Godsmack to rock Louisville

One of today's biggest names in metal will rock Louisville Gardens Saturday.\nTouring in support of its latest album, Awake, Godsmack brings two platinum-plus albums to a show that promises plenty of angst-ridden rock.\nGodsmack first appeared on the scene with "Whatever" off its self-titled debut. The band then fueled that fire with "Voodoo." After going multi-platinum, Godsmack released Awake to much fan-fare. The album was propelled to platinum status by the title track and "Sick of Life," the two radio and MTV singles.\nFreshman James Stabler grew up on 1980s hair bands and said he isn't much of a modern rock fan, but Godsmack is among a list of modern rock groups he appreciates. Stabler said Godsmack's music is the heavy metal of the 1990s.\n"It's just raw," he said.\nSenior John Henne said he likes Awake but enjoyed Godsmack's self-titled album more. \n"We've gotten some critique about the record sounding too much like the first one, but that's what we are, we're a rock band," said Sully Erna, lead singer of Godsmack, in a SFX interview.\nHenne has seen the band three times. He described Godsmack as a hardcore band that encourages the crowd to get rowdy.\n"It's fun if you want to go and mosh," Henne said. "(Erna) tries his hardest to get the crowd emotionally involved."\nGodsmack toured last year as part of Limp Bizkit and Eminem's "Anger Management Tour." Since then, Godsmack has evolved to headline its own "Wake The F*** Up Tour."\nGodsmack also spent some time on the "Ozzfest" tour in 1999 and 2000. Henne saw the band there both years.\n"They're really crazy," he said.\nHenne said there are people who follow the band. He also said Godsmack defies the trend of many modern music groups.\n"They don't want to be a boy band," Henne said.\nOpening for Godsmack will be a host of other new metal acts. Systematic is scheduled to start followed by Cold and Staind, respectively.\nStain hit it big with its debut, Dysfunctional, which sparked such hits as "Mudshuvel" and "Bleed." The band is preparing to release its sophomore effort, Break The Cycle. Systematic, a band that resides on Lars Ulrich's label, is trying to garner support for its debut scheduled for release in May. Cold is also a newcomer, its first release, 13 Ways to Bleed On Stage, his stores in 2000.\nThe "Wake The F*** Up Tour" stop in Kentucky at 7 p.m. Saturday in Louisville Gardens. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations and at www.ticketmaster.com.