Godsmack (1998)
I love this band’s sound, which recalls early 90’s grunge, Alice In Chains in particular (AIC even has a song named “God Smack”). That’s musically, not vocally.
The lead singer here may be trying, but he can’t quite yowl, scream, or even sing soft and pretty like Layne Staley. That being said, he’s not horrible, and the music makes up for any complaints when it’s on. Too much filler, but that’s hardly a complaint unique to them. Respectable.
(“Voodoo”)
Grade: B-
2010: I just watched the video for “Voodoo”. I couldn’t stop laughing.
Grade: C+
IV (2006)
Lots of good riffs here, without a doubt. But they don’t seem to fit together and form anything of much quality. The vocals are decent, the music is decent…but it just doesn’t add up to much of anything. It’s as if they came up with the riffs first and then wrote the songs around them, lyrics and songform taking a back seat.
The difference between good riffs and good hooks: riffs require other music around them to be of any use, hooks can carry a song and/or album just by themselves. Many riffs here. No hooks worthy of mention.
Grade: D