TRU ROCK REVIVAL MAGAZINE
November 2026
TRU ROCK REVIVAL MAGAZINE | EXCLUSIVE ARTIST FEATURE
SULLY ERNA: GODSMACK ISN’T DONE YET
A new chapter, a louder future, and plenty of rock and roll left in the tank.
Interview by Kreig | Tru Rock Revival Magazine | November 2026
For more than three decades, Sully Erna has helped make Godsmack one of the defining forces in modern hard rock. From the explosive riffs and tribal rhythms that first put the band on the map to the anthems that have become staples of rock radio, Erna has never been one to do things halfway.
Now, in 2026, Godsmack is writing its next chapter. With longtime guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin stepping away, Erna and bassist Robbie Merrill have chosen to keep the machine running, bringing guitarist Sam Koltun and powerhouse drummer Mike Mangini into the fold. The band's Live at Mohegan Sun release captures an emotional farewell to the original lineup, while the ongoing Rise of Rock tour with Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy is proving that Godsmack still has plenty of fire left to unleash.
And the future? Erna has confirmed that new Godsmack music is in the works, with fans potentially hearing the next chapter in 2027.
Kreig of Tru Rock Revival Magazine catches up with Sully for a conversation about fresh blood, drum battles, life on the road, the return of real rock, and why the Godsmack story is far from over.
THE INTERVIEW
10 QUESTIONS WITH SULLY ERNA
Kreig: Sully, welcome back to Tru Rock Revival Magazine. We last spoke in April of 2021. You were the very first Rock 'n Roll Roulette interview.
Sully Erna: Oh yeah, that's right. I remember that. I told you the name was very cool.
Kreig: You did! And it is!
Sully Erna: Yes, it still is.
Kreig: So, here we are again doing a second Roulette.
Sully Erna: So, I'm now a two timer!
Kreig: Damn right! Let's get right into it. For a minute there, fans were wondering if Godsmack was heading toward the finish line. Now you're back on the road with a new lineup, new energy, and new music on the horizon. Did you ever imagine this next chapter would turn out to be this exciting?
Sully Erna: Honestly, I think the excitement comes from not knowing exactly where it's going to go. We had an incredible run with the original lineup, and we accomplished a lot together. When Tony and Shannon decided they were ready to step away, Robbie and I had to decide what we wanted to do. We weren't ready to stop playing music. Bringing in new guys has given us a fresh perspective, and there's a different energy happening now. We're going to give it everything we've got and see where it takes us. That's what makes it exciting.
Kreig: Let's talk about the new blood. You've got Sam Koltun on guitar and Mike Mangini behind the kit. Mike comes with a résumé that could make most drummers lose sleep. What's it like having a guy with that kind of firepower in the band, and has he already tried to turn rehearsal into a drum clinic?
Sully Erna: (Laughs) Mike is an incredible player, man. He's got a ridiculous amount of talent, and he's also a really funny guy. Sometimes he's talking so much that you're ready to tell him to take a breath! But musically, he's a monster. The thing people need to understand is that Godsmack's music has a lot of detail in it. The drum parts aren't just about hitting hard. There's a lot of precision and feel involved, and Mike understands that. He's bringing his own personality to it while respecting what came before him. And Sam has been great, too. He's an incredible guitar player who really studied the parts and understands what makes these songs work.
Kreig: The Battle of the Drums has been one of Godsmack's signature live moments for years. Now you're doing it with Mike Mangini. Be honest,
Sully. Is this still a friendly musical competition, or are you two secretly trying to destroy each other behind those drum kits?
Sully Erna: (Laughs) It's definitely a competition sometimes! That's part of the fun. The great thing about that segment is that Shannon and I built it with certain parts that are always there, but we also left room for improvisation. You can go off and try something different, and sometimes it becomes this amazing moment. Other times, you might screw something up, and everybody knows it. That's rock and roll. Mike brings a completely different approach, and I'm learning things from him, too. We're still finding each other, but that's what makes it exciting. Every night can be a little different.
Kreig: Your Live at Mohegan Sun release captures the original lineup together for a final time. That's a pretty powerful piece of history. When you listen back to that performance now, does it feel more like a celebration, a goodbye, or a reminder of everything you guys survived together?
Sully Erna: It's really all of those things. That performance became very special because we knew what it represented. We had spent decades building something together, and we wanted to capture that chemistry in a way people could experience long after the show was over. I grew up listening to classic live albums, and I've always wanted to make a great double-live record of our own. Getting to do that with those guys, knowing it was our last performance together, made it emotional. There's a lot of history in that music. I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I think the album gives the fans something meaningful to hold on to.
Kreig: The Rise of Rock tour brings Godsmack together with Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy. That's a serious dose of rock and roll in one night. If somebody walks into that show thinking rock music has lost its edge, what do you want them saying when they walk out?
