The Oracle (Deluxe Edition)

One of the most reliable hard-rock bands of current vintage, Boston’s Godsmack deliver the pounding riffs of classic heavy metal while dipping their melodies into the pained retrospection of grunge. The album’s first single, “Cryin’ Like a Bitch!!,” rumored to be about Mötley Crüe, has the sass of a band looking for a good street fight. “Devil’s Swing” throws down at full throttle. “Good Day to Die” adds an extra funk grunt. “Forever Shames” supplements the band’s lurching rhythms with some sublime, ‘70s-styled guitar leads. “What If?” channels the extra texture of metal veterans such as Metallica for its mix of strong and somber. “Shadow of a Soul” sends the band into that Alice in Chains zone where singer Sully Erna dares to tread. The title track is yet another metallic epic, beginning with slow, subtle moves that build to a climax. “Whiskey Hangover” swings with a jackhammer rhythm, proving the band is capable of stretching itself any which way it desires. The bonus track, “The Departed,” finishes things on a definite strong note. Godsmack are one of the most powerful and diverse bands surviving in 2010.