It seems as if band's lately have a real vendetta against being called "nu-metal." Sully Erna recently claimed that Godsmack's "biggest struggle" over the years was being called a nu-metal band.

"Our biggest struggle over the years was we got lumped into that 'nu-metal' category when we got signed, because the Korns and the Limp Bizkits and all them were kind of blowing up," Erna told Reno's Rock 104.5. "And we were never that, though."

Erna acknowledges the wide array of influences on Godsmack's self-titled debut album, which came out in 1998, just as nu-metal started to really gain momentum as a genre. The frontman cites bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Alice in Chains as the primary influences, and implores that Godsmack are simply a hard rock band that never considered themselves metal.

"To me, metal bands deserve the props for the Slipknots and the Slayers and whoever is truly metal," Erna insisted. "We always struggled with that identity of trying to get people to understand that we're not really a metal band, we're a hard rock band."

He explains that they intentionally hung around other bands that were considered hard rock in order to make a point. "And not be out there with bands that we shouldn't be out there with, [like] Lamb of God and whatever it is. Not anything against them — they're all great bands for what they do — but we're not that."

Watch the full interview below.

Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd also expressed his dismay over the label recently, inferring that the genre is full of "misogynistic" bands.

Godsmack are currently out on tour with Halestorm and Monster Truck. See the dates here.