<\/p>\n
During an April 23 appearance on SiriusXM<\/b>‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”<\/b>, GODSMACK<\/b> frontman Sully Erna<\/b> was asked about the band’s announcement that the GODSMACK<\/b>‘s latest album, 2023’s “Lighting Up The Sky”<\/b>, would likely be its final collection of new material. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET<\/b>): “I think some press misunderstood that. What I had said was, if I remember correctly \u2014 I don’t know; maybe I was a little foggy at the time \u2014 but I just said that I was pretty sure that this would be the last full body of work from GODSMACK<\/b>, from the original members, that we wouldn’t be able to do this anymore because these guys [guitarist Tony Rombola<\/b> and drummer Shannon Larkin<\/b>] were gonna kind of take their final curtain call and bow out. And I knew that this was most likely gonna be the last full body of work from the original members. But now here we are. Me and [bassist] Robbie<\/b> [Merrill<\/b>] had a long talk. We were, like, ‘Well.’ We had a decision to make, and we said, ‘Well, we’ve still got some gas in the tank here. I don’t really wanna hang it up yet.’ And he’s, like, ‘Let’s go around.’ And so we brought in these new guys, and it’s sounding great. So we’re, like, yeah, there’s probably gonna be some new music coming. I mean, it may not hit the streets till early ’27, but we’re gonna do something, for sure. But it just won’t be with all the original members anymore.”<\/p>\n
After “Trunk Nation”<\/b> noted that Erna<\/b>, being the songwriter that he is, will always want to keep making new music, whether it’s for a solo project or for GODSMACK<\/b>, Sully<\/b> concurred. “Yeah, for sure,” he said. “I mean, I’ll always write music. Even if I don’t tour anymore, even if I never made another record again, I am always gonna write music. I may write and produce and arrange for other artists. I might just do stuff for solo, collabs, things like that. Music’s in my blood. I’m not giving up music. But there’ll be a time and place where I’ll just be, like, ‘Well, maybe it’s\u2026’ And we’ll see how this goes. Listen, me and Robbie<\/b> even said, hey, if we go out there and this just isn’t feeling good anymore because it’s not our brothers and it’s a bit foreign feeling, then\u2026 We made a decision, just like we did when we started this band, to say, ‘Hey, you know what?! We had a good run.’ Give each other a big hug. Neil Peart himself told me ‘nothing great lasts forever’. And that’s kind of how I feel. And so when that day comes, we’ll give each other a big hug and we’ll call it a good run and we’ll step away from it. But right now I don’t think that’s happening. This band sounds better than ever. We have two new guys that are breathing some new life into the energy in this band, and for sure some new music’s gonna come eventually. We’re gonna be doing a bunch of touring, and then we’ll see how it goes, how it feels.”<\/p>\n
Erna<\/b> also talked about GODSMACK<\/b>‘s latest additions, guitarist Sam Koltun<\/b>, who previously toured with the band in Europe in early 2025, and drummer Wade Murff<\/b>. He said: “Sam<\/b>‘s on board now full-time, and he’s gonna be the new player from this point forward. And the drummer that we chose, his name is Wade Murff<\/b>. He’s worked with DAUGHTRY<\/b> and some other acts. A fairly under-the-radar kind of guy. A strong player. A great dude. Really good with attention to details, as Sam<\/b> is.”<\/p>\n
Sully<\/b> continued: “I have complete confidence in this, although we start rehearsals next week. I’m just really confident that this is gonna be just as good, if not better than ever, because these guys came in with the right attitude. They honored the catalog, they honored the playing. They didn’t try to reinvent it. And as you know, a guitar can sound like a guitar, a drum can sound like a drum. Until you replace the vocalist, that’s when the sound really<\/i> changes. So I really feel that the fans will be able to come and enjoy the music as they have always known it, because it won’t sound foreign to them, like there’s a new singer singing GODSMACK<\/b> stuff. And plus their showmanship even elevates it a little bit more. I mean, Shannon<\/b>‘s hard to replace. He’s the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time]. If you see that dude play, he’s a tough cookie to replicate or replace live visually. But this guy, Wade<\/b>, he’s strong. He’s got some great chops, and he’s really playing the stuff solid. I’m very happy to take them on tour and introduce them. And this is gonna start the next chapter in our life here, GODSMACK<\/b> 2.0.”<\/p>\n
Based in Los Angeles, Murff<\/b> reportedly began playing the drums at age 4. He credits LED ZEPPELIN<\/b>‘s John Bonham<\/b> and VAN HALEN<\/b>‘s Alex Van Halen<\/b> as having sparked his interest in rock drumming. But it was SLAYER<\/b>‘s Dave Lombardo<\/b> and PANTERA<\/b>‘s Vinnie Paul Abbott<\/b> who fueled his desire to become a hard-hitting metal drummer.<\/p>\n
