Better Noise Music
Out Now
After reminding us all of the magnitude and quality of their musical output with two Best Of albums to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band, Five Finger Death Punch looks to further cement their legacy with a new album as well, aptly titled just that.
Legacy.
Guitarist Zoltan Bathory has promised that the record will be heavier than anything Five Finger Death Punch have done in years, harking back to the grit of their early roots while mixing in cinematic elements. Yes, I am aware that most bands have similar things to say with every new album cycle, but what is also evident from two decades atop the metal tree is that 5FDP rarely pull punches or talk smack, so I am definitely excited to hit play and judge for myself.
And what better way to start than with the title track?
Arriving riding the crest of a firm gust of wind, Legacy soon finds its feet with a sudden burst of energy punctuated by a rapid-fire guitar assault fuelled by menacing drumming before vocalist Ivan Moody adds to the carnage by spouting “Mama always told me never dance with the devil, you’ll only find trouble” in what sounds as much of a warning as it does a statement.
5FDP come out of the blocks swinging with a renewed vibrancy and underlying tenacity that proves age has definitely not slowed them down. If anything, it has made them angrier. A massive, swirling, damaging guitar solo accentuates the ferocity and as Moody continues to wage sonic war as Legacy draws to a close, I am already exhausted, bleeding in the corner with two black eyes.
Things get even more menacing with De Oppresso Liber as a wall of intensity blasts at you front on, a familiar groove failing to ease the tension that lay thick in the air. This track is even heavier than Legacy, with the sporadic cleans the only moments of respite. 5FDP have always managed to offset their harshness with harmonious layers, but so far it seems as though they have found a way to assimilate the opposing vocal styles in such a manner to almost lull you into a false sense of security while they quietly go about sharpening the axe before swinging for the rafters once more.
Then things change tact unexpectedly as 5FDP pull things back as one into a light shuffle complete with bright backing vocals that give off a church choir type of vibe. Without the church. This continues almost elegantly as De Oppresso Liber fades into itself, leaving a genuine WTF feel where one minute ago a raging storm raged unabated.
As if to reinforce that belief, Eye Of The Storm is up next and sees 5FDP revert to the more familiar, balanced style of aggression from which they have built their career. But something feels inherently different this time, and I can’t yet put my finger on just what that is. But I know I am loving the fuck out of it!
Nails In The Coffin arrives to the faint sounds of a thunderous roll before Moody delivers a monologue-inspired opening salvo dripping with emotion that changes tact and intensity with the rise and fall of drums. The emotion dripping from each verse varies from contempt to sorrow, with minimalistic instrumentation allowing Moody to use his voice as the driving force for the most part.
The juxtaposition of emotions and aggression created by the inevitable coming together of the opposing forces of musical nature tells as much of a story as the lyrics and allows for 5FDP to highlight the nuances and sleight of hand they have been developing for more than twenty years now. But more important than that is the overwhelming sense of unity that is glaringly evident so far on the album. And we all know a band united is a band that is dangerous in more ways than one.
In Time breathes life courtesy of a soft piece of guitar play that has a light and airy feel that continues as Moody eases in on vocals, a sensitive, almost nurturing opening passage that is given a greater sense of longing by the tempered, deliberate work of drummer Jeremy Spencer who ensures In Time remains bogged down in its own sensitivity rather than be overcome by a rush of blood that invariably takes some of the gloss from the lighter sides of music.
Unscathed continues the sense of foreboding with a wailing guitar run that flows over uneven ground only briefly before Moody tires of showcasing his vulnerability and steers the ship back into murkier waters. This track is heavy as fuck when it wants to be, but never shifts far beyond reach of the calmer waters that lie just out of earshot. This track alone shows just how far 5FDP have come over the years while still retaining their hunger and impressive DNA that has endeared them to the hearts and ears of a global fanbase that keeps growing stronger with every passing year. And we have only just passed the halfway mark…
Joke’s On Me sees a return to the chuggy fuelled, bottom-end heaviness that has always been a staple of 5FDP. The difference so far on Legacy is that the musical backbone is used more for impact than acceptance. While it would be understandable and even accepted for 5FDP to churn out recycled music with subtle variations – music with a proven track record – they instead challenge themselves by coming up with sonic alternatives that reflect, more than cashing in on, past successes.
Everybody Lies has an acoustic feel while still casting a sinister shadow. If Legacy had a ballad, then this would be it, but it doesn’t feel like a token ballad, if that makes sense. Instead, it is an up-tempo distraction that heralds the return of those angelic harmonies that strangely do not feel as though they are out of place. Another tick for 5FDP.
Shelter eases to life courtesy of a gentle acoustic guitar riff which is soon overpowered as the drums kick in, forcing a change of approach that turns sharply into a more deliberate vocal offering by Moody that again changes pace from spoken word style intensity into warmth and tenderness that offers only brief salvation before Moody barks once more, offering contrasting viewpoints to what is thus far literally a one sided argument.
If this track doesn’t end up being one of the album singles, then I will admit to being full of shit, but somehow I don’t think that will happen.
Things draw to an abrupt end with Scapegoat as a swirling mass of guitars is guided into battle as Moody shouts “go” and his bandmates dutifully oblige. I have to admit that when I read the song name, I instantly thought of Sevendust, and there are moments in Scapegoat that give credence to that notion, but that’s just another of 5FDP‘s many charms. Their music traverses such a varying degree of influences and genres without fully settling on one, making it near impossible to neatly fold their music into a neat package complete with a loving bow.
And then, as if reading my thoughts, Moody finishes with a scathing “fuck you”. And for once, I’m not going to argue. It’s not as if 5FDP have ever had a point to prove to anyone but themselves, but Legacy is more than a summation of the band to this point. It is an emphatic statement of intent that implies 5FDP are only just getting warmed up, which is exciting and intimidating at the same time.
