When Legends Rise

Seven albums and 20 years into their career, Godsmack retain their post-grunge power and penchant for high-gloss hooks. The tribal drums and high-flying chorus of the title track flow seamlessly into singer Sully Erna’s multilayered vocal turn and guitarist Tony Rombola’s tasteful solo on the infectious “Bulletproof.” A stadium-sized chorus shares the stage with overdriven wah-wah guitars and a massive backing choir on “Unforgettable,” while a melancholy piano and somber strings lead the way on the ballad “Under Your Scars.”

Twenty years after the release of their breakthrough debut effort, Massachusetts hard rock veterans Godsmack veered in a fresh direction for their seventh set, When Legends Rise.

GODSMACK has been slugging away for a couple of decades and with great success. The multi-platinum certified act is a household name. The safe bet for the four-time Grammy award nominated unit would have been to crank out another metallic bruiser. Instead, frontman Sully Erna sought to carve a new p...