When asked about his playing style, Wade<\/b> said: “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate technique and precision, but I love seeing drummers that hit hard and play with a lot of heart and physicality. Live, I always want to play on the edge between control and chaos; something could break at any moment, someone might get hurt… especially me. [Laughs<\/i>] Seriously though, I’m committed to delivering that type of show every night, no excuses.”<\/p>\n
Wade<\/b> has built a solid reputation as a go-to drummer for established acts, seamlessly filling roles in live performances, tours, and recordings. His credits include work with DAUGHTRY<\/b>, PRONG<\/b>, Sebastian Bach<\/b>, ORGY<\/b> and Doyle<\/b> (of the MISFITS<\/b>).<\/p>\n
GODSMACK<\/b>‘s new live album and Blu-ray, “Live At Mohegan Sun”<\/b>, will arrive on May 1 via Primary Wave<\/b>. Captured during GODSMACK<\/b>‘s sold\u2011out October 26, 2024 performance at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, it marks the last performance featuring the classic GODSMACK<\/b> lineup of Erna<\/b>, Rombola<\/b>, Merrill<\/b> and Larkin<\/b>, following the decision by Rombola<\/b> and Larkin<\/b> to retire.<\/p>\n
In a recent interview with TalkShopLive<\/b>‘s The Rock N Roll Channel<\/b>, Erna<\/b> stated about Rombola<\/b> and Larkin<\/b>‘s exit from GODSMACK: “[Shannon<\/b>] gave me the best years in this band. Tony<\/b> as well. Those guys are just irreplaceable, as far as I can say, because they’re truly like brothers, and they always will be. And there’s no bad blood.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people are, like, ‘Oh, what happened? You had a falling out?’ No, there’s nothing,” Erna<\/b> explained. “They got to that point in their lives where they just didn’t wanna tour at this level anymore. It’s hard work. The road is a lonely place. Shannon<\/b> got sober several years ago. It just didn’t feel fun for him anymore. The body gets beat up. We put ourselves to a lot, emotionally and physically, and they just wanted to go enjoy their lives now. And so we gave each other a big hug, and we wished them the best. We honor and respect their decision. And I think you’re gonna feel every bit of that emotion on [‘Live At Mohegan Sun’<\/b>], because these guys, [director] Dan<\/b>[iel E.<\/b>] Catullo<\/b> [III<\/b>] and his whole team, [editor] Leslie<\/b> [Atkins<\/b>], and everybody who was a part of making this film happen really captured visually everything I would want a fan to see in a show, along with this retirement party that we did for Tony<\/b> and Shannon<\/b> and how emotional that was. I mean, our families were there, our daughters were there. I cried at least 12 times already, just watching the cuts, trying to get the edits right. ‘Cause it’s 30 years of my life, and they were truly the best parts of my life. So, yeah, closing that chapter, it took me a minute to kind of get ahold of it, but it’s coming. It’s a double live album. It sounds great. It looks great. It’s everything I think you’re gonna want. And I really hope everybody goes out there and gets it to experience it.”<\/p>\n
After the interviewer noted that it’s almost unheard of to have two members leave a band “on good terms” after two or three decades, Erna<\/b> admitted: “I’m not gonna lie \u2014 I had some bitterness at first. From the day they said, ‘Listen, this is the last one. I think we’re gonna finish this record. We’re gonna finish the touring cycle, and then that’s it.’ \u2026 And even though I understood it, and they had my blessing, they had my respect, and it wasn’t anything that kind of fell out on bad terms, it didn’t sit with me well. ‘Cause I felt like I’d worked so hard my whole life. I felt like I built this amazing thing with these guys and gave everyone their dream and they took mine away. And I was kind of experiencing that emotion for a while. And I found myself okay with it, and then really mad about it, and then finding my acceptance with it and then not finding my peace with it. And it was really like an emotional rollercoaster for me. And I’m still kind of on it a little bit, because I don’t really know what the future holds. But me and Robbie<\/b> sat down. We had a good talk, and we felt like we have a lot of gas left in the tank. And we wanna get out there and honor the catalog, honor the music, honor this thing that we built and give the fans that.”<\/p>\n
He added: “I feel good. I feel like I’m 25 years old. I’m not ready to go anywhere yet. So we’re gonna run this a little bit longer, and we’re gonna see how things go.”<\/p>\n
