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SULLY ERNA: ‘Saying That MIKE MANGINI Is Overqualified To Play For GODSMACK Is Just Like Saying That SHANNON LARKIN’s Overqualified To Play For The Band’
Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has discussed the band's reshuffled line-up in a new interview, addressing how it feels to perform alongside new drummer Mike Mangini and guitarist Sam Koltun following the departures of long-standing members Shannon Larkin and Tony Rombola. The comments matter to fans because they mark Erna's most detailed reflection yet on rebuilding the band's chemistry after losing two founding members who had played together for around three decades.
Mangini, formerly of Dream Theater, made his live debut with Godsmack on 12 June at the Morton Amphitheater in Riverside, Missouri, stepping in after the abrupt exit of interim drummer Wade Murff, who himself had only joined in early May. Erna said the new players are highly capable and have made performing feel natural again, though he acknowledged the emotional bond with Larkin and Rombola, who left in late 2024 because they no longer wanted to tour, can never fully be replicated. He also referenced the late Rush drummer Neil Peart's saying that "nothing great lasts forever" as helping him come to terms with the line-up changes.
In short
- Sully Erna praises new Godsmack members Mike Mangini and Sam Koltun.
- Mangini debuted live with Godsmack on 12 June 2026.
- Shannon Larkin and Tony Rombola left the band in late 2024.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The new members are professionally accomplished musicians—Mangini notably played for Dream Theater and brings world-class technical ability—and there is no reason the band cannot continue delivering strong performances and fresh creative work with new personnel. Bands throughout rock history have successfully refreshed their lineups and evolved artistically; maintaining momentum with capable replacements allows Godsmack to keep engaging with audiences and exploring new directions rather than disbanding.
The case against
Three decades of creative collaboration between Larkin, Rombola and Erna created an irreplaceable sonic identity and songwriting chemistry that new members, however technically skilled, cannot simply replicate. The departing musicians co-wrote Godsmack's most defining songs, and their specific personalities and intuitive musical understanding were fundamental to the band's character; whilst their replacements may perform the existing catalogue competently, the band has effectively become something quite different from what made it distinctive.
Explained simply
Godsmack is a rock band that has been performing since the 1990s. In late 2024, two of its founding members—drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola—left the band, ending three decades of working together because they no longer wished to tour.
The band has since recruited Mike Mangini, who previously played drums for Dream Theater, alongside new guitarist Sam Koltun. Mangini made his first performance with Godsmack in June.
For Godsmack's fans, the departures represent a defining moment. Losing two founding members simultaneously after such a long partnership means the band must now rebuild the musical and personal chemistry that took many years to develop.
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