Usually “unplugged” or acoustic records sound a bit flat and thin in comparison to their electrified versions. But that is not the case with The Other Side from Godsmack.

Thick, sensual bass lines and organically tribal poly-rhythms create a trance-like state, accented by mystic, vaguely eastern guitar structures and layered with dense vocal harmonies.

Along with old favorites like “Keep Away” and “Awake” (which here is titled “Asleep” more than likely due to it’s hypnotic pace and timbre), as well as “Spiral,” here interpreted with a asian/indian flavor, there are three new tracks. “Running Blind,” with it’s full guitar chordings and vocal harmonies, leads off the cd, and has been exploding at radio already. With eyes closed, you can almost imagine the guys sitting on a few big logs around a massive fire deep in the woods somewhere just jamming on these tunes.
The next single, “Touche,” which was written by Sully Erna, Dropbox vocalist John Kosco and guitarist Lee Richards (yeah, the original Godsmack guitarist), is a hard-hitting, pounding composition laden with massive vocal harmonies. In it, Sully harmonizes with Kosco, (a first for him) and also trades rhythms back and forth with drummer Shannon Larkin on drums and other percussion instruments.
Universal Records Group has also just released The Other Side as a surround sound 5.1- channel high definition Super Audio CD (SACD), one of a select few available today in this genre of music. The SACD music disc features a high definition 5.1 channel surround track that envelops the listener with the aural ambiance of the music hall. Combined with SACD's superior dynamic range, definition and clarity, this disc perfectly captures the full dynamic impact of a live performance. It is a dual-layer "Hybrid" that allows it to be played in stereo with standard CD sound quality by any conventional CD player.
Played very loud, it gives the fullest nuances of the compositions themselves as well as the harmonics of the acoustic instruments. My biggest complaint is that this cd only has 7 tracks.