Five Finger Death Punch

F8

Written by: PP on 27/03/2021 03:19:55

Eight albums down and it doesn't seem like the Fiver Finger Death Punch machine is slowing down. Yes, it is mainstream metal for the masses, but lately, the quality of song has suggested it might be for some music enthusiasts as well. Ivan Moody's macho delivery is perfect for the massive arenas and stadiums they headline these days, fueling the fist pumps, beer-laden drunk fests, and stupifying mosh pits, yet it's undeniable the band knows how to write a catchy song that simultaneously feels punishingly heavy. Maybe not in the sense of a death metal pummel, but the chunky arena metal riffs, simple as they may be, do carry a couple of container ships' worth of weight at least if a song like "Full Circle" is to be the judge.

Yes, their dense chugging and simplistic solos may not ooze of artistic creativity, but as "F8" so vividly demonstrates, the oomph-laden delivery is full of conviction and immediacy that few other bands today can match. With hit after hit, the record delivers what might be formulaic American macho rock in the vein of Disturbed and, yes, Slipknot, but it is the way that it is delivered which is important. Here, crushing distortion and the momentous Moody chants and semi-growls combine for just the right contrast between catchy and heavy, resulting in a soundscape that just... works. It's a muscular sound with a barrage of brooding guitars, contrasted by mass sing-along choruses and occasional growls for good measure. Does it feel like the American military just arrived at your doorsteps waving flags and bald eagles? Fuck yeah, it does, but that's always been part of the love/hate relationship with this band.

Looking back at the last couple of releases by FFDP, they've had their hits but mostly been filler material, to be perfectly honest. That's where "F8" differs: pretty much every song is good. From the power ballads like "A Little Bit Off" to the metallic scream cuts like "Bottom Of The Top" or "This Is War", this record might just be the best material Five Finger Death Punch has written for a long while. It's catchy, it sounds huge, features crisp production, and feels like a locomotive was just dropped on you from the sky. What more do you want from a mainstream metal album? In its genre, few records can do what Five Finger Death Punch does here. A convincing tour-de-force, a middle finger to the haters and critics alike, and pretty much exactly what the fans were asking for.

8

Download: Inside Out, Full Circle, To Be Alone, Darkness Settles In, Brighter Side Of Grey
For the fans of: Disturbed, Stone Sour, All That Remains, Slipknot
Listen: Facebook

Release date 28.02.2020
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