Godsmack has turned to one of rock and metal’s most respected drummers to fill its vacant drum position on the road.
Former Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini made his live debut with Godsmack on Friday night (June 12) at Morton Amphitheater in Riverside, Missouri, joining the band for the remainder of its ongoing “The Rise Of Rock” tour. Mangini took the stage alongside vocalist and guitarist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill and guitarist Sam Koltun.
The appearance came just weeks after drummer Wade Murff‘s final performance with the band. Murff had joined Godsmack earlier this year and played a series of dates beginning with the group’s appearance at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 8. His last show with Godsmack took place on May 30 in Houston, Texas.
At the time, there was little indication that Murff‘s run with the band was coming to an end. On the day of his final performance, he shared the following message on social media: “Houston TX tonight! Little break coming up and then we come back and light up #kansascity. What a great start to the tour! Thank you to everyone who came out and saw ‘The Rise Of Rock’ show with #godsmack #stonetemplepilots and #dorothy!”
Shortly afterward, Murff resurfaced as a touring member of Black Veil Brides. On June 6, the band announced that he would step in for drummer Christian “CC” Coma during the remainder of its 2026 European tour due to “an unfortunate personal and private matter”. Murff‘s first show with Black Veil Brides took place on June 10 in Munich, Germany.
Meanwhile, Mangini‘s arrival gives Godsmack a drummer whose résumé includes some of the biggest names in hard rock and progressive metal. Best known for his 13-year tenure with Dream Theater, Mangini exited the band in October 2023 when the group reunited with founding drummer Mike Portnoy.
Mangini originally earned the Dream Theater position in 2010 after winning a highly publicized audition process that was documented in the film “The Spirit Carries On”. Long before joining Dream Theater, Mangini established himself as a standout player through his work with Extreme and later as a member of Steve Vai‘s band. He also spent years teaching at Berklee College Of Music, where he became one of the institution’s most recognized instructors.
