true to their roots and being able to satisfy themselves creatively, stating, "Usually the riffs decide how new songs come about, with one of us showing the others a riff, and then the rest of us just jamming along until a song starts to form. If the song sounds too far from our roots (or our sound or style) then we can tell after jamming it a few times, and we either drop it or re-work it to sound more true to our roots. Satisfying ourselves creatively is pretty easy, as we aren't trying to re-invent the wheel musically - we are a blue-collar hard rock band. That said, we do side projects in which we can experiment with different textures and styles and scratch any itches to experiment in different genres."
Promotion
On January 15, 2010, the band joined forces with Rockpit.com to promote the album by creating a series of fifteen webisodes for Godsmack fans describing the process, rituals and methodology of making The Oracle. Each webisode is filled with exclusive content, behind the scenes footage, interviews and sneak peeks at their newest songs.When Daniel Catullo was asked about the idea behind documenting them making The Oracle, he stated that, "We felt that over the course of 10 years of me filming the band we have done it all; the stadium show, the small initmate acoustic performance, the arena show and the mini-movie. The only thing we haven't done was document the recording of a record. Quite frankly it was the only thing left to do with them that wouldn't be repeating history!"
The first official single off the album is "Cryin' Like a Bitch
Cryin' Like A Bitch
"Cryin' Like a Bitch" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack, released as the first single from The Oracle.-Sound:"Cryin' Like a Bitch" is a prime example of Godsmack's original sound, with Sully Erna describing the song as one of the toughest songs on the record."It's a really tough song,...
". It received radio airplay on February 23, 2010.
Since the release of "Cryin' Like a Bitch", Godsmack has officially released three more songs. "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain", "What If", and "Saints and Sinners" were released on April 6, April 13, and April 26 respectively. All the songs were made available to download through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. "Saints and Sinners", "Devils Swing", "The Oracle", and other previously released songs, including "Cryin' Like a Bitch", and "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" were made available to listen on 98Rock.com.
On April 29, Sully Erna was interviewed by WAAF (FM)
WAAF (FM)
WAAF is a Boston, Massachusetts, area commercial Album Oriented Rock/Active rock radio station that mixes music that is popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres....
for their exclusive radio talk show, entitled "Godsmack Radio Takeover". During the sixty minutes interview, "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain", "What If", "Good Day to Die", "Shadow of a Soul", and "Forever Shamed", were all premiered on the radio for the first time.
On May 3, Godsmack made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
in which they performed "Cryin' Like a Bitch" live for the first time.
Release
On May 4, 2010, The Oracle was released in the U.S. The album was also made available to download through AmazonAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
as well as iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. On May 5, 2010, and in less than 24 hours of the album being released, The Oracle reached #1 on the US and Canadian iTunes stores.
Internationally, The Oracle was released in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on May 3, in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on May 7, in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
on May 12, and in the UK on May 24.
Two editions of the album are currently available, the standard edition, which consists of a CD that contains 10 tracks. And the deluxe edition, which consists of a CD and a DVD, with the DVD including two bonus tracks including the hit "Whiskey Hangover
Whiskey Hangover
"Whiskey Hangover" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. Released as a promotional single in 2009, it marked the band's first in the almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times." The song became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during Crue Fest 2 and was released in...
".
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
May 3, 2010 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
May 4, 2010 |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
May 7, 2010 |
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
|
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
|
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
|
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
|
| Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
May 12, 2010 |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
May 24, 2010 |
Commercial performance
The Oracle is credited for being the first album by a hard rock band to ever reach number one in 2010, selling 117,500 copies in its first week of release, becoming Godsmack's third consecutive album to do so, and making Godsmack the seventh rock band to ever reach number one with three consecutive regular studio albums. Digitally, the album topped the iTunes best-selling albums chart, selling nearly 23,000 copies. In Canada, The Oracle debuted at number two, selling 7,000 copies. The band previous high-water mark came with the No. 4 peak of IVIV (Godsmack album)
-Track listing:-Godsmack:* Sully Erna - rhythm guitar, vocals, producer* Tony Rombola - lead guitar, backing vocals* Robbie Merrill - bass guitar* Shannon Larkin - drums, percussion-Others:*P. R...
in 2006. Since its release on May 4, The Oracle has sold more than 500,000 copies in the US and in late 2011 the album receved a gold certification in the US.
