Godsmack

Godsmack: Sully Erna (vocals, various instruments); Tony Rombola (guitar); Robbie Merrill (bass guitar); Shannon Larkin (drums). Recording information: Spiral Recording, Hollywood, CA. IV is the 2006 release from alt-metal outfit Godsmack. The band's sound, which draws from both traditional heavy metal and hard-hitting grunge-era acts like Alice in Chains, has remained largely consistent since their 1997 debut, and IV continues that pattern. Crunching distortion, snaky riffs, and thunderous rhythms make up the bulk of the sound, while Sully Erna's gruff, sometimes drone-oriented singing (which certainly owes a debt to Alice in Chains' Layne Staley) creates an evocative counter-balance. But while IV may not overflow with musical reinvention, it boasts the strongest batch of songs the band has written since their debut. The album's lead-off single, "Speak," is a case in point, as are the songs "Shine Down," with its bluesy intro, and the powerhouse "Temptation."