Review: Five Finger Death Punch – ‘War is the Answer’
Posted: October 6th, 2009
Contributed By: J4ESTER
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Purchase @ Amazon.com Release Date: September 22nd, 2009 via Propect Park |
| Five Finger Death Punch is:
Ivan (Vocals) |
Overview: I guess after blowing up this past year the only thing you can do is start a war. So that’s exactly what Five Finger Death Punch has done on their highly anticipated follow up to ‘Way of the Fist’. Some may say that the explosiveness has left the band, but I beg to differ. They are just offering a newly designed shaped charge on ‘War is the Answer’. From the start you will hear the sound that 5FDP have offered up before and before it’s over you’ll actually hear something completely amazing and new.
The Good: 5FDP clearly know how to keep a listener coming back for more. This record surely streamlines that situation by making you not reach for the skip button. From “Dying Breed” to “No One Gets Left Behind” you will hear what you’ve come to expect from the new bad boys of metal—heavy hitting double bass, dueling guitars, and the caged animal that is Ivan. But inside each one of these songs you get a little glimpse at what Ivan is capable of. You will find more of that later. “No One Gets Left Behind” is a song made for the Service Members of the United States and even takes a real recording from them during the breakdown, straight from the battle field. But as this song ends you run into “Crossing Over” which turns your idea of 5FDP on its head. A great lyrical ballad telling your loved one not to hurry up and be with you again after yourself has passed away. The chorus feels like the husband is telling his wife to live the rest of her life by not fretting that he has gone. “Far From Home” hits the brakes a bit to show you the control this band has to make you really feel the lyrics. I guess having a few songs that slow the pace on the album really make you see how ferocious the other songs can get. Ivan was actually the one that wanted to have an instrumental (Canto 34) on this album and it really displays the talent behind the brutal front man. I first saw them perform “Bad Company” in Summerfest in Milwaukee where they did a headlining show. I thought it was filler at first but they really have made it their own and Paul Rodgers should really be proud of it. From slingshots to hellfire missiles 5FDP really knows how to make them work for different purposes and the best part is that they can control them all.
The Bad: Really there isn’t too much to report down here. You got what you wanted on the hard hitting songs, and even more from the reined-in tracks. I will admit that “Burn It Down” and “War is The Answer” feel recycled from the debut album but it gives you more of what you wanted. So really it’s not too much of a disappointment.
Bottomline: Five Finger Death Punch have stepped it up a notch on this record while blasting your ear holes, but letting them breath at the same time. There is a bright future for these up-and-comers, if they keep up the intensity and angst that they have brought with them. People need angry music when they are feeling down, getting pumped for a big game, just going for a run or even for just chilling with. The best part will be if they can bring the quality and power that this album holds in a live setting. They pulled it off on the first record and that formula will carry over for this as well.
TuneLab Rating: 8 out of 10
75 Comments
That’s what I’m saying. Based on his review it should’ve been somewhere around a 9 or more.
TNB, you know what else is funny? All the talk about this is the best album of the year…..Two weeks later, no this is the album of the year…..What the fuck, there’s no single one album of the year.
LOL. I agree. I think based on how much I love this band, how long I listened to their last album, and how much I’ve listened to this one already, I think this might be my personal album of the year.
“All I wanted was your honesty, something more than this, something more than thi-iss” Dying Breed.
Spot on. This really has to be one of the best of the year.
Indeed. I listen to the full album atleast nce a day at work.
And twice while inflating your blow-up doll.
lol. Mood music is what I call it.
Hahaha, after all that blowing I’m sure the mood is blown.
All over her face…!
Dale you dress me up as a doll…. any relevance?
Hahaha, Dale, that was a thread stopper……
Yeah man thats my job. Ya douche.
TNB’s spreading his wings (maxi).
lol. Now quoting Heather are we fly?
Hahahah, I have to start keeping a file between you, dish, Troy, and Heather the original material will soon fade away.
lol. Yeah. I have been commenting the shit outta this site lately. I can hardly remember things I’ve commented on. I look back on some and “I actually said that? Hmm, don’t remember that one.”
Hahaha, I have done the same thing. I’ll go to a topic and see that I commented and am like, when the hell did I say that. I think Mikel does it using my account…..hahaha
lol. That’d be funny. This sucks that my job is so slow I can go one here all day long, but then again…kinda awesome. On tunelab and watching the Canucks beat up on the Ducks tonite, both whilst being paid at work. Awesome!
What about the gay Sedin twins?
lol. Hey man, Henrik is still getting good points without Daniel. And Mikael Samuelsson is stepping up. See that winner in the SO last night. Pretty ‘lil move. Besides, those guys till now, haven’t missed more than like 3 games a year. And they take one hell of a beating behind the net and never give the puck up. So they may be gay, but great players.
Agreed on all counts, the gay swedes, the comments, the music, the hefty man sex. Love this site! Oh and Daledo didn’t know you had monthly visits.
I do now. As some sources would state.
Hey Dale, just kidding about the twins. What do I care where they park their wood?
Great album! 9/10