Critical response
The Oracle has been praised by fans as well as critics as a comeback for GodsmackGodsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
after their fourth studio album. The album received generally positive reviews from most music critics.
- Allmusic was one of the first websites to comment on The Oracle, with their reviewer Jason Ankeny describing the album' as "the most aggressive disc Godsmack have issued since their debutGodsmack (album)-Controversy:The album caused controversy due to its profane lyrics without a Parental Advisory Label. After listening to his son's copy of the album, a father in the U.S. complained to Wal-Mart, who sold him the album, that the lyrics were offensive. Wal-Mart and Kmart took the album off the...
", awarding it three stars out of five, and praising it for being a return to the band original sound, stating, "The Oracle is, if nothing else, a return to the band’s signature sound of yore. It seems as if Godsmack heard the cry of their dedicated hoard and went back to making the kind of record that defined them.", then he added, "Those fans seeking a return to Godsmack’s roots will not be disappointed; for others, the sound may be a retrenchment because there was no place else for them to go. The only undebatable thing is that The Oracle is the most aggressive disc GodsmackGodsmackGodsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
have issued since their debut."
- Jen Rochester from TheNewReview.net felt that the album was not a huge leap forward for Godsmack, but provided "Fans of Godsmack will most likely love it. Fans of mainstream hard rock might find it’s worth their time to check out the album. Metalheads, well…who am I kidding? You’ve already made up your mind."
- Aaron Titan from 411mania.com gave the album a positive review, awarding it eight and a half stars out of ten, stating "It’s definitely better than IV", then he added, "The album kind of rides out the awesomeness of that track with Saints and Sinners and War and Peace and then climbs with the off-beat Love-Hate-Sex-Pain." He also praised the band for choosing "The Oracle" to be the last track, stating "The Oracle This is a slamming instrumental that was a fantastic choice to close out the album."
- Amy Sciarretto from Ultimate GuitarUltimate Guitar ArchiveUltimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
gave the album seven stars out of ten and wrote that "The best thing about The Oracle isn't that the band isn’t writing for radio but the catchiness comes naturally. While Godsmack don't turn the corners and make any hard lefts or rights on The Oracle, they give fans what they want. The Oracle is another solid set. They may sound a lot like Alice in ChainsAlice in ChainsAlice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, but those are just influences."
- Scott McLennan from The Boston GlobeThe Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
commented that the album has "fresh moments, such as the scrappy delivery of What If and the up-tempo snap of War and Peace", then he added, "On the few occasions that he is freed from formulaic constraints, guitarist Tony RombolaTony RombolaTony Rombola is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist for the Boston-based heavy metal band Godsmack since the mid-1990s...
effectively knocks some texture into these otherwise slick and efficient songs. Godsmack also sticks to its stock songwriting topics — spiritual angst, mental torment, and social discomfort. The Oracle certainly reiterates all that has made Godsmack a successful band, and it proves that these locally bred players are capable of big-sounding, attention-grabbing music."
Cryin' Like a Bitch
"Cryin' Like a Bitch" climbed the Billboard Alternative Songs, the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Billboard Rock Songs, reaching number twenty-five, one, and seven respectively, making it the band's 18th Top 10 hit at active rock radio. According to Billboard.com, "Cryin' Like a Bitch" began with 4.3 million first-week audience impressions on 92 stations.The single debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs, Billboard Digital Songs, and Billboard Hot 100 at number one, fifty-nine, and seventy-four respectively.
According to Billboard.com, "Cryin' Like a Bitch" is just the band second listing on the Heatseekers Songs, and third on the Hot 100.
"Cryin' Like a Bitch" is the 6th number one hit, and 15th Top Five hit for the group, more than artists such as Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, and others. It also marks Godsmack's record-breaking 18th Top 10 single of their career.
Love-Hate-Sex-Pain
"Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" made its way to radio stations in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on July 12.
Since its release as a single, "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" climbed the Billboard Alternative Songs, the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Billboard Rock Songs peaking at number twenty-six, two, and five respectively, making it the band's 19th Top 10 hit at active rock radio. Recently, the single debuted on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs at number twenty-five.