Sully Erna: I want them walking out saying, “Holy shit, rock and roll is alive and well!” (Laughs) Seriously, that's the whole idea behind this tour. You've got three acts that bring different personalities and different sounds, but we're all coming from that same place of wanting to put on a real rock show. I think people are hungry for that experience again. They want the volume, the energy, the musicianship, and that feeling you get when a band is really playing in front of you. We're not going out there to phone it in. We want people to leave exhausted in the best possible way, with a smile on their faces and their ears ringing.
Kreig: You've been pretty clear about believing in musicians actually playing their instruments live, without relying on backing tracks to fill in all the gaps. In an age where everything can be polished to perfection, are we seeing a return to the days when a little danger and unpredictability made a concert special?
Sully Erna: I hope so, because that's what I grew up loving about music. I come from that older school of rock where musicians spent thousands of hours practicing until they could get onstage and deliver the songs themselves. There's something powerful about knowing that what you're hearing is happening right there in front of you. Things can go wrong, things can change, and sometimes you get a moment that could never be recreated exactly the same way. I respect that every artist has their own approach, but for us, playing live means playing live. I want people to hear the band, feel the band, and see the musicians working together. That's the experience I believe in.
Kreig: Now let's get to the question Godsmack fans have been asking. You previously talked about Lighting Up the Sky being the final album, but you've since confirmed new music is coming. What's changed, and should fans expect the next record to sound like classic Godsmack, Godsmack 2.0, or something nobody sees coming?
Sully Erna: I think there was some confusion about what I meant when I talked about that being the last album. I was talking about the last full-length record with the original lineup, because I knew Tony and Shannon were ready to retire from touring. That wasn't necessarily the end of Godsmack as a band. Robbie and I still have a lot of music in us, and I'm curious to see what happens with these new guys. Sam and Mike have their own strengths, and that can open up different possibilities creatively. We're starting to explore ideas, and the plan is to get into writing properly. I don't want to promise fans that it's going to sound exactly like one particular era. I want it to sound like Godsmack, but with a new spark.
Kreig: You've been doing this for more than 30 years. You've played huge festivals, toured the world, made records that have connected with millions of people, and watched the entire music business change. What still gives you that same rush you felt when Godsmack was first starting out, playing for people who might not even have known your name yet?
Sully Erna: It's the connection with the audience. That's always been the thing for me. When you walk onstage and you see people singing your lyrics back to you, or you watch somebody in the crowd having a moment because a song means something to them, that's powerful. You can't manufacture that. We've been fortunate enough to have fans who have grown up with us, and now they're bringing their kids to shows. That's pretty amazing to see. The business has changed, the technology has changed, and the way people discover music has changed, but that connection is still the same. As long as I can walk out there and feel that energy, there's a reason to keep going.
Kreig: Let's have a little fun with this one. You've got Mike bringing the technical fireworks, Sam adding a new dimension to the guitar lineup, and Robbie keeping the low end locked down. If you could drop this version of Godsmack into any era of rock history for one night, which era would you choose, and which legendary band would you want to share the stage with?
Sully Erna: I'd probably go back to the 1970s. That was such a cool time for rock music. You had bands that were building their own identities, and there was so much personality in the way they played. I'd love to share a stage with Aerosmith in their prime. Joe Perry was a huge influence on me, especially when I was younger and figuring out what kind of musician I wanted to be. Seeing those guys do their thing night after night would have been incredible. I'd also love to experience that whole era when live albums were a major part of rock culture. Those records made you feel like you were right there in the room with the band. That's something I still love about music.
Kreig: Sully, let's close this out with a big one. You've got a new lineup, a live album celebrating an incredible era, a tour that puts rock front and center, and the possibility of new Godsmack music in 2027. When you look down the road, what do you want this next chapter to mean for the band, the fans, and the legacy you've spent decades building?
Sully Erna: I want us to keep growing and keep challenging ourselves. We could have decided that we'd done enough and walked away, and nobody could have blamed us for that. But Robbie and I still love doing this, and we're excited about what these new guys bring to the table. We want to honor the history of the band without being trapped by it. The fans deserve that, and we owe it to ourselves to see what we're capable of with this lineup. Maybe the next chapter takes us to places we've never been before. Maybe it opens doors we didn't even know were there. Whatever happens, we're going to give it our best shot. I don't think rock and roll is going anywhere, and I certainly don't think we're done making noise just yet.
FINAL WORDS
If there's one thing Sully Erna's current chapter with Godsmack makes clear, it's that the end of one era doesn't necessarily mean the end of the story. The release of Live at Mohegan Sun gives fans a lasting snapshot of a legendary lineup, while the arrival of Sam Koltun and Mike Mangini brings new possibilities to a band that refuses to stand still.
With the Rise of Rock tour bringing hard rock back to the forefront and new music anticipated in 2027, Godsmack has plenty left to prove, plenty left to play, and plenty of reasons to turn up the volume.
For fans who have been along for the ride since the beginning, the message is simple: the lineup may evolve, the road may change, but the fire is still burning.
Kreig | Tru Rock Revival Magazine
Rock lives here. And Godsmack isn't done yet.