Artist: Five Finger Death Punch
Title: “The Way Of The Fist”
Label: Firm Music
Release Date: 7/31/2007
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5

I loved what I heard on the debut by Five Finger Death Punch and stated my views on the release “The Way Of The Fist” when it first hit the streets so I must admit to a little confusion when I learned that the band would be re-releasing the record with a few bonus tracks. Given I made my position clear on the initial recording I have copied my thoughts below for a reminder and then after them have added comments related to the bonus tracks.

“When a band is going by a name as intense as Five Finger Death Punch you have to hope that they are going to be a no-nonsense approach to Heavy Metal music and not some run of the mill, derivative, been there, done that sort of group. Luckily, everyone who decides to take their chances on FFDP is in for a very rocking surprise. The band takes its name from the killing blow delivered by The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill 2”, and don’t ask me why but the move very simply works as a band name as well. Fronted by singer Ivan Moody, the vocals at times sound a little like Tool’s Maynard, as he blends an atmospheric melodic vocal with guttural growling and takes the songs in multiple directions as a result. The powerhouse quintet was assembled by Euro-Metal veteran Zoltan Bathory, their guitarist, who presents a no-nonsense approach to the music that is able to be enjoyed by a wider demographic of Metal fans. If you like thundering double bass drums, its here, if you like tuned down guitar shredding, its here, if you want heavy, its here and memorable choruses, well I believe you get the point. The action packed listen is only ten-songs long but there isn’t a bad tune on the disk and it starts you off with “Ashes”, a tune that after a shouting count of some kind determines to kick your ass from here to next Sunday. “The Way Of The Fist” seems to set the bands premise of defiance and standing up for oneself in the face of trouble. It has a really angry verse part and the overall melody is destined to inspire either a circle pit or some really intense fist throwing. Joining Bathory and Moody in the group are Jeremy Spencer (drums), Matt Snell (bass), and Darrell Roberts (guitars). Roberts comes from one of the many incarnations of W.A.S.P. while Snell was the bassist for Anubis Rising. Spencer is the creator of “Drums From Hell: The Extreme Metal Loops” CD, and based on the playing this guy does on the album you can tell that he really knows his stuff.
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