Awake [ECD] [PA] - Godsmack > Reviews > I'm awake and I'm loving it!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Heavy, aggressive and catchy music
Disadvantages:	Not as good as the first

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I've been a fan of Godsmack ever since hearing the song 'Moonbaby' from their first self titled album. I've always been attracted to their aggressive yet simple and catchy sound and bold vocals. 'Awake' certainly wasn't a let down.

The album kicks off with 'Sick of Life' which is an awesome display of Godsmack's typical aggression and power. The next songs 'Awake' and 'Greed' blend together into a swirl of Godsmack's jackhammer guitar riffs... pure magic. The album then takes a trip into more deep and dirty territory with the songs 'Mistakes' and 'Trippin' where lead vocalist Sully Erna cries out his angst-driven lyrics. Other songs worth of note are 'Spiral' and 'Forgive Me' which shows the more mysterious side to Godsmack.

1. Sick of Life (3:52)

2. Awake (5:04)
Probably the best track on the album. Drops you straight in with a heavy guitar riff and has many suprises throughout. Classic aggressive Erna lyrics, leaves you wanting a lot more by the end.

3. Greed (3:28)
4. Bad Magick (4:14)
5. Goin' Down (3:22)
6. Mistakes (5:58)

7. Trippin' (4:55)
Deep and thoughtful lyrics. A lot more twisted and deep than other Godsmack songs. Adds a lot of originality to the album, but still keeps its classic Godsmack touch.

8. Forgive Me (4:19)
9. Vampires (3:45)

10. Journey (:49)
11. Spiral (5:34)
These two songs fit together as an intro followed by the actual song. Slightly random, still cool though

Their title album 'Godsmack' was rumoured to have been originally produced on a $1500 budget, which led them onto a Triple-platinum top seller. It's really difficult to pick faults in the album, but for the millions that must've been spent on the album, it doesn't top the original.

If you're new to Godsmack or are trying to find a new band to listen to I definitly recommend Awake. Each song is as good as the last and full of suprises, so you wont find youself skipping tracks.

The album itself has 11 tracks, with 10 bonus videos of the band talking about their songs when listened to on a PC/Mac. The CD comes in a regular jewel case and the cover features a simple picture of the band. The inlay contains some decent art, photos and lyrics. No 50 page booklet though, so nothing special. Best price I've found so far is at Amazon.co.uk at £7.98 and in my opinion the album is worth a whole lot more than that.

More on the band at www.godsmack.com