Fireball-enhanced Godsmack rise up to the legend, toast late Soundgarden, Linkin Park leaders

Photos by Daniel DeSlover

Hard rockers Godsmack returned to Milwaukee for the first time in six years, filling up much of the Fiserv Forum for what turned out to be the best-selling date of its current arena run. The group launched into “When Legends Rise,” the title track from the 2018 studio effort, with front man Sully Erna taking his customary rock star pose front and center.

Erna moved to keys come “Under Your Scars” (an impetus for Godsmack’s The Scars Foundation), dedicating it to fallen comrades Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington in the most meaningful moment of the extensive night.

Godsmack shifted into the self-reflective “1000 hp,” and if the razor sharp riffs didn’t get the sweat dripping, the heavy dose of pyro certainly did. An aural assault continued for another 90 minutes as the band worked through its catalog, including heavy favorites “Cryin’ Like A Bitch,” “Awake” and the eerie “Voodoo.”

Adding to the charge were bassist Robbie Merrill and lead guitarist Tony Rombola, who were diametrically opposite characters on stage. Merrill paced about, treating his bass guitar like an abuse victim and interacting with the audience, while Rombola remained in the shadows, meticulously picking his axe and effortlessly taking leads with near perfection.

Beat keeper Shannon Larkin derived from the John Bonham school of drumming, relentlessly wailing on his kit with a constant blur of flailing limbs with Erna frequently facing his way to stay in check. A solid drummer himself, the two got together toward the end of their set for the customary “Batalla de los Tambores” percussion battle.

“Whatever” initially served as the closer with Erna working the crowd, then Godsmack returned for a four-song encore featuring an intense rendition of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and the nu metal rocker “I Stand Alone.” Erna moved to keys come “Under Your Scars” (an impetus for The Scars Foundation), dedicating it to fallen comrades Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) and Chester Bennington (Linkin Park, Stone Temple Pilots) in the most meaningful moment of the extensive night, which was enhanced all the more by rockabilly-infused metal men Volbeat and the theatrical aggression of Stitched Up Heart getting everyone ready to rock.