WILL HUNT Says He Won't Be Part Of GODSMACK's 'The Rise Of Rock' 2026 Tour Due To Schedule Overlaps With EVANESCENCE

In a new interview with Mark Strigl, EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt, who sat behind the kit for GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour, was asked if he will play drums for the Sully Erna-fronted outfit when GODSMACK returns to the road this spring for the 2026 "The Rise Of Rock" world tour. Will replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I did that [European tour], it was a thing of that he didn't know what was gonna transpire after that, after that European tour. [It was] something they already had booked. And much in the same way as I landed in EVANESCENCE, they had those dates on the books and they needed to finish it out."

Referencing the fact that GODSMACK confirmed the departure of the band's longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola in April 2025, Will continued: "I think that for them being together as long as they were together, it was very emotional for them. And [Sully was] kind of, like, 'Now what?' Same as [EVANESCENCE singer] Amy [Lee when the original EVANESCENCE lineup fell apart]: 'Do I even wanna keep doing this?'

"Sully, he's a lifer, man," Hunt explained. "He's been doing this his whole life, just like me. I think that that doesn't stop. I think that we all wanna keep going. And so when I initially got brought in, it was just, like, 'Okay, I'm just gonna finish this out. I don't know what I'm gonna do.' And I said, 'Well, that's okay, because I'm still in EVANESCENCE, and I've got no plans to leave.' And so that's what shook out for that.

"I would love to keep doing that," he said in reference to GODSMACK. "I had so much fun doing it. It was such an honor to do it. But you can look and see that the EVANESCENCE schedules and the GODSMACK schedules completely overlap.

"I joke a lot, man, if there were two of me, man, I'd be a fricking gazillionaire — I could work all the time," Will added. "But, unfortunately, scheduling-wise, it won't work out for me. Which is a bummer, man, because I really, really love playing with those guys and playing those amazing songs. And I learned a lot from Sully, who is also a great drummer. [It was a] very challenging gig, but so much fun."

GODSMACK's "The Rise Of Rock" 2026 tour will feature special guests STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and DOROTHY. Promoted by Live Nation, the tour will kick off on Sunday, May 10 in Bristow, Virginia at Jiffy Lube Live and make stops across the U.S. and Toronto, Canada, including Austin, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, and California, before wrapping Saturday, September 26 at Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater in Nampa, Idaho.

When GODSMACK announced Larkin and Rombola's departures nearly a year ago, Sully said that Rombola and Larkin "decided to retire from the band permanently, on good terms, but for no other reason than to fulfill their desire to live a more simple and quiet life away from touring."

He added: "Their departure marks the end of an era, but it also opens the door for new and exciting possibilities. We want to assure you that Shannon and Tony will always be part of our family, and their contributions will forever echo in our music. We respect their decisions and support them wholeheartedly as they pursue their own individual paths.

"Robbie [Merrill, GODSMACK bassist] and I are also excited to explore new directions, and although we have not made any permanent decisions about who may replace Tony and Shannon, we will be continuing this journey together, and we look forward to sharing the decisions we make with all of you as they happen."

GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour on March 22, 2025 at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The day before the Sofia concert, Erna told Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station that "personal things" were preventing Tony and Shannon from taking part in the trek and explained that "a couple of guest musicians" — Hunt and guitarist Sam Koltun of DOROTHY — were playing with GODSMACK while he and Merrill were " trying to figure out exactly what's happening".

In a since-deleted video shared on Facebook, Larkin addressed his absence from GODSMACK's ongoing tour, saying:  "Well, there's been lots of speculation about [why Tony and I are not on the road].

"First of all, I just wanna thank everybody for the outpouring of texts, all my family and friends. I'm okay. Tony's okay. But we did quit the band [in 2024], after lots of talking to Sully and Robbie. And they understood that we didn't wanna tour anymore — that's the reason — and we understood that they wanted to tour. And so we understood each other. And in the end, GODSMACK's out there touring and we are happily here living our lives.

"Tony turned 60. I'm 58. Look, it's not a physical thing. We wanna be home with everything that we love.

"[It's been] 40 years — think of that; 40 years I've been touring. 28 years for Rombola. And we're getting a little older, so we decided to quit it. And that's it.

"But thanks. And we love you all, the fans and everything.

"This wasn't a bad thing, and I know it looks like it, but I will talk more about it in the future. But it's all love. We're brothers for life with Sully and Robbie, and we wish Will and Sam the best. And all the fans, keep going [to the shows]. They're kicking fucking ass.

"As Sully said at the very end, all good things must come to an end. So GODSMACK didn't come to an end — it's just a new chapter for them — and it's certainly a new chapter for Tony and I. And we're already making music, and everybody's happy. So be happy, people."

Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a taste of their zenith.

Tony had been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards.

GODSMACK's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.