Boston based rockers, Godsmack are back and ready to kick our asses once again with the release of their third album "Faceless." It's been 2 and a half years since the release of their triple platinum selling smash hit, "Awake," and front man Sully Erna and his mates are completely psyched for their fans to taste the new stuff. "We're coming into our own sound," explains Erna. "I'll guarantee you one thing right now, nobody sounds like this f--king record you're about to hear, nobody.. There is nobody out there doing what we're doing right now. I know that other bands have said that shit, but that's bullshit. Disturbed, Korn, Staind, POD, I don't give a f--k who it is, nobodies gonna sound like this record."

The bands new edge is largely due to a change in Godsmack's overall dynamics. Last year original Godsmack drummer, Tommy Stewart, parted ways with the band after creative differences. Loosing a band mate is always tough, but in this case Erna explains that it was worth it for both parties. "We just wanted to move on. I found myself in a place where I wanted to start experimenting with some new sounds and he had some other ideas and we just felt that it wasn't right for either of us to stay together."

They recruited old friend and former Amen stickman, Shannon Larkin who was a natural fit. "(Larkin) adds a little bit more snap to the band," raves Erna, "I mean we have a new member and we're all feeling refreshed and good about things.. There's a certain amount of growth on this record that I think people will be surprised about. The band, as people and as songwriters and musicians, have grown a lot and you can hear that on this record. Part of that was due to Shannon. Especially me bring a drummer, I needed to have someone fresh in this band that could play things that I was feeling."

Erna and company are proud of their bands new musical direction and are confident that their fans will dig it just the same. "No one's playing rock the way I remember rock being," says Erna, "To me rock was Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Sabbath- that was f--kin' rock and that's what this album is getting back to, we're getting back to the roots with the Godsmack smack to it."

Despite the bands triple platinum selling "Awake" and double Grammy nod's, Erna still insists that his band isn't a part of the MTV pop culture and with that mind set Erna found the inspiration for the albums title- "Faceless." "'Faceless' is still what we feel the band still is right now," says Erna. "We're not quite the mainstream trendy band that is just blowing up all over the place, ya know. We're still a little bit under the radar and the band is still a little faceless in that sense and we're not quite as noticed and popular as the N' Syncs of the world and all that stuff. We're like the little engine that could, we just keep taking one step at a time up the ladder and we haven't fallen down yet, thank God, and we'll just continue chugging along and see how long we can do this."

Erna promises that "Faceless" will be completely different from their last 2 albums. "Godsmack is still aggressive and hard, we're not sacrificing the integrity of the band. These songs are just really mature, man. We're coming into our own sound. I'm psyched because we finally found where we're going and every record blossoms more into a new thing so you'll never hear anyone say that this record sounds like the last 2 records."

The first single, "Straight Out Of Line" is the hard-hitting track that is already making waves on rock radio. It is the number one most added song across the board on all formats and charted in the top ten at active and mainstream rock. "That's one of those songs where there is a darker message there, but the end result is a little uplifting," explains the front man. "That track was written about us as we are going through this bubble of fame that we're in and waiting for it to just pop one day. The band is getting a bit more successful and we're not able to keep in touch with our friends and people that we used to chum around the bars with and have beers or whatever. Now, the same people that we used to kick back and have beers with are the same people that when we walk in after being on tour for a couple of years are clocking us and looking at us weird like they're expecting us to be the 'rock star.' I mean, they won't approach us first, we gotta go up to then and that kinda game goes on. That's just outa line, man.. They claim that we changed cus we can't get in touch with them every weekend, but we're busy.. Its not that we don't like them, we're busy."

Godsmack are very busy, in fact they are gearing up for a nation wide tour this spring and are looking forward to getting back out on the road. "We miss being out on the road," said Erna, "and are looking forward to getting back out there and kicking some ass."

"Faceless" hit stores April 8th 2003. For more Godsmack info log to: www.godsmack.com

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