NYS Music 20​17

Tag: five finger death punch

  • Hearing Aide: Five Finger Death Punch ‘Decade of Destruction’

    The fact that Five Finger Death Punch falls under the groove metal sub-genre is either fitting or ironic for their latest album Decade of Destruction because I can’t tell if they’ve found their groove (metal) and are sticking to it or have been stuck in a decade long creative rut. For diehard fans of 5FDP the two never before released songs on this compilation album are able to justify picking this album up even if you have all their other albums, but for casual fans such as I who find most songs interchangeable, it gets really difficult to recommend. So to help here are two semi quick reviews of the new songs on the album.

    The first track, “Trouble,” opens with lyrics that I hate to say feel like the band is satirizing themselves:

    “I don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for me/That’s how it’s always been, that’s how it’s gonna be.”

    The song is full of what fans love about 5FDP including aggressive vocals interrupted with anthemic chants, but there’s not much to say about it. If you love 5FDP’s emotional lyrics then this is another song to add to your collection when feeling down or angry at the world, otherwise it’s completely forgettable/replaceable. There’s nothing necessarily bad about the song it’s just another 5FDP song for better or for worse.

    5FDP is known for covering songs, some from fellow metal bands, some from completely different music genres. Their track record is without a doubt a mixed track record. “House of the Rising Sun” and “Bad Company” are well praised and favorites among fans but then there’s songs like “Mama Said Knock You Out” originally by LL Cool J which is best not mentioned. Unfortunately the latest song to be covered by 5FDP, “Gone Away,” originally by The Offspring is most likely to end up sharing company with the likes of “Mama Said Knock You Out” instead of “Bad Company.” There’s just nothing about this cover that warrants its place on a greatest hits album and was also a wasted opportunity of a library such as The Offspring’s which is chock full of songs that fit 5FDP’s usual subject matter. Songs like “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” would have been perfect songs to be covered by 5FDP, so to find out that “Gone Away” was the song 5FDP decided on is just truly disappointing.

    Overall this is a mixed and confusing album and not just because it’s a “greatest hits” album with new material. While bands like Cannibal Corpse have also stuck to one sound, refusing to experiment, they have worked to improve that sound so that anyone can hear the difference between Vile (1996) and Red Before Black (2017) but 5FDP has relatively stayed the same for over a decade without improving their sound. In conclusion if you like 5FDP you’ll like ‘Decade of Destruction’ because it’s full of “greatest hits” and two new songs but if you don’t like 5FDP then you should be used to this by now considering they’re for better or for worse the closest thing metal can get to mainstream music.

    Key Tracks:  Lift Me Up (feat. Rob Halford), Jekyll and Hyde, Remember Everything

  • Ivan Moody Clarifies His Comments About Leaving Five Finger Death Punch

    Several metal and hard rock fans, and various music industry insiders, have always had a lot to say when it comes to Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody. Over the last few of years, fans, music journalists and everyone else that has an opinion on this subject has always felt when it comes to Moody and his constant “meltdowns,” and “alcohol/substance abuse” problems, many are surprised that Moody has not been kicked out of the band.

    Moody was even replaced by All That Remains frontman Philip Labonte, to end the band’s 2016 run with Shinedown and Sixx: A.M., after Moody fell “ill,” and could not finish the remaining dates. As reported by NYS Music, many feel that Labonte’s time filling in for Moody was actually an audition and a possible glimpse into the future. So, at first, when several music news sites started reporting that Moody was departing Five Finger Death Punch after his 2017 commitments to the band started to circulate, not many were surprised that some kind of split between the band had finally happened.

    Hours later, Moody released a new statement saying that he’s not going anywhere.

    Moody’s KBPI statement read:

    I had a meltdown. I was like Kanye West without the money. To be completely honest with you, Death Punch and I have kind of come to a crossroads. We’re very proud of what we’ve done – years and years and years of work… It’s time for us to take our way and go do something else, so after this year… my new band, Villain… I’m so excited.

    After several hours, and no response for anyone in Five Finger Death Punch, Moody released a statement on the band’s Facebook page stating that Moody “sets the record straight,” with a link to the band’s website post of Moody’s statement about his comments to KBPI:

    It’s no secret that this has been a tough year for me and for my bandmates in Five Finger Death Punch. When you put everything you have into making music, both on and off the stage, it can be very frustrating when the music you work so hard to create is not allowed to see the light of day. I know we share this frustration with our fans too, who have come to expect new music from us – fans who mean everything to us. It is true that Five Finger Death Punch has come to a crossroads – and that crossroads is we’re all at a place where we will never again let someone or something hold us back from making music for our fans.
    The lawsuit by Prospect Park holding our new album hostage has taken a toll on me. I was in a rehabilitation facility when Prospect Park decided to sue the band last year, and that was very difficult for me to handle all at once.
    Yesterday I made a statement that was taken out of context by the media – a media always looking to create headlines that will make people click them. The truth is, I want to start a side-project like Corey Taylor has with Stone Sour or Maynard has with A Perfect Circle and I want to do it when Five Finger Death Punch’s deal with Prospect Park is over and we are out of this lawsuit.
    THIS DOES NOT MEAN I PLAN ON LEAVING FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!
    The great thing about being a musician today is that you can explore your creativity in multiple ways without compromising your primary focus.  I learned this watching people like Corey and Maynard and I think their fans are glad they’ve put more music out into the world. I hope my fans are, too.
    All that said, Five Finger Death Punch fans can expect our next album via Prospect Park and we are geared up to tour all throughout 2017.  We are about to leave for South America and Europe and we have other dates TBD.
    All of us in the band have worked incredibly hard over the last 10 years to build this band and none of us are going to let that go just because our record company is trying to sabotage us.  I am sorry if the media took my statement as a resignation, but I assure you it wasn’t.” IVAN MOODY – vocalist Five Finger Death Punch

    Moody’s side project Villain will consist of members from Gemini Syndrome and Coal Chamber.

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