Caleb Bingham joined the band as a second guitarist, but was soon replaced by Darrell Roberts.
The same year, Five Finger Death Punch signed a record deal with Firm Music to produce its first album, The Way of the Fist. The album got a slow start, entering the Billboard 200 chart at number 199. However, it soon went on to sell over half a million copies in the U.S. alone. Five Finger Death Punch then embarked on its first major tour as a supporting act for Korn’s Family Values Tour.
Five Finger Death Punch returned to the road in 2008 as a supporting act on Disturbed’s Indestructible Tour. In May that year, the band re-released The Way of the Fist with three bonus tracks. At the beginning of 2009, Roberts left and was replaced by Jason Hook.
Five Finger Death Punch’s popularity rose with the release of its second studio album War is the Answer in September 2009. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 40,000 copies in the first week. The album produced six singles, including the chart-topper, “Hard to See.” It went on to sell over one million copies and is now certified platinum by the RIAA. To promote the record, Five Finger Death Punch embarked on its first headlining tour, The Shock and Raw Tour.
Five Finger Death Punch began recording its third studio album in November 2010. Snell then decided to leave the band and was replaced by Chris Kael the following June.
In October 2011, Five Finger Death Punch released its third album, American Capitalist. It was the most successful release to date. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 90,000 copies in its first week. It is now certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 2013, Five Finger Death Punch announced its upcoming fourth and fifth albums. The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell was released as two separate volumes.
Volume 1 dropped in June 2014, climbing to number two on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold over 100,000 copies in its first week. Volume 2 followed that September, also landing a number two spot on the same chart. It sold 77,000 copies in the first week.
Five Finger Death Punch announced the release of its sixth record in 2015. The band spent much of the year touring with Papa Roach to promote its upcoming album, Got Your Six, which dropped in September that year. Got Your Six debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and was the top-selling album of the week.
In 2018, Five Finger Death Punch released its seventh studio album, And Justice for None. It includes a cover of “Gone Away” by The Offspring. All four of these albums went on to be certified platinum and gold, making Five Finger Death Punch one of the most successful metal bands of the decade.
Five Finger Death Punch’s eighth record, F8, arrived in February 2020, followed by its ninth studio album, AfterLife in August 2022.
The band currently consists of Zoltan Bathory on rhythm guitar, Ivan Moody on lead vocals, Chris Kael on bass, Charlie Engen on drums, and Andy James on lead guitar.
Catch the band live now on its AfterLife Tour.
Out of the approximately 50 concerts I’ve been to in the past 10 years, Five Finger Death Punch is by far my favorite live show to see. I’ve seen them live around 5 times and each time they have not disappointed.
Each show is slightly different, as all the band members are extremely apt at adapting their performances to the mood of the crowd. Rather than just getting on stage and spitting out a ho-hum set list, the band really places importance on interacting with the crowd and getting them pumped up. In addition, if you’re one who likes to take your kids to shows, you’re in for a treat. At EVERY show, the lead singer, Ivan, asks all the kids in the crowd to join him on stage during the heaviest songs so that “the big kids can show them how a moshpit is done.” So, in addition to having some of the wildest moshpits of modern rock music, you get to see what the next generation of metalheads looks like in the kids.
Even if you’re a fair-weather fan, these guys will not disappoint you. Seeing them live is truly an experience, from the amazing drum solo and light performances, to the killer guitar solos, Five Finger Death Punch is truly a class act.