Referencing the fact that GODSMACK<\/b> recently announced “The Rise Of Rock”<\/b> 2026 tour, a North American run featuring special guests STONE TEMPLE PILOTS<\/b> and DOROTHY<\/b>, Sully<\/b> said: “We have a strong lineup right now. I wanna mention this \u2014 this is the first time I’ve said this on any platform. So you and the fans are hearing this for the first time. But we have welcomed in a new guitar player named Sam Koltun<\/b>, who’s amazing. He was actually playing with Dorothy<\/b>. He’s played with some other bands along the way. And he came in for an audition. And I gotta tell you, the guy blew our mind. His attention to detail, his performance, his playing really elevated the frontline a little bit more than it was. And he’s just an incredible guitar player. So I want people to know that, ’cause I want them to welcome him into this project. He really loves the band. He honored the music. He honored what Tony<\/b> played. And, and I gotta tell you, it sounds identical<\/i>. It’s incredible how well he can play the stuff and put his own little flair to things. And for the first time we’re gonna mention Wade Murff<\/b>, who is gonna be the new drummer at this point. And again, great guy, great player, strong, looks great visually.<\/p>\n
“I think for people that are gonna come see GODSMACK<\/b> now, they’re gonna really feel at home when they hear the band and how we sound because I don’t think much has changed in that aspect, but there’s this new breath of life now too,” Sully<\/b> added. “There’s this thing that’s been like recharged, and it’s exciting.”<\/p>\n
When the interviewer speculated that Sully<\/b> may have felt a “sense of betrayal” over Shannon<\/b> and Tony<\/b>‘s decision to leave GODSMACK<\/b>, Erna<\/b> clarified: “I wouldn’t say ‘betrayal’, though. That’s a harsh word, man. It was just a decision. It was a lifelong decision. Listen, Shannon<\/b> has been on \u2014 what? \u2014 40 albums. The guy’s played with [BLACK<\/b>] SABBATH<\/b>, UGLY KID JOE<\/b>, WRATCHCHILD AMERICA<\/b>, you name it. He’s done a lot of work, man. But listen, from the beginning, GODSMACK<\/b> has been a blue-collar work-horse band. We were never a part of the MTV<\/b> culture. We were never part of the VH1<\/b> culture. We were never a part of the pop scene. We were a blue-collar workboot band, and we made our career on touring and radio. And that is much harder than people may think, compared to the pop artists that go out there and just \u2014 whatever \u2014 they pop up and they sell a bazillion records and they’re the favorites to the Grammys<\/b> or whatever else was out there doing their thing, and they don’t tour like we did, man. I can promise you that. The only band that even came close was PANTERA<\/b>, and they even came to us at one point when they’d seen our schedule. They go, ‘Holy shit. You guys just play a lot of shows.’ And we’re, like, ‘Isn’t that what everyone does?’ They’re like, ‘No, not that many.’ Seven in a row, one day off. Nine in a row, one day off. 11 in a row, one day off. That shit went on for three years, man. And we were like robots. So I’m really proud of what we built here, and I have no regrets. If this whole thing ended tomorrow, dude, I’m good. We lived a good life out here. But the reality is it’s not gonna end tomorrow. We’re gonna go out there. We’re ready to run again. Everything is good. The band sounds great. And we’re really excited to bring these new guys out and have some fun with them and with the audience.”<\/p>\n
Promoted by Live Nation<\/b>, “The Rise Of Rock”<\/b> 2026 tour will kick off Sunday, May 10 in Bristow, Virginia at Jiffy Lube Live and make stops across the U.S. and Toronto, Canada, including Austin, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, and California, before wrapping Saturday, September 26 at Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater in Nampa, Idaho.<\/p>\n
Larkin<\/b> joined GODSMACK<\/b> in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD<\/b> (later WRATCHILD AMERICA<\/b> and SOULS AT ZERO<\/b>) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE<\/b> in time for a taste of their zenith.<\/p>\n
Tony<\/b> had been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK<\/b> since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards<\/b>.<\/p>\n
GODSMACK<\/b>‘s latest album, “Lighting Up The Sky”<\/b>, was released in February 2023 via BMG<\/b>. The LP was co-produced by Erna<\/b> and Andrew “Mudrock” Murdock<\/b> (AVENGED SEVENFOLD<\/b>, ALICE COOPER<\/b>).<\/p>\n
The first single from “Lighting Up The Sky”<\/b>, “Surrender”<\/b>, which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK<\/b> in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album “When Legends Rise”<\/b>, which earned the Erna<\/b>-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.<\/p>\n
For GODSMACK<\/b>‘s spring 2025 European tour, the band recruited what Erna<\/b> called at the time “a couple of guest musicians” \u2014 Koltun<\/b> and drummer Will Hunt<\/b> of EVANESCENCE<\/b>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n