When Legends Rise

When Legends Rise
Studio album by Godsmack
Released	April 27, 2018
Recorded	2017–2018
Studio	GSHQ Studios (Derry, New Hampshire)
Genre	Hard rock[1]
Length	38:16
Label	BMG
Producer	Erik Ron Sully Erna
Godsmack chronology
1000hp (2014) When Legends Rise (2018) Lighting Up the Sky (2023)
Singles from When Legends Rise
"Bulletproof" Released: February 28, 2018 "When Legends Rise" Released: September 18, 2018 "Under Your Scars" Released: March 28, 2019 "Unforgettable" Released: February 4, 2020[2]

When Legends Rise is the seventh studio album by American rock band Godsmack. It was released on April 27, 2018. It marks the band's first album away from heavy metal into a more hard rock sound. The album's first single, "Bulletproof", was released ahead of the album in February 2018. All four singles from the album reached number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The album became certified Gold by the RIAA in September 2021 for selling over 500,000 copies.

Background

As early as 2015, frontman Sully Erna spoke of his desire to create a new sound for Godsmack in their next album.^[3] He expressed his desire to change how the band had been lumped into the heavy metal genre, and desired to branch out into a more hard rock sound.^[3] He later described the album in 2017 as a "reinvention" for the band, as a "new chapter" juxtaposed against older albums, of which he described as "vintage classic Godsmack".^[4] The band worked with music producer Erik Ron for the album in an effort to help the band approach the album from a new direction.^[5] Erna described the album:

It was just about evolving as a songwriter. I wanted to stretch my wings even further, to use all of the experiences I've had writing different types of music over the years and apply that to finding a way to introduce a newer, fresher, more mature sound, while still maintaining the power of Godsmack."^[6]

The first song recorded for the album with Ron was its first single "Bulletproof"; the band was so happy with the result that they worked with Ron on a second track, "Take It to the Edge".^[5] The production by Ron convinced the band to work with him on the entire album.^[5] Erna also produced.^[7]

With a runtime of 38 minutes and 16 seconds, it is the band's shortest studio album.

Release and promotion

The album's name, When Legends Rise, and release date, April 27, 2018, were announced on February 28, 2018.^[8] The band released the first single, "Bulletproof", on the same date,^[9] and as of May 2018, had peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.^[10] The title track "When Legends Rise" was released as a single on April 13,^[11] and was used by WWE as the official theme song for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 WWE PPV events that were held in Saudi Arabia.^[12] The 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards used "Bulletproof" in the Best Villain montage to highlight Josh Brolin's performance as Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War while "When Legends Rise" was played in the Movie of the Year montage in the vignette for Black Panther.

In April 2020 the band released the official music video of "Unforgettable" that featured 400 middle school kids that were gathered by Sully to augment the band's performance of the song.^[13] The official video directed by Noah Berlow, who also assisted in the editing of the "Bulletproof" "Directors cut". The video was shot at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.^[14][15]

The video directed by Noah Berlow and produced by Gautam Singhani completed a two-year process that had the band involving students, who starting the recording of this version of the song after 20 students first accompanied the band in the studio providing vocals on the chorus track.^[16] The same students received invitations to perform the song live onstage with Godsmack at a live show in Gilford, New Hampshire on August 22, 2018, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.

In 2019, the band proposed to the Gilbert H. Hood Middle School an enlistment of music students whom were trained and rehearsed with the band before the shoot to prepare for the music video filming.

During the band's visit, Sully personally spoke with and guided the students, sharing insights from his life and explained how music had saved him. Sully encouraged the young student musicians to continue the pursuit of their dreams.^[17]

The song remained on the Billboard charts for 31 weeks, peaking at #1 for over five.^{[18][19][20][21]}

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[22]
Blabbermouth.net	[23]

AllMusic generally praised the album, describing the sound as "shedding some of the bitterness, anger, and aggression...without that violent anger and creeping darkness...what's left is a band that remains hungry and driven by hope" and concluded that album showed the band as "reinvigorated, confident, and no less defiant than they were in 1998. When Legends Rise is a slight shift, but a highly enjoyable one that stirs the soul in unexpected ways."^[22]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"When Legends Rise"	Sully Erna, John Feldmann	2:52
2.	"Bulletproof"	Erna, Erik Ron	2:57
3.	"Unforgettable"	Erna	3:28
4.	"Every Part of Me"	Erna, Feldmann	3:20
5.	"Take It to the Edge"	Erna, Ron	3:15
6.	"Under Your Scars"	Erna	3:51
7.	"Someday"	Erna	4:44
8.	"Just One Time"	Erna, Clint Lowery	3:09
9.	"Say My Name"	Erna	3:38
10.	"Let It Out"	Erna	3:41
11.	"Eye of the Storm"	Erna, Lowery, Ron	3:21
Total length:			38:16

