Customer Reviews

Other Side (Hybr) (Ms)

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This C.D. loses out to Meshuggah's "I" for 2004's best EP, but "The Other Side" is still an intelligent and well executed idea. Acoustic tracks (and songs like these) usually appear as rarities and/or b-sides, so it was also definitely a daring move for Godsmack to compile these songs and release them as an EP.

This album could have been a face plant for Godsmack. Making a batch of soft and soothing songs (that don't have the loudness, intensity, clutter and cacophony of the originals) could be embarrassing. It could prove that the vocalist can't sing worth squat (he can only yell) and the guitarist can only play power chords. Also, even before this album was released, Godsmack had trouble escaping the "Alice in Chains post grunge" tag. Since Alice made an "Unplugged" album, it's only natural for skeptics to think "The Other Side" follows, even further, in AIC's footsteps.

But anyone who has heard this C.D. knows that these criticisms aren't founded. Even though heavy riffs and howling may be what Godsmack is best at, the guitars and vocals (as well as the album as a whole) came out surprisingly well. Instead of the usual hard and impenetrable riffs, these guitars create a meaty, restrained wall of sound which goes very well with frontman Sully Erna's vocals. An entirely acoustic album can sometimes become monotonous, but "The Other Side" is not. The guitars (i.e. "Realign") are sometimes low, but they can also be high pitched (i.e. the solos). Sully's vocal range is also a long ways from where it was at on "Faceless" and "Awake." He doesn't have the best singing voice in the world, but his deep, gruff crooning help make this album soothing. Sully's lyrics sometimes sound silly (especially when he exclaims "yeah!"), but he wisely omits the expletives that the original songs had.

Next, even though this C.D. sounds like Alice in Chains in a lot of ways, it is also quite different. Yes, most of these songs do have some Alice in them, but they also have Johnny Cash-esque melody. Plus, this album differs from "Unplugged" because, in addition to three entirely new songs, "The Other Side" has some newly added music and lyrics.

"Running Blind," the lead single (and first of three new tracks), has some clean singing and good, depressing lyrics. Plus, this song has a catchy chorus and a gentle guitar solo near the end.
"Realign"doesn't stray too far from the original song's sound (aside from the angst free vocals). It begins with a high hat drum and a good opening riff. Then, like the original, the guitars fall into a groove and (aside from the solo) stay that way for the rest of the song.
"Touche" is a good, catchy jingle that features a guest appearance from Dropbox members Lee Richards and John Kosco. The album's second single has a good country music vibe running through it.
"Voices" is darker than its predecessors. It has some good percussion, but out of the three new tracks, "Voices" is probably the least memorable.
"Keep Away" is probably included because Godsmack wanted a song from all of their albums (including their self-entitled album). Most of the songs from that C.D. (i.e. "Whatever") would sound ridiculous on a low key album like this, thus the inclusion of this song is somewhat a surprise. But, aside from the weird noise ("hoo!") that Sully makes before the guitar solo, this song turns out to be one of the best on this album. It has an instrumental mid-section with a low, beeping bass (the bass is most audible on this song.)
"Spiral" is a great inclusion. The original version of "Spiral" starts soft and becomes heavier, but on this version, it starts soft and seemingly becomes even softer. The rattles, rain sticks and tribal drums are usually drowned out by the guitars, but they are very noticeable here. Another dark theme runs throughout this one.
"Asleep" is actually a piano abetted ballad of the previously angst ridden (and very heavy) `Smack song "Awake." The harmonic piano is as present and audible as the guitar in this song. Sully (who omits the f-bomb that the original song had) eerily inhales and exhales throughout this song, and the song ends with the sound of a clock ticking.

Godsmack covered the right songs (I can't think of any that I want substituted), as well as the right number of songs. At 29 minutes, you could argue that there should be more songs, but I believe "The Other Side" would become stale and tired if it had many more. Keep in mind this is only an EP, not a full length album. This is just a nice little snack for fans to nosh on in between full length albums. I would welcome, and I also wouldn't be surprised if another entirely acoustic album (like this) surfaces in a couple years.

I bought "The Other Side" strictly because I am a Godsmack fan and I like to have a complete collection. I sort of expected it to be like a continuation of the 2003 single "Serenity" (which was just O.K.). Godsmack did get the inspiration for this album from that song, but all seven of these songs came out sounding better than it.

You obviously need to own it if you're a Godsmack fan, but, since every song on here is pleasant and soothing (and there isn't one song that is skip worthy), I also strongly recommend you check this out even if you're NOT a fan.

