Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has officially pulled the curtain back on the band’s revamped lineup. The hard rock titans are currently preparing to hit the road for “The Rise Of Rock” 2026 tour alongside Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy, marking their first major run since the high-profile retirements of longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola.
During a revealing new interview with TalkShopLive‘s “The Rock N Roll Channel,” the vocalist discussed the emotional toll of losing two of his closest bandmates and officially introduced the heavy hitters stepping in to fill their shoes.
“We have a strong lineup right now,” Sully Erna revealed. “I wanna mention this — this is the first time I’ve said this on any platform. So you and the fans are hearing this for the first time. But we have welcomed in a new guitar player named Sam Koltun, who’s amazing. He was actually playing with Dorothy. He’s played with some other bands along the way. And he came in for an audition. And I gotta tell you, the guy blew our mind. His attention to detail, his performance, his playing really elevated the frontline a little bit more than it was.”
He stressed that the new guitarist has approached the classic catalog with massive respect, noting that fans will be blown away by the accuracy of the performance. “And he’s just an incredible guitar player. So I want people to know that, ’cause I want them to welcome him into this project. He really loves the band. He honored the music. He honored what Tony played. And, and I gotta tell you, it sounds identical. It’s incredible how well he can play the stuff and put his own little flair to things.”
The frontman then turned his attention to the rhythm section, officially welcoming a new timekeeper into the fold.
“And for the first time we’re gonna mention Wade Murff, who is gonna be the new drummer at this point. And again, great guy, great player, strong, looks great visually.I think for people that are gonna come see Godsmack now, they’re gonna really feel at home when they hear the band and how we sound because I don’t think much has changed in that aspect, but there’s this new breath of life now too. There’s this thing that’s been like recharged, and it’s exciting.”
The massive lineup shift comes on the heels of the band’s upcoming live album and Blu-ray, Live At Mohegan Sun, set to drop on May 1 via Primary Wave. Captured during a sold-out October 2024 performance in Uncasville, Connecticut, the project documents the final performance of the classic Godsmack lineup.
Sully Erna reflected on the emotional weight of that final show and the difficult realization that his longtime brothers in arms were permanently stepping away from the grueling touring lifestyle.
“[Shannon] gave me the best years in this band. Tony as well. Those guys are just irreplaceable, as far as I can say, because they’re truly like brothers, and they always will be. And there’s no bad blood. A lot of people are, like, ‘Oh, what happened? You had a falling out?’ No, there’s nothing. They got to that point in their lives where they just didn’t wanna tour at this level anymore. It’s hard work. The road is a lonely place. Shannon got sober several years ago. It just didn’t feel fun for him anymore. The body gets beat up. We put ourselves to a lot, emotionally and physically, and they just wanted to go enjoy their lives now. And so we gave each other a big hug, and we wished them the best. We honor and respect their decision.”
While he fully respects their choice to step down, the frontman admitted that accepting the reality of the situation was a difficult and incredibly bitter process.
“I’m not gonna lie — I had some bitterness at first. From the day they said, ‘Listen, this is the last one. I think we’re gonna finish this record. We’re gonna finish the touring cycle, and then that’s it.’ … And even though I understood it, and they had my blessing, they had my respect, and it wasn’t anything that kind of fell out on bad terms, it didn’t sit with me well. ‘Cause I felt like I’d worked so hard my whole life. I felt like I built this amazing thing with these guys and gave everyone their dream and they took mine away. And I was kind of experiencing that emotion for a while. And I found myself okay with it, and then really mad about it, and then finding my acceptance with it and then not finding my peace with it. And it was really like an emotional rollercoaster for me.”
Despite the emotional upheaval, Sully Erna and bassist Robbie Merrill ultimately decided that Godsmack still has plenty of life left. With a recharged lineup and a massive summer tour on the horizon, the frontman made it clear that the band is far from finished.
“I feel good. I feel like I’m 25 years old. I’m not ready to go anywhere yet. So we’re gonna run this a little bit longer, and we’re gonna see how things go.”
“Rise Of Rock World Tour 2026” Dates:
- May 7 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville
- May 9 – Camden, NJ – MMRBQ
- May 10 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
- May 12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
- May 14 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater
- May 16 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
- May 17 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple
- May 19 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
- May 21 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
- May 23 – Huntsville, AL – Orion Amphitheater
- May 24 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
- May 27 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- May 29 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
- May 30 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Sponsored by Huntsman
- June 12 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
- June 14 – St Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
- June 16 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
- June 18 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
- June 20 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
- June 21 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
- June 23 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
- June 24 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
- June 27 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
- June 28 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
- June 30 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
- July 2 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
- July 3 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
- September 6 – El Paso, TX – Speaking Rock Casino (Dorothy only)
- September 7 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
- September 9 – Denver, CO – Junkyard
- September 11 – Las Vegas, NV – Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino (Dorothy only)
- September 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre KUPD UFest
- September 15 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
- September 17 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
- September 19 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
- September 20 – Corning, CA – Rolling Hills Casino and Resort (Dorothy only)
- September 22 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
- September 24 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
- September 26 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater KQXR XFest