With "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" appearing on the Billboard Alternative Songs, Godsmack now stands as the act with the most appearances on the chart without reaching the apex. The single is Godsmack's 19th charted title at the format. The band has peaked as high as No. 6 with "Voodoo
Voodoo (song)
"Voodoo", written by lead singer Sully Erna, is a single by heavy metal band Godsmack from their self-titled album Godsmack.The song "Voodoo" was best known for its use in the MTV television program Fear.-Music video:...
" in 2000.
Saints and Sinners
Upon its release as a single in late March, "Saints and Sinners" entered both Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Billboard Rock Songs, so far peaking at number twenty-nine and forty-eight respectively.Track listing
Personnel
Godsmack- Sully ErnaSully ErnaSalvatore Paul "Sully" Erna , is an American vocalist and primary songwriter for the American heavy metal band, Godsmack. Erna is also a guitarist and drummer, performing these both on albums and during live shows. He has a daughter named Skylar Brooke Erna and an older sister named Maria.-Early...
- vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Tony RombolaTony RombolaTony Rombola is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist for the Boston-based heavy metal band Godsmack since the mid-1990s...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals - Robbie MerrillRobbie MerrillRobbie Merrill is an American bass guitar player, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Godsmack....
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Shannon LarkinShannon LarkinShannon Larkin, born James Shannon Larkin on April 24, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, is a musician best known for being the drummer of the heavy metal band Godsmack. He replaced the previous drummer Tommy Stewart in June 2002...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals
Additional personnel
- Irina Chirkova - CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on "The Oracle" - Lisa Guyer - backing vocals on "The Departed"
Production
- Dave FortmanDave FortmanDave Fortman is the guitarist for the band Ugly Kid Joe. He currently is an American music producer. He has worked with bands such as Superjoint Ritual, Watership Down, Eyehategod, Mudvayne, Otep, Slipknot on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone, and Simple Plan, as well as on both...
- ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
- MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Jeremy Parker - Engineer
- AJ Clark - Assistant Engineer
- William Vignola - Sample Programming
- Kevin Sheehy - Personal Assistant
- Brad Forsyth - Illustrations
"The Making of The Oracle" DVD
- Troy Smith - Director
- Karen Gainer - ProducerFilm producerA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
- Noah Gelb - Director
Weekly charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| US Billboard Rock Albums | 1 |
| US Billboard Digital Albums | 1 |
| US Billboard Alternative Albums | 1 |
| US Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 1 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| Greek Albums Chart IFPI Greece International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of... |
11 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
72 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
71 |
| US Billboard Rock Albums | 13 |
| US Billboard Alternative Albums | 8 |
| US Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 4 |
Certification
Singles
BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(America)
| Year | Single | Peak positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Main. |
US Heat. Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Alt. |
US Rock Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
||
| 2009 | "Whiskey Hangover Whiskey Hangover "Whiskey Hangover" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. Released as a promotional single in 2009, it marked the band's first in the almost two years since the release of "Good Times, Bad Times." The song became a live staple in Godsmack's shows during Crue Fest 2 and was released in... " |
102 | 1 | 16 | 20 | 7 |
| 2010 | "Cryin' Like A Bitch Cryin' Like A Bitch "Cryin' Like a Bitch" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack, released as the first single from The Oracle.-Sound:"Cryin' Like a Bitch" is a prime example of Godsmack's original sound, with Sully Erna describing the song as one of the toughest songs on the record."It's a really tough song,... " |
74 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 7 |
| "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain Love-Hate-Sex-Pain "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. It is the second single from the band's fifth studio album, The Oracle.-Sound:... " |
- | 2 | 23 | 24 | 5 | |
| 2011 | "Saints and Sinners Saints and Sinners (song) "Saints and Sinners" is a song by American heavy metal band Godsmack. It is the third single from the band's fifth studio album, The Oracle.-Release:... " |
- | 25 | - | - | 35 |
Chart precession and succession
External links
- RockPit.com - Making of the Next Godsmack Album
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 1) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 2) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 3) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 4) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 5.1) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 5.2) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 6) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 7) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 8) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 9.1) on YouTube
- Making of the Next Godsmack Album (Episode 9.2) on YouTube