I don't want to debate the pros or cons of Godsmack vs. Alice In Chains. As we all know...there can be no more Alice without Layne so to continue this is obsurd. We do have Godsmack and this is a great acoustical album....period. The band ventures into some really great dark minor key acoustic jam sessions as well as some middle eastern vibe riffs & the use of congo/bongo and other various percussion is mezmerizing...check out song #6 "Spiral"...its hypnotic rise and fall will really grab you !! Song #7 - "Asleep" is another powerfully understated song that escapes you on the first play through but one you'll come back to again and again...I even find myself doing an echo, repeating "Chris Cornell-esque/Soungarden" type harmony (its not in the song but if you listen it will just come to you !!) And without a doubt the song that will definitely make a believer out of you has to be "Touche`".....the acoustic guitar just pulls you in with the little stylie intro....and the words are classic...a quid pro quo look at the world. This is a cool buy if you like dark and hypnotic stripped down acoustic and bongo/congo percussion !!! As for the Alice in Chains comparison, remember, imitation is the greatest form of flattery !!

I've been a fan of Godsmack since their first album, and have seen the progression of their last two. Yes, they lack the intensity of their first album, but I take them for what they are worth. Good songs, good riffs, pretty good overall band. Wow, is The Other Side different. Talk about melody and harmony! Godsmack have always put together interesting harmonies, but the softer acoustic focus allows them to function almost as a third guitar. No, this is not just acoustic versions of old songs, although that probably would have been good too. This album has vastly different arrangements, indeed showing the songs' "other side". I would reccoment this to Godsmack fans and music snobs alike. I have a pretty good ear for "nice" music, and this passes the test. No growls, no f-words. They just play beautiful music. Isn't that a change these days? Folks, this is a BIG switch. Bravo, Boston Rockers.

If your looking for a new cd to just chill to this is one cd that you can look forward to listen to over and over, even though its only a 7 song cd but hey thats why its 10 dollars.(Its worth every penny) Theirs 3 new songs on this cd running blind,touche(feat. lead singer from dropbox), and asleep. People knew that this cd should have been comming because of their alice n chains influences.

1. Running Blind-5/5 good song, this song first shows they can go acoustic
2. Re-align 5/5 because it proves that they can turn a hard rocking song and turn it into a good acoustic piece of music.
3. Touche 5/5 it has that sound to me of an alice n chains song but nothing will sound just like alice n chains.
4. Voices 5/5 proves that Godsmack can do solos not only on an electric but acoustic too.
5. keep away 5/5 very close sounding to original version but you can tell its acoustic. Very good solo in this song.
6. Spiral 5/5 very mellow song
7. Asleep 5/5 not really a new song but its a followup from awake the reson is since its acoustic its more mellow why the title is different.

Being a HUGE Godsmack fan, it's a given that I bought this album, right? Right. So, I go to Rolling Stones (a record store in case you didn't know), come home, and play it all the way through. I was blown away. And disappointed that there are only seven songs.

Godsmack usually has pretty heavy stuff on their regular albums, and this one proves that they don't have to have amps, effects, etc.

Here's a review of each song:
Running Blind - A very good, relatable song that sticks with you for the whole day after hearing it. The albums first single.
Re-Align - The original song is great, and unplugging the guitars doesn't take away from that. Awesome 12-string guitar solo.
Touche - The album's second single. A powerful song with the guy from Dropbox. One of my faves.
Voices - Hmm... A good song, but not as good as the other stuff. Still, I wouldn't skip it, it's very good, but like I said, not as good as the other stuff.
Keep Away - Another one of my favorites. This acoustic version of the song is very hard (as in 'hard rock' 'hard & heavy' you know), despite the acoustic-ness.
Spiral - Whoohoo. An amazing song to begin with, and this just made it better. A very epic, tribal-sounding song based on reincarnation, the acoustic stuff gives it a really cool vibe.
Asleep - The remake of the hard & heavy "Awake." The band completely transformed the song into a slow, soft ballad. It's very nice.

Overall, this is a must-have for all Godsmack fans. But DO NOT buy this without hearing the originals of the songs on here.

Oh, and for those who didn't know (-cough-M. Squire-cough-), GS did NOT name the band after the Alice in Chains song. I know that for a fact.

The funny thing I noticed about the bad reviews for this album (1-2 stars), is that all the reviewer says is (in a nutshell) that the album sucks and that GS shouldn't be doing acoustic stuff. No details. You're welcome to state your opinion, but no one's going to take you seriously if you don't have a good reason for having that opinion.

