Godsmack are busy writing for their upcoming album release, the first since the band's split with their original label. While initially looking at a 2017 release, the band decided to take a bit more time to create their latest work and have targeted January 2018 for the first single release, which would coincide with their 20th anniversary.

"We're gonna try to time this so we can drop the single right at the beginning of the year, January, and maybe drop the record by first week in April at the latest,” frontman Sully Erna told a Kansas City radio station 98.9 The Rock in an interview this week. "I've been working on it all year. Everyone's been writing. That's our main focus again right now — getting a new record out."

The effort will be the band's first release on the new label, BMG. Initially, Erna had said the band would commemorate its 20th anniversary in 2018 with a massive world tour possibly featuring the group playing its self-titled 1998 debut disc live from start to finish. But he later backtracked, telling another radio station, "We don't know that yet. That's been circulating, 'cause I opened my mouth a little bit soon, but as we get deeper into writing this new record, that may change. So we're not making any promises on that yet." Erna added, "I have to write a really great record for us, and that's the tough part."

At present, Godsmack have a light tour schedule this summer with their Chicago Open Air appearance being their biggest show, but stay tuned here to see if the band adds more dates for the summer.

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