GODSMACK Frontman: 'I Feel Like There's A Lack Of True Bands Out There'

GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna was recently interviewed on "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie. You can listen to the entire chat below.

Asked which bands continue to inspire him when it comes to "melodic" music, Erna said: "That's a really good question, especially in today's day and age. There's just a lot of stuff out there that I'm just concerned about. I don't wanna say it's bad, I don't wanna say it's good, I'm just saying that I'm a little concerned about music right now. I feel like there's a lack of true bands out there. There's a lot of electronically built songs right now with a singer, and I'm just concerned about the talent and where it's going. Some of the bands that I still have a lot of high regard for are bands like FOO FIGHTERS, and in the pop genre, the Lady Gagas and people like that, that are really still singing, still playing, still dancing, doing what they do, showing their art, working hard, sweating, grinding, 'cause that's where the true magic happens for me. Not someone who's sitting behind a Pro Tools machine and pre-building drum beats and sampled sounds and just putting together like you glue a scrapbook together. And so it's an interesting question. I mean, obviously, METALLICA's out there still grinding; you've got AEROSMITH — I don't know if they're on their last leg or not; we've heard rumors. But, really, just for me, I appreciate bands that get out there and they grind and they work hard for what they get and show the gift that they've been given."

Erna also talked about 2018 being the 20th anniversary of the release of the first GODSMACK album. He said: "We decided to kind of shelf the whole 20th-year-anniversary thing and it's just something we're silently celebrating amongst ourselves. Because what I didn't want to happen was I didn't want the 20th-year-anniversary to kind of overshadow this record [the upcoming 'When Legends Rise'], because we really feel like this record is very strong — maybe the strongest record we've written since the first one, as far as versatility and being unique. And so maybe we'll revisit that whole thing on the 25th-year-anniversary, but right now, it's just all about this record and it's about supporting this the best we can and not having something else to compete with. But looking back at 20 years, it's been an amazing journey. I mean, I love these guys; they're my brothers. We've loved each other, hated each other, fought, cried, laughed — we've done everything. And it's just been fun — it's been a learning experience, and I wouldn't change the road that we traveled for anything."

"When Legends Rise", GODSMACK's seventh studio LP, arrives on April 27. The first single is called "Bulletproof".

The new disc follows up 2014's "1000hp" and is the band's first release through BMG after splitting with its longtime home, Republic/Universal.

GODSMACK will perform at several music festivals this spring and summer, before launching a tour with SHINEDOWN on July 22 in Clarkston, Michigan.