ALBUM REVIEW: A Decade Of Destruction – Five Finger Death Punch
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH have been working their way up the rock musical ladder since the release of The Way Of The Fist in 2007, growing their fan base and critical acclaim with each new album, and working out some of their frustrations along the way. Known for their aggressive musical and lyrical style, they’re not for the faint-hearted, but are perfect for anyone that wants to vent. They’ve played gigs and festivals all around the world, including but not limited to Download Festival and Mayhem Festival. Their energy is conducive to encouraging pits and crowd involvement.
For a band that’s been around for a decade, there can’t be many firsts left, their recording and touring routines being old hat, but for American heavy metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH their album A Decade Of Destruction is a first, it’s their first compilation album, their greatest hits, but with a couple of new numbers thrown in for good measure. Also in the works, is a brand new album due next spring, their seventh studio album.
The first new song, and the first song on the album, is Trouble. A lyric video was released a few weeks prior to the albums release and is the first new music we’ve heard from them in two years. “I don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for me” is the first line and certainly sets the tone as exactly what we’d expect from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH: a bolshie, unashamed attitude, gruff vocals, with aggressive riffs. If this song is any indication of what can be expected from the new album, it’s something to look forward to. Gone Away is the second new song, a cover of THE OFFSPRING’s hit. It shows the softer side of their musical ability with a slowly sung introduction that leads listeners into this emotionally vulnerable song. Lyrically, Ivan Moody discusses the pain of losing a loved one, and is supported musically with gentler riffs rising and falling along with his pain.
The rest of the album covers the entire span of their career, every other album is represented fairly. It contains all the fan favourites, like Jekyll and Hyde, The Bleeding and Under and Over it and the hard-hitting songs Coming Down, Remember Everything and Bad Company. Not to mention Lift Me Up featuring Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST. Also included is a cover of THE ANIMALS version of The House of the Rising Sun which, despite being a step away from their usual theme, has always seemed just right in their musical style, with Moody’s voice, as if it were written for them.
The aim of a greatest hits it to bring together all the best of a band, to showcase their ultimate successes, and they have achieved that goal. Nothing is missing from the track list, every album has been well represented and the overall effect is a summary of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. For anyone new to FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, this album serves as a great introduction to what they are about, all the aggression, and unabashed honesty, and the hard-hitting truths of the grittiest parts of society.
Rating: 8/10
A Decade of Destruction is out now via Eleven Seven Music.
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