Godsmack ‘Awake’ Debuts in the Top FIve With the First Weeks Sales Exceeding 250,000

FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON/MAGGIE WANG/MITCH SCHNEIDER

GODSMACK’S ‘AWAKE’ DEBUTS IN THE TOP FIVE
WITH FIRST WEEK SALES EXCEEDING 256,000;
FIRST SINGLE “AWAKE” IS #1 AT ACTIVE ROCK RADIO
AND CONTINUES TO BUILD AT MTV;
BAND JOINS ANGER MANAGEMENT TOUR WITH LIMP BIZKIT AND DMX
NOVEMBER 24 IN LOS ANGELES

GODSMACK‘s new CD AWAKE (Republic/Universal) enters Billboard’s Top 200 album chart at an impressive #5 this week, with SoundScan sales of 256,071, while the first single “Awake” is a #1 track at active rock radio. AWAKE–produced by frontman SULLY ERNA and Mudrock–follows the band’s self-titled triple platinum debut and sits alongside new releases from Jay Z, Outkast, U2 and Limp Bizkit in the Top 5.

Consistent road work is one element that has fueled GODSMACK‘s success. The group–SULLY (vocals), TONY ROMBOLA (guitar), ROBBIE MERRILL (bass), TOMMY STEWART (drums)–were featured on the mainstage at this summer’s esteemed rock extravaganza Ozzfest and then toured the country on MTV’s “Return of the Rock” tour. Next up, GODSMACK join Limp Bizkit for a leg of the Anger Management arena tour. These dates kick off November 24 in Los Angeles and wrap up December 19 in Jacksonville, FL. After a brief break for the holidays, the band will hit the road once again, with more dates to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, GODSMACK recently shot a video for the track with director Troy Smith at Mansfield State Prison, just outside of Cleveland, OH. The vacant building was also seen in the film “Shawshank Redemption.” In the clip, GODSMACKperforms in a cage for prisoners in the midst of an uprising at the correctional facility. The video is receiving play on MTV, MTV2 and The Box.

With song titles like “Sick Of Life,” “Greed,” “Bad Magick” and “Vampires,” AWAKE documents SULLY‘s tales of frustration and anger. In a recent cover story in Music Connection magazine, SULLY explained: “Our first record dealt with a lot of emotional stresses and traumas. On this second one, I acknowledge the mistakes I’ve made, but I realize that I’m alive because of them.”

AWAKE has garnered early critical acclaim from the media. Here’s a sample:

“…to stay on top, today’s metal bands have to be able to deliver tunes that are both intense and infectious. Boston-based Godsmack did it on its self-titled debut last year…and this follow-up.”

–Lina Lecaro, Los Angeles Times (October 29, 2000)

“If Godsmack was a full 12-round punch, then Awake is an instant knockout, from the sinewy roil of ‘Sick of Life’ to the brawny stomp of ‘Greed’ and the dynamic jackhammer of the title track and ‘Bad Magick.'”
–Gary Graff, Wall Of Sound (October 31, 2000)

“They’ve gone about the business of tightening up their sound and, in the process, displayed substantial signs of growth…On Awake Godsmack are at once heavier and more melodic…In tracks such as ‘Sick of Life’ and ‘Greed,’ he [Sully] glides effortlessly from singing to bellowing to growling…”
–Mike Magnuson, Sex N Rock N Roll.com (October 31, 2000)

“Erna’s voice, an impossibly dark and expressive growl, gives listeners something to latch onto, while Rombola’s intense Les Paul licks serve as the fuel that powers the engine…Awake reasserts the thunderous foundation of Godsmack and ascends…to a rarefied place of majestic riffs, muscular passion, and hellish melodies.”
–Bob Gulla, Guitar One (December 2000)

“Having sold 3 million copies of its debut album, Godsmack has become the biggest Boston band since Aerosmith…The new album is another bone-crunching winner, filled with speaker-blasting hard-rock, incendiary boogie riffs, and Erna’s anger-cleansing lyrics…”
–Steve Morse, Boston Globe (October 27, 2000)

“…loud ‘n’ proud and uncluttered modern metal approach…a very strong effort.”
–SL Duff, KNAC.com (November 6, 2000)

Catch GODSMACK live in the following cities:Anger Management Tour w/Limp Bizkit, DMX & Sinisstar:

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