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FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
"War is the Answer"
(Prospect Park; 2009)
Reviewed by Jeff Rogers
This is the second punch (a right cross?) from a band who originated in Los Angeles, California. Their first CD was a left hook since they took heavy metal and combined it with thrash and added in groove metal to give it a funky feel. The first track here just kicks into high gear and they never let up. They are named as a tribute to a vintage kung-fu film; I love kung-fu films and heavy metal so I'm here for the duration.
If you love Korn or Disturbed then you'll want to grab this release. The vocals are clean and gravelly, the guitar is nasty and with riffs that groove instead of just pound your eyeballs you'll love this stuff. There are plenty of solos so my cup runneth over. The drums are a force to be reckoned with - they pound! I think the bass guitar is down-tuned as well. The music is heavy but done with great melodies so it's got that metal feel that's been missing in today's music.
The album title comes from the band thinking about how life is a war, because it's you against the world; you fight for everything. Sometimes you need to just start swinging and other times you need to find a deeper answer. They have a couple of acoustic intros that lead into slower songs, we're not talking love songs at all but the mood changes considerably.
A track titled "Canto 34" is a rockin' instrumental with so many things thrown in you'll want to hit repeat just to hear it over and over. They also cover the song "Bad Company" by the band of the same name; great vocals can be heard here and they also add their own dig by singing "The Death Punch sound is our claim to fame." They may have covered it but they make it their own.
You need to pick up this CD! Don't make me five finger punch you!
Five Finger Death Punch: Ivan Moody - vocals; Zoltan Bathory - rhythm guitar; Jason Hook - lead guitar; Matt Snell - bass guitar; Jeremy Spencer - drums.
For more information, check out http://www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2010 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised:
02 Nov 2011 01:33:47 -0600
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