Personnel

Godsmack Sully Erna – lead vocals, guitars, piano, producer Tony Rombola – guitars, backing vocals Robbie Merrill – bass, backing vocals Shannon Larkin – drums Additional musicians The Gilbert H. Hood and West Running Brook Choir – additional vocals on "Unforgettable" Zvezdelina Haltakova – violin on "Under Your Scars" Irina Chirkova – cello on "Under Your Scars"

Production and design Erik Ron – production, mixing Anthony Reeder – engineer Jerika Madnick – additional engineering Ted Jensen – mastering Troy Smith – photography John Feldmann – composition Clint Lowery – composition

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 55 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[25] 12 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 58 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[27] 122 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[28] 6 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[29] 153 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[30] 21 New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[31] 7 Scottish Albums (OCC)[32] 54 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 28 UK Album Sales (OCC)[34] 55 UK Digital Albums (OCC)[35] 57 UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[36] 4 US Billboard 200[37] 8 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[38] 1 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[39] 1 US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[40] 1 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[41] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[42] 68

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[43]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Campbell, Chuck (April 28, 2018). "Godsmack resurrects rock relevance with new album, 'When Legends Rise'". Knox News. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
2. "Rock > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
3. "Is This New GODSMACK Song The Drastic Turn The Band Promised? (Nope)". metalinjection.net. October 14, 2015.
4. "Sully Erna: 'We're Gonna Try to Reinvent' for a 'Brand New Godsmack'". Loudwire. September 20, 2017.
5. "SULLY ERNA Says 'When Legends Rise' Could Turn Out To Be GODSMACK's 'Biggest Record' Since Debut Album". blabbermouth.net. April 5, 2018.
6. "Godsmack return with new single and album". loudersound.com. March 2, 2018.
7. "Godsmack: "When Legends Rise"-Album kommt im April". rockhard.de.
8. "Godsmack Go Melodic on New 'When Legends Rise' Song 'Bulletproof'". Loudwire. February 28, 2018.
9. "Godsmack announces new album, "When Legends Rise"; listen to new single "Bulletproof" now - Music News - ABC News Radio". ABC News Radio.
10. "Rock Music: Top Mainstream Rock Songs Chart". billboard.com. November 28, 2013.
11. Cornell, Jeff (April 13, 2018). "Godsmack Unleash Blistering 'When Legends Rise' Title Track". Loudwire. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
12. "WWE NXT Referee Hypes Current Era, WWE Looks at 27 Dolph Ziggler Vs. Kofi Kingston Matches, SSD". June 6, 2019.
13. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Godsmack - Unforgettable". YouTube.
14. "Godsmack's New 'Unforgettable' Video Features 400 Kids". Loudwire. April 8, 2020.
15. "Watch GODSMACK Bring Hundreds of Students Together in New Hampshire to Perform in Music Video". February 18, 2020.
16. "GODSMACK Celebrates Fourth No. 1 Rock Song from 'When Legends Rise' Album". May 19, 2020.
17. "Godsmack Release "Unforgettable" Music Video". KNAC.COM. April 9, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
18. "Godsmack". Billboard.
19. "E-radio.us - radio music, non stop music, lifestyle, Arts & Lifestyle".
20. "GODSMACK Release "Unforgettable" Music Video". April 8, 2020.
21. "Sully Erna et Godsmack avec plus de 400 collégiens à l'occasion de leur nouveau clip !".
22. Neil Z. Yeung. "When Legends Rise – Godsmack | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
23. "When Legends Rise – GODSMACK". Blabbermouth.net. May 8, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
24. "ARIA Chart Watch #471". auspOp. May 5, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
25. "Austriancharts.at – Godsmack – When Legends Rise" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
26. "Ultratop.be – Godsmack – When Legends Rise" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
27. "Ultratop.be – Godsmack – When Legends Rise" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
28. "Godsmack Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
29. "Dutchcharts.nl – Godsmack – When Legends Rise" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
30. "Offiziellecharts.de – Godsmack – When Legends Rise" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
31. "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
32. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
33. "Swisscharts.com – Godsmack – When Legends Rise". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
34. "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. May 4, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
35. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. May 4, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
36. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. May 4, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
37. "Godsmack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
38. "Godsmack Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
39. "Godsmack Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
40. "Godsmack Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
41. "Godsmack Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
42. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
43. "American album certifications – Godsmack – When Legends Rise". Recording Industry Association of America.