If anything I said here was already said, please don't attack me. I didn't read every singe other review before writing mine.

The Other Side is a great break from Godsmack's usual heavy songs. I'm glad to see more acoustic albums nowadays. My favorite tracks are Asleep (which is an awesome, slower version of Awake), Voices, and Touchi. Smooth, refined and entrancing. I highly recommend fans of Godsmack and rock in general buy this album. It's well worth your money.

Fans of Godsmack may not take well to this diversion from the hard rock that they are used to but they must still give credit to Sully Erna and Co. for their wonderful efforts on this EP. The simple but well matched vocal and guitar arrangements for this album blend perfectly to create a truly unique sound.

Though the CD is of short duration it is quite likely that after you are done listening to it once that you will play it one more time for good measure. Some of the songs are acoustically rendered favorites, such as Re-Align and Keep Away, and they stay true to the original sound. Re-Align features a fast-paced solo reminiscent of its distorted counterpart.

Songs such as Running Blind, Touche, and Voices are original productions put together for the album. Running Blind features some great vocal harmonies reminiscent of Alice In Chains. Touche features the vocals of two Dropbox members that contribute greatly to the vibe of the song.

For fans of early '90s grunge or angsty acoustic songs this album will entertain and likely become a fast favorite. For fans of hardcore rock and metal ONLY, well, this album likely isn't for you.

Overall, the album is a success with a wonderful blend of vocal textures and slightly down-tuned guitars.

Quick Review of the Tracks ;

1. Running Blind - Amazing song, great introduction to the album. I recommend that you watch it Live on Yahoo's Launch Music TV.
2. Re - Align - Beautiful Vocals here, wonderful chorus and a (even although acoustic) good hard riff.
3. Touché - Feat with Lee Richards and John Kosco with good lyrics and a country feel to it. Very nice track.
4. Voices - Also has a slight country feel to it, excellent use of percussion and the lyrics are well crafted.
5. Keep Away - Totally Rocks, hard and heavy despite being acoustic, catchy chorus and a great riff.
6. Spiral - Beautiful percussion, riff and vocals, awesome track, perhaps the EP's best.
7. Asleep - Asleep is a ballad type remake of a previous Godsmack song "Awake". Soft and soothing with a lot of nice touches. (ticking of a clock and breathing of a sleeper)

Being a Brit I'd never really heard of a band called "Godsmack" before (not sure why Godsmack haven't really established themselves over here yet) but thanks to my fascination with Metallica and by following the Madly In Anger tour via Metallica's website, I soon got to know Godsmack a lot better.

This is my first Godsmack album and I absolutely adore every track on it. Sully Erna is an outstanding vocalist and the naked acoustic-ness of the songs and Godsmack's experiments with percussion all come together to create music that is truly beautiful. Each track is soft and surreal, wonderful to listen and chill to.

I'm very impressed with Godsmack's ability to, like Metallica, try different things. It is also strange that whenever bands evolve and experiment their so called 'fans' slate them for it. If you want to hear bands doing the same stuff over and over again go listen to pop or rap.

This is an excellent EP, well worth the £10.00/$10.00 price and I recommend it to anyone, even to those who aren't into Rock / Metal to whom the soft accoustics will appeal. As vocalist Sully Erna says, Godsmack is opening up to different musical styles and sounds and I wait in anticipation as to what they will do next.

This album is a really pleasant EP. And unlike others you won't regret buying this one. The acoustic guitars suite Erna Sully's voice. The rhythm and the speed are maintained perfectly. Touche and Voices are my favourite. Go on buy it if you have not yet got it

It's too bad Godsmack sounds exactly like Alice in Chains. They have really put out some great music over the years. "The Other Side" is no different. Sure, it sounds exactly like "Jar of Flies", but it's really a pretty darn good album.

Unfortunately, Godsmack will always be looked upon as a puppet of Alice in Chains, no matter what they do. I suppose when you sound like AIC, and you name the band after one of their songs, it's only fair.

But this album...a fine collection of acoustic songs.. some new, some remakes of old Godsmack songs. One of my favorites is "Re-Align". I also enjoy the first song on the CD.. the name escapes me right now for some reason. Before I heard this album, I didn't know what to expect, since Alice in Chains also made an acoustic EP. But Godsmack did pull it off, like they have all along. I can't imagine what's next in line for the boys of Godsmack.