Godsmack heads north of the border behind 'IV'

Rockers Godsmack will help thaw out audiences in Canada and Alaska this summer with a series of concerts behind their recently released album, "IV."

The Boston-based quartet has lined up a dozen shows--10 in Canada and a pair in Alaska--that kick off in mid-June and run through the end of that month. Details are included below.

The group will have a chance to warm up for the June shows with a May 25 performance at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay during the taping of "VH1 Rock Honors," a special that will pay tribute to the music and influence of KISS, Queen, Def Leppard and Judas Priest. The show, which is scheduled to air May 31, will also feature performances from the honorees, as well as Foo Fighters, The All-American Rejects and Paul Rodgers (Bad Company).

News of the tour follows Godsmack's late-April release of "IV," which debuted in the top slot on The Billboard 200 chart after selling about 211,000 copies during its first week out. Fueling sales is the album's hit single, "Speak."

Band frontman Sully Erna produced the new disc, and engineered the set with Andy Johns, whose credits include "Led Zeppelin IV," Van Halen's "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street."

"IV" is Godsmack's first full-length studio set since 2003's "Faceless." The group followed that collection with the 2004 acoustic EP "The Other Side."